Related Articles Saccular function less affected than canal function in bilateral vestibulopathy. J Neurol. 2008 Sep 26; Authors: Zingler VC, Weintz E, Jahn K, Bötzel K, Wagner J, Huppert D, Mike A, Brandt T, Strupp M Bilateral vestibulopathy (BV) is characterized by impaired or lost function of both labyrinths or eighth nerves. The diagnosis is routinely established by the head-thrust test, caloric irrigation and rotational testing with electronystagmography to determine the high- and low-frequency deficit of the vestibulo-ocular reflex. All three methods evaluate semicircular canal function only. Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) provide a measure of saccular otolith function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and extent of saccular dysfunction in patients with BV and to correlate saccular with horizontal semicircular canal dysfunction. A total of 84 BV-patients (23 females, mean age 62 +/- 15 (SD) years at the time of diagnosis assessment) were examined with VEMPs, electronystagmography with caloric irrigation and a standardized neuro-ophthalmological and -otological examination; 47 healthy subjects (18 females, mean 56 +/- 19 years) served as controls. Amplitudes P1-N1 were significantly lower in patients with BV compared to controls (mean P1-N1 of all ears 82.1 +/- 50.7 muV in the patients vs. 130.8 +/- 85.9 muV in healthy volunteers). VEMPs were absent unilaterally in four patients with BV and in no ...
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