Diagnostic Value of Prolonged Latencies in the Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential

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Abstract
CLICK-EVOKED myogenic potentials on the sternocleidomastoid muscle have been used as a clinical test of the vestibulospinal reflex. This response is known as the vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP).1-3 Although we have mainly used the amplitude of the first positive-negative response (p13-n23) for the evaluation of VEMP, we have not used the peak latency (p13 and/or n23). Recently, Shimizu et al4 reported that latencies of p13 and n23 were prolonged in 3 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are included in this study and that latencies could be a useful parameter for the evaluation of lesions in the vestibulospinal tract. We speculated whether the prolongation of the latencies was pathognomonic for MS or lesions in the vestibulospinal tract. However, there are no reports concerning latency in other diseases. To clarify the diagnostic value of VEMP latencies, we reviewed VEMP recordings from patients with Meniere disease (MD), vestibular neuritis (VN), acoustic neuroma (AN), and MS and compared their results with those of healthy subjects.