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Testing Human Otolith Function Using Bone‐Conducted Vibration
Author(s) -
Curthoys I.S.,
Burgess A.M.,
MacDougall H.G.,
McGarvie L.A.,
Halmagyi G.M.,
Smulders Y.E.,
Iwasaki S.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2008.03728.x
Subject(s) - otolith , utricle , vestibular system , vestibular evoked myogenic potential , linear acceleration , anatomy , semicircular canal , forehead , audiology , medicine , oscillopsia , saccule , inner ear , bone conduction , physics , biology , acceleration , fish <actinopterygii> , classical mechanics , fishery
Bone‐conducted vibration of the forehead, in the midline at the hairline (Fz) causes linear acceleration stimulation of both mastoids and results in an ocular vestibular‐evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), recorded by surface electromyogram (EMG) electrodes just beneath the eyes. The early n10 component of the oVEMP is symmetrical in healthy subjects, absent in patients with bilateral vestibular loss, and in patients after unilateral vestibular loss (uVL) n10 is small or absent on the side contralateral to the uVL, but of normal amplitude on the side contralateral to the healthy ear. The n10 component probably reflects mainly otolithic function, since in the guinea pig, primary otolith irregular neurons are selectively activated by bone‐conducted vibration (BCV) at low intensities (0.1 g ), whereas semicircular canal primary afferents are not activated even at high intensities (10 g ).