Epidemiology of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials: Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Abstract

Objective To evaluate whether age-related changes in vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) differ by demographic and cardiovascular risk groups. Methods Participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging underwent cervical and ocular VEMP testing. VEMP latency, amplitude, asymmetry ratios, and prevalence of absent responses were compared across demographic and cardiovascular risk groups. Results In 257 participants (mean age 72.9, 57% female), ocular VEMP (oVEMP) n10 latency increased by 0.12 ms/decade while amplitude decreased by 2.9 μV/decade. Black participants had better oVEMP function (shorter latency, increased amplitude, and decreased odds of absent responses) relative to white participants. In 250 participants (mean age 72.6, 54% female), EMG-corrected cervical VEMP (cVEMP) amplitude decreased by 0.14 μV /decade and p13 latency was 0.38 ms longer in males. The odds of absent responses were significantly higher in individuals age ≥ 80 for oVEMPs, and age ≥ 70 for cVEMPs. Cardiovascular risk factors had no association with VEMP parameters. Conclusions We confirmed age-related declines in otolith function, and observed a protective effect of black race on oVEMP latency and amplitude. Significance These results illustrate how measures of otolith function change with age in community-dwelling adults. Further investigations are needed to ascertain whether better otolith function in blacks might contribute to a lower risk of mobility disability and falls.

Age-Related Vestibular Loss: Current Understanding and Future Research Directions

“…Further, a more recent study by Li et al in 257 subjects demonstrated that with aging, there was a reduction in oVEMP amplitude by 2.9 µV per decade of life and an increase in latency of 0.12 ms per decade of life. With respect to cVEMP, they found that the amplitude decreased by 0.14 µV per decade but found no significant difference in latency between the age groups (30). …”

Compensatory Saccades Are Associated With Physical Performance in Older Adults: Data From the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

“…We have previously documented an association between vestibular loss and aging in this population (4, 5). In this study, we specifically examined whether VOR gain, compensatory saccade amplitude, and latency were associated with performance on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB).…”

Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction: Challenges in Establishing the Diagnosis in Adults

“…Therefore, it necessary for each laboratory to gather its own normative database from which pathological outcomes can be evaluated. This database should contain VEMP responses of healthy subjects of varying age groups, since both cVEMPs and oVEMPs show reduced outcomes with increasing age [153,154]. …”