Influence of gender on the vestibular evoked myogenic potential.

UNLABELLED: There is no consensus on the relevance of factors that influence gender differences in the behavior of muscles. Some studies have reported a relationship between muscle tension and amplitude of the vestibular evoked myogenic potential; others, that results depend on which muscles are studied or on how much load is applied.

AIMS: This study aims to compare vestibular evoked myogenic potential parameters between genders in young individuals.

METHODS

Eighty young adults were selected - 40 men and 40 women. Stimuli were averaged tone-bursts at 500 Hz, 90 dBHL intensity, and a 10-1000 Hz bandpass filter with amplification of 10-25 microvolts per division. The recordings were made in 80 ms windows.

STUDY TYPE: An experimental and prospective study.

RESULTS

No significant gender differences were found in wave latency - p = 0.19 and p = 0.50 for waves P13 and N23, respectively. No differences were found in amplitude values - p = 0.28 p = 0.40 for waves P13 and N23, respectively.

CONCLUSION

There were no gender differences in latency and amplitude factors; the sternocleidomastoid muscle strain was monitored during the examination.