[Effects of aging on vestibular evoked myogenic potential].

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of aging on air-conducted sound elicited cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential(oVEMP) in normal people.

METHOD: Sixty normal subjects were recruited for the vestibular evoked myogenic potential examination. Among them, 20-40 year-old group was setted as the first group, 41-60 year-old group was setted as the second group, > 60-year-old group was setted as the third group. Each group included 20 normal subjects. SPSS 16.0 software was used to analyze the data.

RESULT: As the age growing, P1 latency prolonged, N1-P1 amplitude decreased, and amplitude asymmetric ratio increased in cVEMP; N1 latency prolonged, P1-N1 amplitude decreased, and amplitude asymmetric ratio increased in oVEMP.

CONCLUSION

With the age growing, the time of otolithic organ input pathways prolonged, the function of otolithic organ decreased and the decrease level may be asymeetrical on both sides.