Srd. Watson et al., Galvanic stimulation evokes short-latency EMG responses in sternocleidomastoid which are abolished by selective vestibular nerve section, ELECT MOTOR, 109(6), 1998, pp. 471-474
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
ELECTROMYOGRAPHY AND MOTOR CONTROL-ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY AND CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
Objective: To describe vestibulocollic responses in sternocleidomastoid (SC
M) evoked by transmastoid galvanic (DC) stimulation.
Methods: We studied the averaged responses in the unrectified EMG of SCM to
transmastoid galvanic stimulation (5 mA/2 ms) and also to 100 dB clicks. T
wo patients with Meniere's disease were studied both before and after unila
teral selective vestibular nerve section.
Results: Transmastoid galvanic stimulation produced a positive-negative bip
hasic EMG response at short latency in the SCM ipsilateral to the side of c
athode placement, which resembled that which followed vestibular activation
by loud clicks (p13/n23). Selective unilateral vestibular nerve section ab
olished this galvanic-evoked response.
Conclusions: Galvanic-evoked vestibulocollic responses can be recorded in S
CM. This is a new method of studying vestibular reflex function which may h
ave application in the clinical assessment of vestibular disorders. (C) 199
8 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.