A new diagnostic vestibular evoked response

Abstract

Objective: To describe the development of a new clinically applicable method for assessing vestibular function in humans with particular application in Meniere's disease. Study design: Sophisticated signal-processing techniques were applied to data from human subject undergoing tilts stimulating the otolith organs and semicircular canals. The most sensitive representatives of vestibular function were extracted as "features". Methods: After careful consideration of expected response features, Electrovestibulography, a modified electrocochleography, recordings were performed on fourteen Meniere 's patients and sixteen healthy controls undergoing controlled tilts. The data were subjected to multiple signal processing techniques to determine which "features " were most predictive of vestibular responses. Results: Linear discriminant analysis and fractal dimension may allow data from a single tilt to be used to adequately characterize the vestibular system. Conclusion: Objective, physiologic assessment of vestibular function may become realistic with application of modern signal processing techniques.