A study of Vestibular Neuropathy with G-VEMP

Research Project

Project/Area Number	18K09391
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Review Section	Basic Section 56050:Otorhinolaryngology-related
Research Institution	独立行政法人国立病院機構(東京医療センター臨床研究センター)
Principal Investigator	Takegoshi Hideki 独立行政法人国立病院機構(東京医療センター臨床研究センター), その他部局等, 研究員 (10302738)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	南修司郎独立行政法人国立病院機構(東京医療センター臨床研究センター), その他部局等, 医師 (00399544) 加我君孝独立行政法人国立病院機構(東京医療センター臨床研究センター), その他部局等, 名誉臨床研究センター長又はセンター長 (80082238)
Project Period (FY)	2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
Budget Amount *help	¥4,420,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,020,000) Fiscal Year 2020: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000) Fiscal Year 2019: ¥520,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥120,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000)
Keywords	G-VEMP / Auditory Neuropathy / Vestibular Neuropathy / Synaptopathy / 人工内耳 / Vetibular Neuropathy
Outline of Final Research Achievements	We aimed to determine vestibular nerve function in patients with auditory neuropathy (AN) using galvanic vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (G-VEMP). We enrolled 8 patients with an average age of 45.3±25.9 years diagnosed with AN. We evaluated their vestibular nerve function using a G-VEMP. The function of the semicircular canals was assessed in all patients using the caloric test. The function of the otolithic apparatus was evaluated using cervical VEMP. G-VEMP was used for 8 patients with AN; 4 patients (50%) had bilateral inaction. Six patients showed a no response in the caloric test and cervical VEMP. In this study, the response of G-VEMP was reduced in 50% of the subjects. Therefore, in half of patients with AN, the function of the vestibular nerve is compromised.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	Auditory neuropathy（AN）はこれまで聴覚障害のみと考えられてきた。しかし今回のG-VEMPを導入した研究により、Vestibular neuropathyの合併例が約半数近く存在することが明らかとなった。この点は学術的にもANの運動発達の遅れの原因を明らかにした点で社会的意義もあると考えている。