Vestibulometry, the registration of responses to stimulation of the vestibular organ with stimuli of different frequencies.

Abstract

<b>Introduction:</b> The vestibular organ (VO) is essential for maintaining balance and stabilizing visual images during head movements. To evaluate its function, the strength of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is assessed using kinetic tests like the Sinusoidal Harmonic Acceleration Test (SHAT), video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), and slow-phase peak velocity (SPV) measurement in the caloric test (CT). Despite their limited sensitivity and specificity, they are used to determine eligibility for positions requiring strong balance control.<b>Aim:</b> To determine the range of VOR gain in young healthy individuals in SHAT, vHIT and CT. To search for correlations between vestibular test results and age and gender of the subjects.<b>Materials and methods:</b> Sixty two healthy individuals, with 32 males and 30 females, aged 7 to 33 who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Each participant underwent SHAT, vHIT and CT. Standard statistical methods and Spearman's rank correlation were used.<b>Results:</b> The age of the subjects correlated negatively with the VOR gain in SHAT. There was no correlation between results for SHAT, vHIT or CT.<b>Discussion:</b> Various factors, such as vestibular stimulation and anatomical variations, affect vestibular test results. While these tests complement each other in diagnosing vertigo, they are not recommended for healthy individuals qualifying for high-vestibular-performance occupations.<b>Conclusions:</b> With age, the sensitivity of the VO to kinetic stimuli decreases. The inability to calibrate stimuli can result in varied responses among individuals. A comprehensive evaluation of the VO requires testing across different frequency ranges.