EMG responses in the soleus muscles evoked by unipolar galvanic vestibular stimulation

Abstract

This study compared the effects of transmastoid galvanic stimulation with unilateral galvanic stimulation of vestibular afferents. We recorded the effects on soleus EMG occurring at short (SL) and medium (ML) latency, both in normal subjects and in patients with previous unilateral vestibular neurectomy. Unipolar cathodal and anodal stimulation on the same side produced opposite effects for both SL and ML responses. Responses to unilateral cathodal or anodal stimulation were smaller, but otherwise resembled those of transmastoid stimulation with the cathode or the anode placed on the same side, respectively. Unilateral cathodal stimulation resulted in a larger SL response, which occurred at shorter latency than unilateral anodal stimulation. With unipolar stimulation on the side of previous vestibular nerve section, typical SL and ML responses were absent. With stimulation of the intact side, the patients showed smaller SL responses than normal subjects with unilateral stimulation. The larger responses to unilateral cathodal compared to unilateral anodal stimulation are consistent with previous reports that cathodal stimulation produces an increase and anodal a decrease in vestibular nerve firing. The smaller SL responses in the patients may be a consequence of central nervous system reorganization following unilateral vestibular nerve section.