Function of semicircular canals, utricles and saccules in deaf children

Abstract

Objective To study vestibular function in deaf children.

Material and Methods In 36 deaf children the function of the semicircular canals, saccules and utricles was measured by means of caloric testing, recordings of vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) and measurements of the subjective visual horizontal (SVH) at different body tilts, respectively.

Results In total, 30% of subjects had caloric hypo- or areflexia and 24% had a caloric asymmetry. VEMPs were weak or absent bilaterally in 22% of cases, and asymmetric in 19%. Regarding the utricle, 17% of subjects had a pathologically reduced perception of roll tilt to both sides and 25% had an asymmetry. In total, 30% of subjects were pathologic in all 3 tests and 30% were completely normal. Semicircular canal function correlated best with the function of the saccule. If hearing was better than 90 dB (pure-tone average of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 kHz) vestibular function was often normal. For hearing levels of 100–120 dB, otolith function declined significantly.

Conclusions Vestibular function tends to be preserved up to a point where hearing is nearly extinct. Hearing level correlates more closely with otolith function, especially that of the utricle, than with semicircular canal function.

• children
• hearing loss
• saccule
• semicircular canal
• subjective horizontal
• utricle
• vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials
• vestibular function

Tribukait A, Brantberg K, Bergenius J. Function of semicircular canals, utricles and saccules in deaf children.

Tribukait A, Brantberg K, Bergenius J. Function of semicircular canals, utricles and saccules in deaf children.