Effect of short-duration sleep deprivation on the vestibulo-ocular reflex system evaluated by ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential test

Conclusion: The ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) test yields the same information as the rotational test in sleep-deprived subjects as evidenced by increased vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) asymmetry. However, the duration of sleep deprivation (12 h) and testing time required for the oVEMP test are shorter than for the rotational test.

Objective: This study utilized the oVEMP test in sleep-deprived subjects to investigate the effect of short-duration sleep deprivation on the VOR system.

Methods: Twenty healthy resident physicians underwent oVEMP and cervical VEMP (cVEMP) tests twice in a randomized order; one test battery was performed after a normal sleep, and the other was performed after a night duty at the emergency service, which meant a state of 12 h sleep deprivation.

Results: All 20 subjects had clear oVEMPs regardless of whether testing was performed after a normal sleep or 12 h sleep deprivation condition. Significant differences were not identified between the two sleep conditions in terms of characteristic parameters, i.e. latencies and amplitude of oVEMPs. However, the mean asymmetry ratio after sleep deprivation (20 ± 13%) was significantly larger than that after normal sleep (8 ± 12%). Conversely, the cVEMP parameters did not differ significantly between the two sleep conditions.