The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) stabilizes gaze during head movements by generating compensatory eye movements. In bilateral vestibulopathy (BV), loss of vestibular function leads to loss of VOR and consequently, oscillopsia. Currently, no curative treatment exists....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
VCI modulation shows measurable VOR improvement at mid and high frequencies in bilateral vestibulopathy patients, but sample sizes are likely small; monitor this emerging literature before considering referral pathways for combined cochlear-vestibular implantation.
Combined vestibulocochlear implantation is an emerging frontier in implantable device therapy that could expand audiologists' and neuro-otologists' scope of care for patients with both hearing and balance dysfunction.
- 01VCI modulation improved mid and high frequency VOR in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy.
- 02Bilateral vestibulopathy means both balance organs have failed, causing chronic unsteadiness.
- 03VOR is the reflex keeping vision stable during head movement; its impairment causes oscillopsia (blurry vision during movement).
- 04The study is published in a peer-reviewed neurology journal.
- 05Combined cochlear-vestibular implant technology remains investigational in most clinical contexts.
VCI modulation improves mid and high frequency vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42709202
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00415-026-14109-0.
- Journal
- Journal of Neurology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- Patients with bilateral vestibulopathy receiving a vestibulocochlear implant
- Intervention
- Vestibulocochlear implant (VCI) electrical modulation
Primary outcomes
Mid-frequency VOR gain; High-frequency VOR gain