Vestibular loss worsens cognitive impairment in patients with vestibulopathy: JAMA

Belgium: A recent study led by Joyce Bosmans and colleagues discovered a link between vestibular loss and cognitive impairment. The findings of this study were published in the Journal of American Medical Association.

According to recent studies, the vestibular system may have a major impact on cognition and visuospatial processing. Given the rising frequency of dementia and the number of people at risk for it, it is critical to investigate modifiable risk factors such as vestibular dysfunction. As a result, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of bilateral vestibulopathy (BV) with cognitive function in older adults while taking hearing status into account, as well as to investigate multiple vestibular attributes and their prospective associations with cognition in BV patients.

Data from the Gehoor, Evenwicht en Cognitie (GECKO) research, an ongoing prospective study, was used to analyze older persons (aged 55-84 years) with diagnosed BV from a single center in this cross-sectional investigation. Based on sex, age, and hearing function, each participant was matched with healthy control. In January 2022, data were evaluated. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status in Hearing-Impaired Individuals was used to assess cognition as the major outcome measure (RBANS-H).

The key findings of this study were as follows:

1. A total of 68 people were evaluated, including 34 patients with BV paired with 34 control persons who did not have BV.

2. Participants with BV exhibited a clinically significantly lower score on the RBANS-H total scale than those without BV.

3. This was especially noticeable in the subdomains of visuospatial cognition, immediate memory, and attention.

4. There were no variations in the subdomains of language or delayed memory.

5. One vestibular measure was connected with worse cognitive scores in the BV group.

6. Other vestibular characteristics, such as peripheral vestibular end-organ measurements and questionnaires, revealed no connection.

In conclusion, this cross-sectional investigation discovered that those with BV had cognitive abnormalities as compared to healthy controls. The PI concluded saying "The findings back up and expand on prior research that found a link between vestibular loss and cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's disease. However, more study into causative pathways and the influence of vestibular therapy on cognition is suggested."

Reference: 

Bosmans, J., Gommeren, H., Mertens, G., Cras, P., Engelborghs, S., Van Ombergen, A., Vereeck, L., Gilles, A., & Van Rompaey, V. (2022). Associations of Bilateral Vestibulopathy With Cognition in Older Adults Matched With Healthy Controls for Hearing Status. In JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2022.1303