VEMP is an abbreviation for vestibular evoked myogenic potential, which is the measurement of muscle responses in the ear when stimulated with a loud sound. Typically, there are two VEMP responses. First, the cervical VEMP (cVEMP), which is measured at the neck, and then the ocular VEMP (oVEMP), which is measured beneath the eyes. When the cervical VEMP is measured, specialists receive information about the inferior branch of the vestibular nerve and the saccule – a part of the inner ear that plays a role in orientation and balance, particularly in vertical tilt. When the ocular VEMP, or VEMP beneath the eyes, is measured, information about the superior branch of the vestibular nerve and the utricle is obtained. The utricle’s function is geared toward detecting and perceiving horizontal motion.
