Salvatore Martellucci1, Massimo Ralli2, Giuseppe Attanasio3, Francesca Yoshie Russo1, Vincenzo Marcelli4, Antonio Greco1, Andrea Gallo1, Marco Fiore5,6, Carla Petrella7, Giampiero Ferraguti8, Mauro Ceccanti9, Marco de Vincentiis10. 1. Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00100, Rome, Italy. 2. Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00100, Rome, Italy. massimo.ralli@uniroma1.it. 3. Head and Neck Department, ENT Clinic, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy. 4. A.S.L. Napoli 1 Centro, Ospedale del Mare, Naples, Italy. 5. Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00100, Rome, Italy. marco.fiore@cnr.it. 6. Section of Neurobiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Rome, Italy. marco.fiore@cnr.it. 7. Section of Neurobiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Rome, Italy. 8. Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. 9. Centro Alcologico della Regione Lazio, Asl Roma 1, Rome, Italy. 10. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Binge drinking is associated with several adverse effects in multiple organs. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of a binge-like-drinking on the vestibulo-oculomotor reflex (VOR) using the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and the functional Head Impulse Test (fHIT). METHODS: Eleven healthy men (age range 32-35 years) with moderate drinking habits and no history of vestibular dysfunction were enrolled. A preliminary assessment of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) to check for zero alcohol value and a pre-intake evaluation of VOR using the vHIT and the fHIT were carried on. Then, the subjects were asked to take drinks with different alcohol content (8-40% ethanol by volume) according to their choice, consuming at least 5 standard drinks. Volunteers stopped drinking after 3 h. After a further 30 min, post-intake BrAC measurements and VOR analysis were repeated. RESULTS: After alcohol intake, vHIT recorded an overall significant reduction of VOR gain (0.82 ± 0.07 on both sides) although the outcomes were below the normal range only in the four subjects with the highest blood alcohol levels. The post-intake fHIT outcomes were substandard in 9 participants, with a significant deterioration in performance (% of exact answers = 84.54 ± 11.05% on the left, 83.18 ± 14.53 on the right). CONCLUSIONS: Binge drinking severely affects VOR; fHIT seems more sensitive than vHIT in the assessment of VOR function for complex vestibular lesions, such as those determined by ethanol, suggesting that fHIT could support vHIT in vestibular dysfunction assessment.
PURPOSE: Binge drinking is associated with several adverse effects in multiple organs. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of a binge-like-drinking on the vestibulo-oculomotor reflex (VOR) using the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and the functional Head Impulse Test (fHIT). METHODS: Eleven healthy men (age range 32-35 years) with moderate drinking habits and no history of vestibular dysfunction were enrolled. A preliminary assessment of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) to check for zero alcohol value and a pre-intake evaluation of VOR using the vHIT and the fHIT were carried on. Then, the subjects were asked to take drinks with different alcohol content (8-40% ethanol by volume) according to their choice, consuming at least 5 standard drinks. Volunteers stopped drinking after 3 h. After a further 30 min, post-intake BrAC measurements and VOR analysis were repeated. RESULTS: After alcohol intake, vHIT recorded an overall significant reduction of VOR gain (0.82 ± 0.07 on both sides) although the outcomes were below the normal range only in the four subjects with the highest blood alcohol levels. The post-intake fHIT outcomes were substandard in 9 participants, with a significant deterioration in performance (% of exact answers = 84.54 ± 11.05% on the left, 83.18 ± 14.53 on the right). CONCLUSIONS: Binge drinking severely affects VOR; fHIT seems more sensitive than vHIT in the assessment of VOR function for complex vestibular lesions, such as those determined by ethanol, suggesting that fHIT could support vHIT in vestibular dysfunction assessment.
Entities:
Keywords:
Alcohol; Binge drinking; Functional head impulse test; Gaze stabilization; Vestibulo-oculomotor reflex; Video head impulse test; vHIT
Authors: Marisa Patrizia Messina; Alessio D'Angelo; Rosaria Ciccarelli; Fabiola Pisciotta; Luigi Tramonte; Marco Fiore; Giampiero Ferraguti; Mario Vitali; Mauro Ceccanti; Gemma Battagliese Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-09-10 Impact factor: 4.614