Effect of caffeine on cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential in healthy individuals

INTRODUCTION: Caffeine is the most common psychoactive drug in use around the world and is found at different concentrations in a variety of common food items. Clinically, a strong association between caffeine consumption and diseases of the vestibular system has been established. Cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) is an electrophysiological test that is used to assess the sacculocollic pathway by measuring changes in the vestialibulocollic reflex. AIM: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of an acute dose of caffeine on the vestibulocollic reflex by using cVEMP. METHOD: A prospective experimental study was performed in which healthy volunteers were submitted to the test before and after the intake of 420 mg of caffeine. The following parameters were compared: p13 and n23 latencies and p13-n23 amplitude. RESULT: No statistically significant difference was found in the test results before and after caffeine use. CONCLUSION: The vestibulocollic reflex is not altered by caffeine intake.