Effect of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo on Auditory-Verbal Memory

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of vertigo with peripheral origin, and its psychologic consequences frequently ignored by clinicians. In this regard, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of BPPV on patient auditory-verbal memory.

In this cross-sectional study, a total of 40 volunteer patients with acute vertigo underwent auditory and vestibular function tests. In addition, after the confirmation of BPPV, the Persian version of Dizziness Handicap Inventory was completed by all the subjects. Then, the Persian version of the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test was conducted on the participants.

The obtained results showed that the level of disability caused by BPPV could lead to a decrease in the capacity of auditory-verbal memory in comparison to that in normal individuals.

Patients with BPPV who suffer from severe rotator vertigo have higher number of problems in learning through auditory-verbal memory in comparison to normal individuals. Moreover, suffering from acute vertigo as an unpleasant physical condition can lead to considerable cognitive consequences in these patients.