Cognitive Dysfunction in Patients with Common Peripheral Vestibular Disorders: A Comparative Study Using the Persian Version of the Neuropsychological Vertigo Inventory

Background and Purpose Cognitive impairments are increasingly acknowledged in individuals affected by vestibular disorders, particularly those with peripheral etiologies such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Ménière’s disease, and vestibular migraine. This study aimed to compare the extent cognitive dysfunction among patients with these three common peripheral vestibular conditions using the Persian version of the Neuropsychological Vertigo Inventory (P-NVI). Methods A total of 133 patients aged 25–80 years diagnosed with BPPV, Ménière’s disease, or vestibular migraine completed the Persian version of the NVI. The NVI assesses cognitive function across seven domains: spatial perception, temporal perception, attention, memory, emotions, vision, and movement. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s test were used for statistical analysis. Results Patients with vestibular migraine exhibited the highest mean P-NVI scores (M = 42.00), followed by Ménière’s disease (M = 27.82), and BPPV (M = 19.45). Significant differences were observed across disease groups in total and subscale P-NVI scores (p < 0.05). Age and gender interactions were also significant. Notably, patients with vestibular migraine demonstrated higher impairments in attention and visual processing. Conclusion The Persian version of the NVI(P-NVI ) appears to be a reliable tool for assessing cognitive dysfunction in vestibular patients. Vestibular migraine is associated with more severe cognitive deficits compared to BPPV and Ménière’s disease. These findings highlighted the clinical value of incorporating cognitive screening into vestibular evaluations to optimize diagnosis and management.