An electrophysiological early marker of age-related hearing loss in the Wistar rat model

The goal of the present study was to determine, through a detailed study of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) waves, the possible existence of an early functional marker for the onset of presbycusis in an animal model. Toward this goal, Wistar rats were divided into four age groups: 3-month-old...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Alvarado Romero, Juan Carlos, Fuentes Santamaría, Verónica, Benítez Maicán, Zaskya Chiquinquira, Díaz García, Carmen María, Gabaldón Ull, María Cruz, Juiz Gómez, José Manuel
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Recursos:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/39481
Acesso em linha:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40314.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024163451?via%3Dihub
https://hdl.handle.net/10578/39481
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Aging
Animal model
Auditory brainstem responses
Auditory threshold
Presbycusis
Wave amplitude
Descrição
Resumo:The goal of the present study was to determine, through a detailed study of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) waves, the possible existence of an early functional marker for the onset of presbycusis in an animal model. Toward this goal, Wistar rats were divided into four age groups: 3-month-old (3M, n = 6, control), 9-month-old (9M, n = 6), 14-month-old (14M, n = 6), and 20-month-old (20M, n = 6). ABR recordings were performed at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 kHz. The novel result reported here is that wave amplitudes, particularly wave II, were significantly diminished in the 9M group, even though there was no evidence of significant age-related threshold shift at that age. A significant increase in auditory thresholds with age was first detected at 14M, which further progressed at 20M, confirming our previous findings. These findings suggest that measurable alterations in ABR waves may precede age-related threshold shift and could serve as early markers to detect the onset of age-related hearing loss. Upon translation to humans, they could be used to implement early objective diagnosis, crucial to prevent or mitigate the negative consequences of presbycusis, a common, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative age-related disorder. This may allow, for instance, a better preservation of residual hearing, thus delaying the progression of the disease and minimizing the impact of hearing loss, ultimately improving the quality of life for those who suffer from this neurodegenerative condition.