Outer hair cell receptor current and sensorineural hearing loss

doi:10.1016/0378-5955(89)90117-2

Hearing Research

Volume 42, Issue 1, October 1989, Pages 47-72

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-5955(89)90117-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

It is argued in this paper that many nonlinear phenomena in audition and many types of sensorineural hearing loss can be explained by a disruption of the mechano-electrical transduction process at the apex of the outer hair cells. This is done using experimental data and a simple model of the active role of outer hair cells in cochlear mechanics based on our previous experiments with acoustic trauma. The causes of sensorineural loss addressed include acoustic trauma, aminoglycoside ototoxicity, intoxication with loop diuretics, hypoxia and Meniere's disease. The nonlinear phenomena discussed include loudness compression, two-tone suppression and modulation of cochlear sensitivity by very low-frequency tones. In every case considered the reduction in neural sensitivity was related to the reduction in outer hair cell receptor current in a quantitatively similar way. We conclude that the link is causal.

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Regardless of the recording method, CM/DIF responses were larger than ANN/SUM responses. Responses obtained using the short window method were positively correlated to those obtained using the conventional long window method. Subjects who had stable acoustic hearing at two different time points had similar ECoG responses at those points, confirming high test-retest reliability of the short window method. Subjects who lost hearing between two different time points showed increases in ECoG thresholds, suggesting that physiologic ECoG responses are sensitive to audiometric changes. Correlations between CM/DIF and ANN/SUM thresholds and audiometric thresholds at all tested frequencies were significant.
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^☆: Parts of this paper were presented in preliminary form at Inner Ear Biology XXIV, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, August 30th–September 2nd, 1987 and at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, ‘Mechanics of Hearing 1988’ at Keele University, Staffs, U.K., July 4th–8th, 1988.

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Outer hair cell receptor current and sensorineural hearing loss☆

Abstract

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Neuron.

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Brain Res.

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Hear. Res.

Life Sciences

Efferent modulation of hair cell tuning in the cochlea of the turtle

J. Physiol.

A fast motile response in guinea pig outer hair cells: the cellular basis of the cochlear amplifier

J. Physiol.

Kilohertz movements induced by electrical stimulation in outer hair cells from the guinea pig cochlea

J. Physiol.

Experiments in Hearing

Action of streptomycin and calcium on the apical membrane of hair cells of the frog isolated semicircular canal

Acta Otolaryngol.

A quantitative study of the cochlear response

No sharpening? A challenge for cochlear mechanisms

J. Acoust. Soc. Am.

Observations of a motile response in isolated outer hair cells

Evoked mechanical responses of isolated cochlear outer hair cells

Science

Outer hair cells in the mammalian cochlea and noise-induced hearing loss

Nature

Some electrical circuit properties of the organ of Corti. II. Analysis including reactive elements

Hear. Res.

Cochlear inner and outer hair cells: functional differences

Science

Effect of temperature on cochlear responses during and after exposure to noise

J. Acoust. Soc. Am.