RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Variation in Inter-Animal Susceptibility to Noise Damage Is Associated with α9 Acetylcholine Receptor Subunit Expression Level
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 4241
OP 4247
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-10-04241.2002
VO 22
IS 10
A1 Luebke, Anne E.
A1 Foster, Paul K.
YR 2002
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/22/10/4241.abstract
AB Large intersubject variabilities in acoustic injury are known to occur in both humans and animals; however, the mechanisms underlying such differences are poorly understood. The olivocochlear efferent system has been hypothesized to play a significant role in protecting the cochlea from noise overexposure. In this study, we demonstrate that a newly developed test for determining average efferent system strength can predict intersubject variations in acoustic injury. In addition, the intersubject variability in cochlear expression of the α9 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor was found to be proportional to an animals average efferent strength. Therefore, the inter-animal variability in the α9-containing acetylcholine receptor expression may be one mechanism contributing to the inter-animal variability in acoustic injury.