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- Title
Tinnitus aurium: fact ... or fancy.
- Authors
Kauer, John S.; Nemitz, James W.; Sasaki, Clarence T.; Kauer, J S; Nemitz, J W; Sasaki, C T
- Abstract
We have used the 14C 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) technique to examine changes in metabolic activity in the auditory pathway of 29 guinea pigs after removal of the cochlea, removal of the middle ear ossicles, and after treatment with sodium salicylate. Three experiments were performed. In the first experiment we examined the levels of neuronal activity at 1-2 hours to 42 days after unilateral and bilateral cochlear ablations. In this series of experiments, we observed a spontaneous increase in activity which appeared at 3-14 days in brain stem regions having major connections to the ablated cochlea. In the second series, we performed unilateral and bilateral removal of the middle ear ossicles. These manipulations, in contrast to cochlear removal, caused little or no spontaneous increase on the side connected to the lesion when examined at either 1 day or 21 days. This observation suggested that the increased activity seen several days after cochlear removal was due to the process of deafferentation per se and not to the deafness which was caused by both cochlear and ossicle removals. These findings are consistent with the possibility that the spontaneous increase in metabolic activity seen after cochlear removal may be a reflection of the subjective sensation of tinnitus experienced by human beings after cochlear damage or VIIIth nerve section. In the third experimental series, we administered sodium salicylate orally to animals. All animals had unilateral ossicle removal. This experiment was designed to determine whether high levels of a salicylate, known to produce tinnitus in human beings, could elicit increased activity in those animals which would normally have experienced a conductive hearing loss and, therefore, absent neuronal activity. In the animals examined to date after salicylate administration, an increase in 2DG uptake was observed. These preliminary data are consistent with the findings seen after cochlear ablation and further suggest that increased neuronal activity may reflect a tinnituslike phenomenon in the experimental animal. We believe the findings from these three sets of experiments form the basis for development of an experimental animal model which can be used to study a profound otologic symptom about which there is yet no pathophysiological information. As such, these data represent a very important first step in developing a reasonable and successful therapeutic regimen for afflicted human beings.
- Subjects
BRAIN stem physiology; COCHLEA physiology; EAR ossicle surgery; TINNITUS; BIOLOGICAL models; RESEARCH; COCHLEA; NEURAL pathways; ANIMAL experimentation; ACOUSTIC nerve; RESEARCH methodology; BRAIN mapping; SALICYLIC acid; EVALUATION research; MEDICAL cooperation; COMPARATIVE studies; RESEARCH funding; DEOXY sugars; SALICYLATES; GUINEA pigs; EAR ossicles
- Publication
Laryngoscope, 1982, Vol 92, Issue 12, p1401
- ISSN
0023-852X
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1288/00005537-198212000-00012