Open Access
ARTICLE
Cochlear Synaptopathy Following Noise Exposure in Guinea Pigs: Its Electrophysiological and Histological Assessments
Parvane Mahdi1, Akram Pourbakht1,*, Vahid Pirhajati Mahabadi2, Alireza Karimi Yazdi3, Mahtab Rabbani Anari3, Mohammad Kamali4
1 Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 15459-13487, Iran
2 Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14496-14535, Iran
3 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14197-33141, Iran
4 Department of Rehabilitation Management, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 15459-13487, Iran
* Corresponding Author: Akram Pourbakht. Email:
Sound & Vibration 2020, 54(3), 163-177. https://doi.org/10.32604/sv.2020.09880
Received 24 January 2020; Accepted 17 May 2020; Issue published 31 August 2020
Abstract
Exposure to high level of noise, may cause the permanent cochlear
synaptic degeneration. In present study, a model of noise induced cochlear synaptopathy was established and the electrophysiological and histological metrics for
its assessment was designed. 6 guinea pigs were subjected to a synaptopathic
noise (octave band of 4 kHz at 104 dB SPL, for 2-h). The amplitude growth curve
of Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) wave-I and wave-III latency shift in presence of noise were calculated. These indexes were considered in pre-exposure,
1 day post exposure (1DPE), 1 week post exposure (1WPE) and 1 month post
exposure (1MPE) to noise. Finally, the samples were histologically analyzed.
ABR wave-I amplitude was different between pre and 1DPE (
p-value ≤ 0.05).
However, at 1WPE, it was recovered at low intensities but at 70 dB SPL and
above, the differences persisted even till 1MPE. In masked ABR, the latency shift
of wave-III was different between pre and 3 post exposure assessments (p-value ≤
0.05). Electro-microscopic analysis confirmed the synaptic degeneration, as the
ribbons were larger than normal, hollow inside, and spherical and irregular in
shape, also, the post synaptic density was abnormally thick and missed its flat
orientation. These data revealed that noise at level below that can produce permanent hearing loss, can incur synaptic injury. So, noise is considered to be more
damaging than previously thought. Accordingly, designing tools for clinical
assessment of synaptopathy is beneficial in comprehensive auditory evaluation
of those with history of noise exposure and also in hearing protection planning.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Mahdi, P., Pourbakht, A., Mahabadi, V. P., Yazdi, A. K., Anari, M. R. et al. (2020). Cochlear Synaptopathy Following Noise Exposure in Guinea Pigs: Its Electrophysiological and Histological Assessments.
Sound & Vibration, 54(3), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.32604/sv.2020.09880