Document Detail


Histopathologic observations of the aging gerbil cochlea.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  9119754     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Age-related histopathologic changes were examined in cochleas from 17 gerbils born and kept in a quiet environment until near the end of their life expectancy. Hearing loss varied greatly as did the loss of outer hair cells (OHC). Inner hair cells (IHC) were seldom missing even in cochleas with severe hearing losses. Flask- and spherical-shaped OHCs were frequently seen in the apical turn. Stereocilia were usually present and orderly on OHCs, but the tallest row of stereocilia on IHCs was often disarrayed and sometimes missing. Alterations in supporting cells were sometimes present in regions of extensive OHC loss. Although pillar cells were seldom missing, the nuclei of outer pillar cells were commonly displaced from their normal basal position. The density of radial fibers appeared similar to that in young gerbils except in the apical turn of one old ear where a marked loss of radial fibers occurred without an attendant loss of IHCs. All of the quiet-aged cochleas showed a characteristic clustering of epithelial cells lining the scala media surface of Reissner's membrane. This structural rearrangement was not accompanied by a significant decrease in the total number of cells forming Reissner's membrane and did not appear to be associated with hearing loss. The findings confirm and extend earlier work showing that several different types of cells are susceptible to histopathologic changes in old ears. The extent of histopathologic changes varied widely as did the degree of hearing loss in animals with a restricted genetic background and maintained under carefully controlled environmental conditions. It was not possible, based on these initial findings, to relate specific structural to specific functional changes in the aging cochlea. Further light and electron microscopic analysis of other regions from these aged cochleas may provide more conclusive data.
Authors:
J C Adams; B A Schulte
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Hearing research     Volume:  104     ISSN:  0378-5955     ISO Abbreviation:  Hear. Res.     Publication Date:  1997 Feb 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1997-04-24     Completed Date:  1997-04-24     Revised Date:  2007-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7900445     Medline TA:  Hear Res     Country:  NETHERLANDS    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  101-11     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston 02114, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aging / pathology*
Animals
Cell Count
Cell Size
Cochlea / pathology*
Gerbillinae
Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner / cytology
Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / cytology
Hearing Disorders / etiology,  pathology*
Presbycusis / etiology,  pathology*
Spiral Ganglion / pathology
Tissue Fixation
Tympanic Membrane / pathology
Vestibular Nucleus, Lateral / cytology
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
P01 DC00422/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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