Tinnitus has often been studied using salicylate in animal models as they are capable of inducing tempo-rary hearing loss and tinnitus. Studies have recently observed enhancement of auditory evoked responses of the auditory cortex (AC) post salicylate treatment which is also shown to be related to tinnitus like behavior in rats. The aim of this study was to observe if enhancements of the AC post salicylate treatment are also present at structures in the brainstem. Four male Sprague Dawley rats with AC implanted electrodes were tested for both AC and auditory brainstem response (ABR) recordings pre and post 250 mg/kg intraperitone-al injections of salicylate. The responses were recorded as the peak to trough amplitudes of P1-N1 (AC), ABR wave V, and ABR waveⅡ. AC responses resulted in statistically significant enhancement of ampli-tude at 2 hours post salicylate with 90 dB stimuli tone bursts of 4, 8, 12, and 20 kHz. Wave V of ABR re-sponses at 90 dB resulted in a statistically significant reduction of amplitude 2 hours post salicylate and a mean decrease of amplitude of 31%for 16 kHz. WaveⅡamplitudes at 2 hours post treatment were signifi-cantly reduced for 4, 12, and 20 kHz stimuli at 90 dB SPL. Our results suggest that the enhancement chang-es of the AC related to salicylate induced tinnitus are generated superior to the level of the inferior colliculus and may originate in the AC.

Objective To study presynaptic alternations of cochlear ribbons arising from aminoglycoside ototoxic stimuli in C57BL/6J mice. Methods Animals were injected with low dose gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day) for 14 days, From the 14th to 28th days, the mice were maintained free of gentamicin treatment. Immunohisto-chemistry labeling was employed to trace RIBEYE, a major presynaptic componment of ribbon synapses. RIBEYE/CtBP2 expression levels were assessed and compared with hearing threshold shifts. Auditory func-tion was assessed by auditory brainstem responses. The stereocilia of outer hair cells (OHCs) and IHCs was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results Hearing thresholds were elevated with peak hearing loss observed on the 7th day after gentamicin exposure, followed by improvement after the 7th day. RIBEYE/CtBP2 expression directly correlated with observed hearing threshold shifts. Strikingly, we did not see any obvious changes in stereocilia in both OHCs and IHCs until the 28th day. Mild changes in stereocil-ia were only observed in OHCs on the 28th day. Conclusions These findings indicate that presynapse co-chlear ribbons, rather than stereocilia, may be sensitive to aminoglycoside ototoxic exposure in mice cochle-ae. A pattern of RIBEYE/CtBP2 expression changes seems to parallel hearing threshold shifts and suggests presynaptic response properties to lower dosage of aminoglycoside ototoxic stimuli.

Background In many European and American hospitals, represented by the House Ear Clinic (HEC), the overlay tympanoplasty is used with rare exception, with simultaneous canal wall up or down mastoidectomy being taken if needed. In China, underlay tympanoplasty is used across the country, but the overlay tech-nique is used rarely. The aim of the current study was to report the authors’experience with overlay tympa-noplasty in 83 Chinese patients and study its value. Methods Eight-three patients (86 ears) underwent over-lay tympanoplasty in accordance to the standard of the HEC. The patients were followed up and conditions of the external auditory canal, tympanic membrane and hearing were reviewed and analyzed. Results All patients gained stage I incision healing. The size of external auditory canal and tympanic membrane mor-phology were satisfactory. Hearing either remained unchanged or improved. There were no hearing deterio-ration or serious complications. Conclusions Overlay tympanoplasty carries positive value in treating chron-ic otitis media and cholesteatoma with the merits of procedure standardization, adequate operative exposure, thorough disease elimination and extensive adaptation.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of auditory brainstem response (ABR) in presbycusis patients el-der than 90 years. Methods Fourteen presbycusis patients elder than 90 years (presbycusis group, 91.1.4 ± 1.3 years, 26 ears) and 9 normal-hearing young adults (control group, 22.7 ± 1.2 years, 18 ears) participated in the study. Alternative click-evoked ABRs were recorded in both groups. The peak latency (PL) of peak I,Ⅲ, and V, and the inter-peak latency (IPI) of I-Ⅲ,Ⅲ-V, and I-V were compared between groups. Results In elder presbycusis patients, the occurrence rate of peak I andⅢwere both 76.9%, and that of peak V was 84.6%. In presbycusis group, the peak latencies of I, Ⅲ, V were significantly longer than that of control group (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between groups in the IPI of peak I-IⅢ (P=0.298, peakⅢ-V (P=0.254) and peak I-V (P=0.364). Conclusions Auditory brainstem responses in presbycusis pa-tients elder than 90 years showed worse wave differentiation.

Objectives To establish a method for high yield mesenchymal stem cells collection, as well as a culture method for iden-tifying mesenchymal stem cells from the swine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADMSC). Methods Swine AD-MSCs were isolated from fat tissue with collagenase, followed by induction of differentiation to osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogrnic cells. The survival curve of the ADMSC at the 37oC and 38oC were measured using WST-1Cell Proliferation As-say Reagent. Result ADMSCs isolated with collagenase from swine neck fat tissue generated a stable uniform appearance af-ter the second generation. The passage period was five days. ADMSC could differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic or chon-drogrnic cells under different culture conditions. The highest growth rate was achieved at 38oC in this study.
Conclusion Swine ADMSCs have the potential to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic or chondrogrnic cells, and they may be appropriate for transplantation for both research and clinical purpose.

Objective To investigate the early change of cochlear ribbon synapses on inner hair cells in response to aminoglycoside ototoxicity. Methods C57BL/6J mice received intraperitoneal injection of gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day), and the apical coil organ of Corti was examined on the 4th, 7th and 10th day (n=10). Litter-mates without gentamicin treatment served as controls (n=10). RIBEYE on the presynaptic membrane and AMPA receptors on the postsynaptic membrane were labeled with CtBP2 or GluR2/3 respectively. Three di-mension reconstruction was conducted using the 3DS MAX 8.0 software. Results There were no disruptions of outer or inner hair cells in all groups. However, the number of ribbon synapses on cochlear inner hair cells increased significantly within 7 days after gentamicin exposure (P<0.01), followed by a significant de-crease after 7 days.Conclusion During the early stage of aminoglycoside ototoxicity, increased population of cochlear ribbon synapses may indicate a significant down-regulation of synaptic function.

The acoustic startle response has been used to evaluate tinnitus and hyperacusis in animal models. Gap induced prepulse in-hibition of the acoustic startle reflex (gap-PPI) is affected by tinnitus and loudness changes. Since tinnitus and reduced sound tolerance are commonly seen in elderly, we measured gap-PPI in Fischer 344 rats, an aging related hearing loss model, at dif-ferent ages: 3-5 months, 9-12 months, and 15-17 months. The startle response was induced by three different intensity of sound:105, 95 and 85 dB SPL. Gap-PPI was induced by different duration of silent gaps from 1 to 100 ms. When the startle was induced by 105 dB SPL sound intensity, the gap-PPI induced by 50 ms silent gap was significantly lower than those in-duced by 25 or 100 ms duration, showing a“notch”in the gap-PPI function. The“notch”disappeared with the reduction of startle sound, suggesting the“notch”may be related with hyper-sensitivity to loud sound. As the intensity of the stimulus de-creased, the appearance of the hyperacusis-like effect decreased more quickly for the youngest group of rats. We also tested scopolamine, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, and mecamylamine, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antago-nist, on the effect of gap-PPI. When scopolamine was administered, the results indicated no addition effect on the hyperacu-sis-like phenomenon in the two older groups. Mecamylamine, the nicotinic antagonist also showed effects on the appearance of hyperacusis on rats in different ages. The information derived from the study will be fundamental for the further research in determining the cause and treatment for hyperacusis.

It is known that aminoglycoside antibiotics can damage the vestibular and auditory sensory epithelia, and the loop diuretics can enhance the ototoxic effect of aminoglycosides. Previous studies on the synergistic effect of these two types of drugs have used mice, guinea pigs and cats, but not rats. The aim of this study was to determine this synergistic effects in rat cochleae. Rats received intravenous injections of different doses of furosemide and/or intramuscular injections of kanamycin sulfate. Au-ditory brainstem response (ABR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and immunocytochemistry were used to determine the effects of drug administration. In the group receiving combined administration of furosemide and kanamycin, the ABR thresh-old showed significant elevation 3 days after drug administration, greater than single drug administration. The hair cells showed various degrees of injury from the apical turn to the basal turn of the cochlea and from the outer hair cells to the inner hair cells. Neuron fibers of the hair cells showed significant loss 7 days after the drug administration, but the number of spiral ganglia did not decrease and supporting cells showed no signs of injury. Our study suggest that combined administration of fu-rosemide and kanamycin has an synergistic ototoxic effect, and can result in hair cell loss and hearing loss in rats.

Objective: To establish an animal model of like-auditory neuropathy in neonatal rat. Methods The ani-mals were injected with phenylhydrazine hydrochloride or saline at 7-day of age. ABR and DPOAE were performed to assess the auditory function. The cochlea basilar membrane stretched preparation and cochlear frozen sections were prepared for immunohistochemical staining to examine the morphological change of hair cells and spiral ganglion cells (SGNs). Results At 7-day age the ABR waveI, III, V, latencies andI-III,I-V IWIs in the experimental group were significantly prolonged compared with those in the control group. The ABR thresholds were also elevated in the experimental group. We found there is no significant differ-ence in DPOAE in phenylhydrazine hydrochloride exposure group compare to control group. The cochlear hair cells showed no signs of loss in both group, but the total number of neurofilaments positive cells in SGNs were significantly reduced in the phenylhydrazine treated animals. Conclusion Our study suggests that phenylhydrazine hydrochloride can change the auditory function and induce peripheral nerve pathology by targeted mainly the SGNs in neonatal rat.

The pathophysiology of tinnitus is poorly understood and treatments are often unsuccessful. A number of animal models have been developed in order to gain a better understanding of tinnitus. A great deal has been learned from these models re-garding the electrophysiological and neuroanatomical correlates of tinnitus following exposure to noise or ototoxic drugs. Re-liable behavioral data is important for determining whether such electrophysiological or neuroanatomical changes are indeed related to tinnitus. Of the many documented tinnitus animal behavioral paradigms, the acoustic startle reflex had been pro-posed as a simple method to identify the presence or absence of tinnitus. Several behavioral models based on conditioned re-sponse suppression paradigms have also been developed. In addition to determining the presence or absence of tinnitus, some of the behavioral paradigms have provided signs of the onset, frequency, and intensity of tinnitus in animals. Although none of these behavioral models have been proved to be a perfect model, these studies provide useful information on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying tinnitus.