[Karyometric studies of the ventral cochlear nucleus in kanamycin treated guinea pigs (author's transl)]

The aim of these investigations was to study the effect of kanamycin on the nucleus ventralis cochleae in guinea pigs. The evaluation of the results was based on the karyometric method which is a very sensitive criterion of the cell activity. In the same animals, the microphonic potential (PM) and the nerve action potential (AP) were measured in order to detect changes in the peripheral auditory system. The results were statistically analysed. The studies showed that despite marked changes in the PM and AP values, there were no changes in the cell volume in the nucleus ventralis cochleae. The findings indicate that the injuries induced by kanamycin are localized peripherally and the later central morphological changes reported in the literature can be assumed to be secondary resulting from the damage to the peripheral auditory system by kanamycin.