Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Effect of corticosteroid on salicylate-induced morphological changes of isolated cochlear outer hair cells
Boo-Hyun Nam1, Pyong S Kim, Yong-Soo Park
1Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University School of Medicine and Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans Hospital, California, USA.
Abstract:
Our previous studies showed that pretreatment with corticosteroids, which inhibits release of arachidonic acid (precursor of prostaglandins and leukotrienes), partially prevented salicylate-induced hearing loss in vivo. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of pretreatment with corticosteroid (dexamethasone sodium phosphate) on isolated cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs) exposed to salicylate in vitro. Isolated OHCs from the chinchilla cochlea were exposed to salicylate with or without pretreatment with dexamethasone. Images were stored and analyzed on the Image program. The OHCs exposed to salicylate demonstrated a significant shortening in cell length. The OHCs exposed to salicylate after pretreatment with dexamethasone exhibited no significant change in cell length. We conclude that corticosteroid treatment of isolated OHCs is effective in blocking the morphological changes induced by salicylate. This study gives additional evidence that salicylate ototoxicity is mediated by alteration in the levels of arachidonic acid metabolites.
Related Concept Videos
Hair Cells
The Cochlea
Auditory Pathway
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...

