Changes in the acoustic nerve after hair cell regeneration

Hair cells of the avian inner ear have been shown to regenerate following acoustic or ototoxic insult. The consequences of this regeneration on the acoustic nerve have yet to be defined. The purpose of the present study was to use TEM analysis following cochlear damage and hair cell regeneration to describe afferent and efferent neural terminals on hair cells in the newly repopulated sensory epithelium. Following acoustic overstimulation (12 h, 115 dB SPL, 1500 Hz) adult quail were sacrificed immediately (0 day), or at 2, 12, or 24 weeks. Serial thin sections were taken from the embedded papilla in a plane tangential to the basilar membrane in the area consistent with regenerative activity. Immediately following noise exposure very few hair cells could be seen within the epithelia; afferent terminals on remaining cells appeared normal. Two weeks later afferent terminals showed signs of degeneration; efferent terminals were rarely seen on tall hair cells but remained relatively normal on short hair cells. Three to six months later afferent terminals had regained a more normal appearance but were less numerous on tall hair cells; some return of efferent-like terminals was seen often contacting two tall hair cells. Large normal appearing, efferent terminals remained on short hair cells. These results suggest that regenerated hair cells are likely to receive neural innervation. It would appear that some degeneration of afferent terminals takes place prior to final innervation of new hair cells.