Mitochondrial oxidative damage and apoptosis in age-related hearing loss

Age-related hearing loss (AHL) is a universal feature of mammalian aging and is the most common sensory disorder in the elderly population. Experimental evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) plays a central role in the aging process of cochlear cells. Although it is well established that mitochondria are the major source of ROS in the cell, specific molecular mechanisms of aging induced by ROS remain poorly characterized. Here we review the evidence that supports a central role for Bak-mediated mitochondrial apoptosis in AHL. We also propose that this mechanism may be of general relevance to age-related cell death in long-lived post-mitotic cells of multiple tissues, providing an opportunity for a targeted therapeutic intervention in human aging.