Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 26, 2026
09:23
A Low Cost Setup for Behavioral Audiometry in Rodents
Published on: October 16, 2012
Leupeptin reduces impulse noise induced hearing loss
Haim Gavriel1, Abraham Shulman, Alfred Stracher
1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel. haim.ga@012.net.il.
Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (London, England)
|December 31, 2011
Summary
Leupeptin, a calpain inhibitor, significantly reduced hearing loss caused by rifle impulse noise in fat sand rats. This suggests a potential therapeutic strategy for noise-induced hearing damage.
Area of Science:
- Oto-neurology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Noise exposure, both continuous and impulse, is a known cause of hearing loss.
- Calpains are calcium-activated proteases implicated in cell death.
- Leupeptin is a known inhibitor of calpains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of Leupeptin in mitigating hearing loss induced by impulse noise.
- To assess the protective effects of Leupeptin against acoustic trauma from rifle fire.
Main Methods:
- Middle ear cavities of fat sand rats were surgically prepared.
- Auditory nerve brainstem evoked response (ABR) thresholds were measured before and after noise exposure.
- Leupeptin or saline was administered to the middle ear post-exposure for four days.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in threshold shift was observed between Leupeptin-treated ears and control ears.
- Leupeptin-treated ears showed a smaller threshold shift (27 dB) compared to control ears (44 dB).
Conclusions:
- Intra-middle ear administration of Leupeptin can attenuate hearing impairment caused by impulse noise.
- Leupeptin demonstrates potential as a protective agent against noise-induced hearing loss.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Insensitive Nuclei Enhanced by Polarization Transfer (INEPT)
Insensitive Nuclei Enhanced by Polarization Transfer (INEPT) is an advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technique specifically designed to detect and enhance the signals of low-abundance nuclei, such as carbon-13 and nitrogen-15, in small molecules. The fundamental principle behind INEPT is the transfer of polarization from a more abundant and highly polarizable nucleus, typically hydrogen-1, to the low-abundance nucleus of interest. This process effectively boosts the NMR signal of the...
01:25Long-term Potentiation
Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
Hebbian LTP
LTP can occur when presynaptic neurons...
01:35Long-term Potentiation
Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.