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Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Cochlear Surface Preparation in the Adult Mouse
Published on: November 6, 2019
Mechanisms of sensorineural cell damage, death and survival in the cochlea
1Department of Surgery/Division of Otolaryngology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine La Jolla, CA, USA ; Department of Physiology and Translational Neuroscience Facility, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Abstract:
The majority of acquired hearing loss, including presbycusis, is caused by irreversible damage to the sensorineural tissues of the cochlea. This article reviews the intracellular mechanisms that contribute to sensorineural damage in the cochlea, as well as the survival signaling pathways that can provide endogenous protection and tissue rescue. These data have primarily been generated in hearing loss not directly related to age. However, there is evidence that similar mechanisms operate in presbycusis. Moreover, accumulation of damage from other causes can contribute to age-related hearing loss (ARHL). Potential therapeutic interventions to balance opposing but interconnected cell damage and survival pathways, such as antioxidants, anti-apoptotics, and pro-inflammatory cytokine inhibitors, are also discussed.
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