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Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage
Published on: February 10, 2023
The Effect of Atorvastatin on Preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: An Experimental Study
L Jahani1, A H Mehrparvar, M Esmailidehaj
1Department of Occupational Medicine, Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. mdjahani@yahoo.com.
Background:
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a common, irreversible occupational disease. Statins have recently been proposed to prevent NIHL.
Objective:
To assess the effect of atorvastatin for the prevention of NIHL in rats.
Methods:
In this experimental study, forty 2-3-month-old Wistar male rats were divided into 5 groups of 8 animals. 3 groups of rats received atorvastatin at doses of 5, 25, and 50 mg/kg daily for 14 days. The 4th group of rats received normal saline; another group was the control group. After 2 weeks of treatment, the rats were exposed to broad-band noise (125-20 000 Hz) at 110 dB-SPL intensity for 2 hours. Response amplitude of all ears at 5 frequencies was assessed by distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DP-OAE) at baseline, 2 hours, and 2 weeks after the exposure.
Results:
Response amplitude was significantly decreased at all frequencies immediately after exposure to noise in all studied groups. The amplitude increased after 72 hours to a level higher than temporary threshold shift (TTS); this change was only significant in the group received 5 mg/kg atorvastatin.
Conclusion:
Low dose atorvastatin (5 mg/kg) used before exposure to noise can probably prevent NIHL in rats. This effect was not observed with higher doses of the drug.
