[Mechanism of inner ear damage due to hyperlipidemia]

Some clinical data concerning the relationship between hyperlipidemia and sensorineural hearing loss have been reported, however, definite mechanism causing pathological changes in the cochlea and hearing loss has not yet been clarified. We studied the mechanism of hearing loss due to hyperlipidemia in rabbits by ABR hearing examination, biochemical study of the sera, observation of the inner ear morphology by Sem and Tem. We suggest that the decreased blood supply in the inner ear during hyperlipidemia because of increased platelet aggregation and blood viscosity may be responsible for the inner ear damage. At the same time, a high lipid peroxide level in the serum and the inner ear, as well as the metabolic disorder of lipids in the inner ear may also contribute to the development of hearing loss.