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Recovery of auditory function following intense sound exposure in the neonatal chick
1Department of Otolaryngology and Human Communication, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
Insights
Young chicks exposed to loud noise showed temporary hearing loss and reduced frequency selectivity. However, auditory function largely recovered within 15 days post-exposure, indicating resilience in auditory system recovery.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Ototoxicity Research
- Animal Models in Hearing Science
Background:
- Intense sound exposure can cause temporary or permanent hearing damage.
- Understanding auditory recovery mechanisms is crucial for developing treatments for hearing loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the time course of auditory function changes after intense pure-tone exposure in young chicks.
- To assess recovery of threshold sensitivity and frequency selectivity.
Main Methods:
- One-day-old chicks were exposed to a 0.9 kHz pure tone at 120 dB for 48 hours.
- Auditory function was evaluated using cochlear nucleus sound-evoked potentials at various intervals post-exposure.
- Measurements included threshold sensitivity and frequency selectivity (Q10 dB).
Main Results:
- Immediately after exposure, a 60 dB threshold shift was observed.
- Frequency selectivity, measured by Q10 dB, decreased by over 50%.
- Near-complete functional recovery was evident by post-exposure day 15, with significant recovery in the first three days.
Conclusions:
- The chick auditory system exhibits significant recovery from intense sound-induced hearing impairment.
- The observed functional recovery correlates with reported structural recovery in the basilar papilla.
- This study provides insights into the temporal dynamics of auditory system resilience.
Abstract:
We report the changes in auditory function that occurred at selected intervals following exposure to an intense pure-tone stimulus. One day old chicks were exposed to a 0.9 kHz tone for 48 h at 120 dB. At 0, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days after exposure, cochlear nucleus sound-evoked potentials were used to assess threshold sensitivity and frequency selectivity. Immediately after removal from the pure tone a threshold shift of 60 dB relative to age-matched controls was measured. The sharpness of tuning curves, as measured by Q10 dB, decreased by over 50%. By post-exposure day 15, near complete recovery of function was seen, with the greatest recovery occurring within the first three days. We relate these results to recent reports of structural recovery on the basilar papilla of the chick.