The postnatal development of stimulated deoxyglucose uptake into the mouse cochlea and the inferior colliculus

The effect of acoustic stimulation on the postnatal development of deoxyglucose uptake into the mouse cochlea and the inferior colliculus was evaluated. Animals between postnatal day 4 and 20 were separated into four different groups depending on their age. Tritiated deoxyglucose was injected intraperitoneally into each animal and tracer uptake was quantitated by microdissection of the tissues and scintillation counting. Acoustic stimulation at a noise level of 100 dB (A) resulted in supra-normal levels of deoxyglucose uptake for all auditory tissues during postnatal days 13, 14, and 15. The lateral wall tissues, which are non-sensory and non-neuronal, also increased deoxyglucose uptake following acoustic stimulation in a manner that paralleled the uptake by the sensory structures. Serum radioactivity and glucose levels remained unchanged during postnatal development, with these parameters remaining stable with acoustic stimulation.