Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2025
07:13
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
2.3K
Physiological changes throughout an insect ear due to age and noise - A longitudinal study
Alix Blockley1, Daisy Ogle1, Charlie Woodrow2
1College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.
Iscience
|August 29, 2022
Summary
Hearing loss in locusts, caused by noise and age, shows complex changes in their auditory system. This pattern mirrors human age-related hearing loss, suggesting a shared biological interaction.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Animal Physiology
- Comparative Biology
Background:
- Hearing loss affects all animals, despite diverse ear structures.
- The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) offers a model for studying auditory system changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify auditory system alterations in locusts due to noise exposure and aging.
- To investigate the complex mechanisms underlying hearing loss in a non-human model.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of tympanal displacements and Müller's organ morphology.
- Measurement of auditory nerve activity, transduction current, and receptor electrophysiology.
Main Results:
- Identified differential effects of age and noise on auditory processes and cell types.
- Observed a "middle-aged deafness" pattern in locusts similar to noise-exposed humans.
Conclusions:
- Hearing loss is a complex disorder influenced by age and noise exposure.
- Locust auditory system aging and noise interaction provides insights into fundamental mechanisms of hearing loss.
Related Concept Videos
01:01Perception of Sound Waves
4.6K
The human ear is not equally sensitive to all frequencies in the audible range. It may perceive sound waves with the same pressure but different frequencies as having different loudness. Moreover, the perception of sound waves depends on the health of an individual's ears, which decays with age. The health of one's ears may also be affected by regular exposure to loud noises.
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same...
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same...
4.6K
01:16Anatomy of the Ear
8.7K
Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...
8.7K
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
2.3K
Several body functions deteriorate with age. The external signs of aging are easily identifiable. For example, the skin becomes dry, less elastic, and thins out, forming wrinkles. The skin of the face begins to appear looser due to a decrease in the levels of elastic and collagen fibers in the connective tissue. Additionally, melanin production in the hair follicle decreases with age, resulting in gray hair. Moreover, the senses of sight and hearing decline, so glasses and hearing aids may...
2.3K
01:13The Cochlea
45.7K
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
45.7K
01:31Hearing
53.0K
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
53.0K
01:15Auditory Pathway
5.7K
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking...
5.7K