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Temporal bone findings in Alzheimer's disease
U K Sinha1, D Saadat, F H Linthicum
1Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, University of Southern California School of Medicine, USA.
The Laryngoscope
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Alzheimer's disease (AD) may affect hearing, but this study found no evidence of peripheral auditory system abnormalities. While some basal cochlear cell differences were noted, the absence of typical AD markers suggests the peripheral auditory system is not involved.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Otolaryngology
- Pathology
Background:
- Sensorineural hearing loss is linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD), with central auditory system degeneration noted.
- Peripheral visual and olfactory systems show abnormalities in AD, but the peripheral auditory system remains unstudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate peripheral auditory system abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- To compare temporal bone findings in AD patients versus non-AD controls.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of temporal bones from eight AD patients and eight non-AD controls.
- Microscopic examination and special stains (thioflavin S, Bielschowsky's silver impregnation) for hair cells, ganglion cells, and AD neuropathology.
Main Results:
- A significant difference in remaining cells was observed in the basal cochlear turn between AD and control groups.
- No significant overall differences in cell percentages were found between the groups.
- Absence of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the temporal bone nervous tissue of AD patients.
Conclusions:
- Peripheral auditory system involvement in AD remains unclear; basal cochlear differences may be due to AD or other factors like aging.
- The peripheral auditory system may not be affected in AD, unlike the visual and olfactory systems.
- Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.