Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
A Revised Surgical Approach to Induce Endolymphatic Hydrops in the Guinea Pig
Published on: June 4, 2020
Auditory brain stem response in young and old guinea pigs
T B Proctor1, T M Velde, V S Dayal
1Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Objective:
To characterize age-related auditory changes in genetically similar guinea pigs.
Background:
In humans and animals, changes in hearing are known to occur with age.
Methods:
Brain stem-evoked responses were measured in genetically similar guinea pigs that ranged 6-36 months in age. Changes in hearing and the input/output function curve were determined.
Results:
Threshold shift with increase in age was seen. Marked reduction in amplitude of response with increasing age was also demonstrated. No change was seen in latency or interpeak interval.
Conclusions:
In genetically similar guinea pigs, age-related changes in threshold occurred. Latency and interpeak intervals remained unchanged. Amplitude of response decreased substantially after 12 months of age to a greater extent than predicted by threshold shifts alone. This phenomenon appears important in understanding the pathophysiology of age-related hearing loss.
