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HPLC detection of serotonin within the rat cochlea
A Vicente-Torres1, M V Bartolomé, F Carricondo
1Centro de Cultivos Celulares (CAI-UCM) and Departamento de Cirugía II (ORL), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract:
This study was performed to analyse the cochlear concentrations of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA), their sources and modifications induced by noise exposure. Superior cervical ganglionectomy did not modify these concentrations. However, removal of the blood by aortic perfusion reduced significantly (about 76%) the cochlear concentration of 5-HT without affecting the 5-HIAA concentration. These results indicate that blood constitutes an important source of 5-HT to the cochlea, opposite to the superior cervical ganglion. Exposure to noise at 90 dB SPL did not modify the total cochlear concentrations of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, or the concentrations remaining after removal of the blood, suggesting that 5-HT could have a modulatory role in the cochlea distinct from that of olivocochlear neurotransmitters.