Further studies of the effects of continuous white noise of moderate intensity (70--80 dB SPL) on the cochlea in young guinea pigs. Time course and distribution of hair cell degeneration.
Guinea pigs aged one week were exposed to white noise at a maximum of 76 dB SPL for 7 days and were then killed 3, 8 and 16 weeks later for histological examination of the cochlea by the surface preparation method. Appreciable increases in outer hair cell losses were observed in the apical turn 3/3 1/2, chiefly in the outer two rows, between the 3rd and 8th week, but not between the 8th and 16th week. No significant losses were seen in control groups corresponding to 3- and 8-week periods, although in the control group of 16 weeks' survival, small deficits, attributable to natural ageing, were seen in the apical half-turn, 3 1/2.
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000473:pathology*; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000293:injuries; D013997:Time Factors