Effects of loud tones on the inner ear: a combined electrophysiological and ultrastructural study.
Guinea pigs were exposed to a 10 kHz pure tone and damage to the cochlea was investigated immediately after exposure, or after a recovery period ranging from 18-25 days. Structural damage was assessed using scanning electron microscopy and functional damage estimated using the N1 threshold audiogram. Exposure at 106 dB for 1 h caused obvious abnormalities of outer hair cell stereocilia. The location and extent of this damage was related to the immediate or long term deficits in the N1 threshold audiogram.
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D003055:Cochlear Microphonic Potentials; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning