title: Albino and pigmented gerbil auditory function: influence of genotype and gentamicin.
abstract: Auditory function of albino and pigmented gerbils was examined before and after treatment with the ototoxic aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and cochlear nerve compound action potentials (CAPs) were measured in response to pure tones having frequencies between 2 and 32 kHz. Age-matched albinos had significantly lower CAP, but not ABR, thresholds than pigmented gerbils. Gentamicin treatment elevated CAP and ABR thresholds in both genotypes, but pigmented gerbils were less severely affected. Compared to the ABR, the CAP is a more sensitive measure of ototoxicity and pigmentation differences. CAP tuning curves (TCs) were another sensitive measure of genotypic differences in susceptibility to ototoxicity. TC tip thresholds from pigmented animals given gentamicin were not as elevated as the TC tip thresholds of albinos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Szymanski
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: F O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Buchting
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D003056:Cochlear Nerve / Q000187:drug effects*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000633:toxicity*; D005849:Gerbillinae; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008838:Microcomputers; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins