title: Cochlear nucleus cell size changes in the dalmatian: model of congenital deafness.
abstract: We assessed cellular changes in one population of neurons of the cochlear nucleus associated with a form of genetic deafness in deaf dalmatians. Spheric cells from deaf dalmatians and age-matched control (hearing) dogs were analyzed morphometrically. The somatic silhouette of these cells was reduced by 22.1% to 38.1%. The effect on cell size was greater with increased duration of deafness. Because the deaf dalmatian exhibits progressive degeneration of the auditory periphery, shrinkage of spheric cells may reflect the initial influence of attenuated activity of auditory nerve fibers, and sensorineural degeneration with longer periods of deafness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21203-6402, USA.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Niparko
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Finger
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D048429:Cell Size; D017626:Cochlear Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003638:Deafness / Q000151:congenital* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004285:Dogs; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D009562:Nissl Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve / Q000473:pathology