title: Melatonin and other antioxidants prolong the postmortem activity of the outer hair cells of the organ of Corti: its relation to the type of death.
abstract: The outer hair cells of the organ of Corti transform sound into electrical signals, beginning the nervous auditive process. These cells produce acoustic emissions when working routinely, known as otoacoustic emissions. Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are recorded from the hearing duct through a probe which incorporates a sound source and a sensitive microphone. On the other hand, the cochlea produces oxygen-derived free radicals and nitric oxide, in addition, melatonin is present in the cochlea. The authors have studied the influence of melatonin or an antioxidant mixture (alpha-tocopherol acid succinate, ascorbic acid, glutathione, and N-acetylcysteine) on the postmortem activity of the outer hair cells of the organ of Corti of the rat, measuring distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Control rats showed postmortem distortion product otoacoustic emissions for about 2 min when sacrificed by decapitation, and for about 3 min when sacrificed by chloroform inhalation. Melatonin prolonged the postmortem activity 3.5 times when the animals were sacrificed by decapitation, and 7 times when animals were sacrificed by chloroform inhalation. Similar results were obtained with the antioxidant mixture. Results show that melatonin and other antioxidants have, in general, a protective role on the postmortem activity of the outer hair cells of the organ of Corti.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Virgen del Rocío University Infantile Hospital, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lopez-Gonzalez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Osuna
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Delgado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018072:Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008550:Melatonin