Comparison of salicylate- and quinine-induced tinnitus in rats: development, time course, and evaluation of audiologic correlates.
BACKGROUND
Salicylate and quinine have been shown to reliably induce short-term tinnitus when administered at high doses. The present study compared salicylate and quinine-induced tinnitus in rats using the gap prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle (GPIAS).


METHODS
Twenty-four rats were divided into 2 groups; the first group (n = 12) was injected with salicylate (300 mg kg d), whereas the second (n = 12) was treated with quinine orally at a dose of 200 mg kg d. Animals were treated daily for 4 consecutive days. All rats were tested for tinnitus and hearing loss before and 2, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after the first drug administration. Tinnitus was assessed using GPIAS; hearing function was measured with distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory brainstem response.


RESULTS
Salicylate treatment induced transient tinnitus with a pitch near 16 kHz starting 2 hours posttreatment, persisting over the 4-day treatment period and disappearing 24 hours later. Animals in the quinine group showed GPIAS changes at a higher pitch (20 kHz); however, changes were more variable among animals, and the mean data were not statistically significant. Hearing function varied across treatments. In the salicylate group, high-level DPOAEs were slightly affected; most changes occurred 2 hours posttreatment. Low-level DPOAEs were affected at all frequencies with a progressive dose-dependent effect. In the quinine group, only high-level DPOAEs were affected, mainly at 16 kHz.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study highlights the similarities and differences in the frequency and the time course of tinnitus and hypoacusis induced by salicylate and quinine. Transient tinnitus was reliably induced pharmacologically with salicylate, whereas hearing loss remained subclinical with only minor changes in DPOAEs.
Ralli
Massimo
M
Center for Hearing and Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA. massimoralli@mac.com
Lobarinas
Edward
E
Fetoni
Anna Rita
AR
Stolzberg
Daniel
D
Paludetti
Gaetano
G
Salvi
Richard
R
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D011803:Quinine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology; D012459:Salicylates; D013997:Time Factors; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology
D012459:Salicylates; D011803:Quinine