Phenotype of the Aging-Dependent Spontaneous Onset of Hearing Loss in DBA/2 Mice

초록

Simple Summary In this study, we confirmed the changes in hearing function and inner ear structure over a long period of time in DBA/2 mice, a laboratory animal model suitable for studying hearing loss. We believe that our study is the first to report findings regarding hearing function and structural changes in DBA/2 mice aged >= 34 weeks. These results are of significance for researchers and the scientific community using laboratory animal models. DBA/2 mice are a well-known animal model for hearing loss developed due to intrinsic properties of these animals. However, results on the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice have been mainly reported at an early stage in mice aged <= 7 weeks. Instead, the present study evaluated the hearing ability at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age using DBA/2korl mice. Auditory brainstem response test was performed at 8-32 KHz at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age, and hearing loss was confirmed to be induced in a time-dependent manner. In addition, histopathological evaluation at the same age confirmed the morphological damage of the cochlea. The findings presented herein are the results of the long-term observation of the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice and can be useful in studies related to aging-dependent hearing loss.

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