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Pathophysiological Responses of the Auditory Organ to Excessive Sound

Stephen A. Falk

10.1002/cphy.cp090102

Source: Supplement 26: Handbook of Physiology, Reactions to Environmental Agents

Originally published: 1977

Published online: January 2011

Full Article on Wiley Online Library



Abstract

The sections in this article are:

1 Morphology and Physiology of Normal Auditory Organ
2 Noise‐Induced Hearing Loss
2.1 Distinguished from Blast Trauma
2.2 Characteristics of Exposure
2.3 Pathogenesis of 4‐kHz Dip
2.4 Pathology of Permanent Threshold Shift
2.5 Pathology of Temporary Threshold Shift
2.6 Ionic and Biochemical Changes
2.7 Vascular Changes
2.8 Age Dependency
2.9 Potentiation by Ototoxic Drugs
3 Blast Trauma
3.1 Pathogenesis and Pathology
3.2 Audiometric Changes
Figure 1. Figure 1.

Transverse section of one turn of a guinea pig cochlea.

From Hawkins 35
Figure 2. Figure 2.

Surface preparation of a normal organ of Corti. Outer hair cells (OHC) are arranged in a regular array of three rows: outer (O), middle (M), and inner (I). Between OHCs are phalangeal processes (arrows) of Deiter's cells. Inner hair cells (IHC) are arranged in a single row. Between IHC and OHC are outer (OP) and inner (IP) rows of pillar cells. Phase‐contrast microscopy; OsO4; × 400.
Figure 3. Figure 3.

Scanning electron micrograph of a normal guinea pig organ of Corti. The stereocilia of the outer hair cells are arranged in a W‐shaped pattern, whereas those on the inner hair cells line up in parallel rows.

Courtesy of D. Lim
Figure 4. Figure 4.

The outer hair with its cytoplasmic organelles. The stereocilia are attached to the cuticular plate. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER) complex consists of Hensen's body (ER surrounded by mitochondria) and subsurface and subsynaptic cisternae. The smooth ER is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane. The afferent (hair cell to cochlear nucleus) and efferent (superior olivary complex to hair cell) nerve endings join the outer hair cell at its base.

From Lim & Melnick 57
Figure 5. Figure 5.

Temporary threshold shifts (○ — ○) occurring 2–4 min after exposure to pure tones of 1, 2, 3, and 4 kHz simultaneously (110 dB sound pressure level, duration 15 min). A, B, C, and D represent temporary threshold shifts (TTS) occurring after exposure to the same pure tones individually. The thick curve represents the absolute threshold of hearing. The TTS after exposure to the 4 tones simultaneously corresponds to the superimposition of the individual TTS's.

From Lehnhardt 55
Figure 6. Figure 6.

Surface preparation of a noise‐damaged organ of Corti. Collapsed cells (small arrow) and phalangeal scars (large arrow) indicate hair cell necrosis. Phase‐contrast microscopy; OsO4; × 250.
Figure 7. Figure 7.

Cochleograms showing the distribution of cellular damage in a guinea pig cochlea exposed to white noise at 113 dB for 2 h on each of 3 consecutive days. (•, damaged hair cell; ○, normal hair cell.) The dots in toto comprise a cochleogram that is an exact cell‐for‐cell diagram of the pathology. Greatest damage occurs at 1/2 and 1 1/2 turns from the base.

From Engström & Ades 21
Figure 8. Figure 8.

Transmission electronmicrograph of vacuolated (OH2) and moderately vesiculated (OH3) outer hair cells of the second turn. Animal was exposed to noise of 117 dB sound pressure level with octave bandwidth of 300–600 Hz for 4 h.

[From Lim & Melnick 57.]
Figure 9. Figure 9.

Transmission electronmicrograph of base of noise‐damaged outer hair cell showing vacuole (V2) formed by a dilated outer nuclear membrane (ONM), vacuoles (V2) formed by dilated subsynaptic cisternae, and vacuole (V1) formed by dilated subsurface cisternae. Afferent nerve ending (A) contains swollen mitochondria compared to efferent (E) endings. The supporting (Deiter, D.) cell also is vacuolated.

From Lim & Melnick 57


Figure 1.

Transverse section of one turn of a guinea pig cochlea.

From Hawkins 35


Figure 2.

Surface preparation of a normal organ of Corti. Outer hair cells (OHC) are arranged in a regular array of three rows: outer (O), middle (M), and inner (I). Between OHCs are phalangeal processes (arrows) of Deiter's cells. Inner hair cells (IHC) are arranged in a single row. Between IHC and OHC are outer (OP) and inner (IP) rows of pillar cells. Phase‐contrast microscopy; OsO4; × 400.



Figure 3.

Scanning electron micrograph of a normal guinea pig organ of Corti. The stereocilia of the outer hair cells are arranged in a W‐shaped pattern, whereas those on the inner hair cells line up in parallel rows.

Courtesy of D. Lim


Figure 4.

The outer hair with its cytoplasmic organelles. The stereocilia are attached to the cuticular plate. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER) complex consists of Hensen's body (ER surrounded by mitochondria) and subsurface and subsynaptic cisternae. The smooth ER is continuous with the outer nuclear membrane. The afferent (hair cell to cochlear nucleus) and efferent (superior olivary complex to hair cell) nerve endings join the outer hair cell at its base.

From Lim & Melnick 57


Figure 5.

Temporary threshold shifts (○ — ○) occurring 2–4 min after exposure to pure tones of 1, 2, 3, and 4 kHz simultaneously (110 dB sound pressure level, duration 15 min). A, B, C, and D represent temporary threshold shifts (TTS) occurring after exposure to the same pure tones individually. The thick curve represents the absolute threshold of hearing. The TTS after exposure to the 4 tones simultaneously corresponds to the superimposition of the individual TTS's.

From Lehnhardt 55


Figure 6.

Surface preparation of a noise‐damaged organ of Corti. Collapsed cells (small arrow) and phalangeal scars (large arrow) indicate hair cell necrosis. Phase‐contrast microscopy; OsO4; × 250.



Figure 7.

Cochleograms showing the distribution of cellular damage in a guinea pig cochlea exposed to white noise at 113 dB for 2 h on each of 3 consecutive days. (•, damaged hair cell; ○, normal hair cell.) The dots in toto comprise a cochleogram that is an exact cell‐for‐cell diagram of the pathology. Greatest damage occurs at 1/2 and 1 1/2 turns from the base.

From Engström & Ades 21


Figure 8.

Transmission electronmicrograph of vacuolated (OH2) and moderately vesiculated (OH3) outer hair cells of the second turn. Animal was exposed to noise of 117 dB sound pressure level with octave bandwidth of 300–600 Hz for 4 h.

[From Lim & Melnick 57.]


Figure 9.

Transmission electronmicrograph of base of noise‐damaged outer hair cell showing vacuole (V2) formed by a dilated outer nuclear membrane (ONM), vacuoles (V2) formed by dilated subsynaptic cisternae, and vacuole (V1) formed by dilated subsurface cisternae. Afferent nerve ending (A) contains swollen mitochondria compared to efferent (E) endings. The supporting (Deiter, D.) cell also is vacuolated.

From Lim & Melnick 57
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Article Title: Pathophysiological Responses of the Auditory Organ to Excessive Sound
 

How to Cite

Stephen A. Falk. Pathophysiological Responses of the Auditory Organ to Excessive Sound. Compr Physiol 2011, Supplement 26: Handbook of Physiology, Reactions to Environmental Agents: 17-30. First published in print 1977. doi: 10.1002/cphy.cp090102