Estrogen Replacement Reduces Hearing Threshold Shifts and Cochlear Hair Cell Loss After Acoustic Overexposure in Ovariectomized Rats.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The relationship of estrogen (the primary female sex hormone) with hearing function has been studied in both humans and animals. However, whether estrogen levels affect hearing remains uncertain. Therefore, in this study, we investigated changes in the vulnerability of hearing to acoustic overexposure in ovariectomized female rats.

Methods

Eighteen 8-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into four groups as follows: sham ovariectomy (OP), OP only, and OP treated with low (10 µg/kg) or high doses (100 µg/kg) of estrogen. Rats in the estrogen replacement groups were given two intraperitoneal injections. Hearing thresholds were measured before noise exposure, and at 1 day and 2 weeks after exposure.

Results

The hearing thresholds of the sham OP an

SUBMITTER: Kim MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7904427 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature