Oxidative stress and inflammation cause auditory system damage via glial cell activation and dysregulated expression of gap junction proteins in an experimental model of styrene-induced oto/neurotoxicity.

Background: Redox imbalance and inflammation have been proposed as the principal mechanisms of damage in the auditory system, resulting in functional alterations and hearing loss. Microglia and astrocytes play a crucial role in mediating oxidative/inflammatory injury in the central nervous system; however, the role of glial cells in the auditory damage is still elusive.

Objectives: Here we investigated glial-mediated responses to toxic injury in peripheral and central structures of the auditory pathway, i.