Hearing preservation in Guinea pigs with long-standing endolymphatic hydrops.

Hypothesis: Interruption of the excitotoxic and inflammatory pathways implicated in endolymphatic hydrops (ELH)-associated hearing loss (HL) should afford hearing protection at the neuronal level.

Background: Previous work in our laboratory in the mouse model of ELH shows that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an anti-inflammatory solvent, can slow the progression of HL before neuronal degeneration occurs. Riluzole, a glutamate release inhibitor, may provide synergistic benefit.