Effects of developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and/or polybrominated diphenyl ethers on cochlear function.

Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) causes hearing loss that may be due to reduced thyroxine during cochlear development. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are structurally similar to PCBs and reduce thyroxine. This study utilized an environmental PCB mixture and a commercial PBDE mixture, DE-71, that represents the PBDEs found in humans to assess the potential for additive effects of PCBs and PBDEs on cochlear function.