Behavioral assessment and identification of a molecular marker in a salicylate-induced tinnitus in rats.

Tinnitus is a non-observable phantom sensation. As such, it is a difficult condition to investigate and, to date, no effective treatment has been developed. To approach this phantom sensation, we aimed to develop a rat behavioral model of tinnitus using salicylate, an active component of aspirin known to induce tinnitus.

[Audiological effect of bone-anchored hearing aid].

The bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) has proved to be a valuable alternative to conventional air and bone conduction hearing aids for patients suffering from chronic otitis media or bilateral aural atresia. The BAHA gave better sound quality and greater comfort than conventional hearing aids (HAs), but only 1 study has been done in Japan. We implanted BAHAs in 6 hard-of-hearing patients in the last 2 years.

Ménière's disease is associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human potassium channel genes, KCNE1 and KCNE3.

Although the bases for both the sporadic and inherited forms of Ménière's disease (MD) remain undefined, it is likely to be multifactorial, one of the factors being a genetic predisposition. Recently, genetic association studies on complex diseases have become very popular and most of them are case-control studies using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as markers. Mutations/polymorphisms in KCNE potassium channel genes might play a causative role in MD, because KCNE potassium channels have been suggested to be present and active in transmembrane ion and water transports in the inner ear.