Although there have been many studies on the round window membrane (RWM), little information has been reported about changes in the membrane associated with aging. We have undertaken morphological studies of RWMs using young (7-8 weeks old) and aged (27-29 months old) C57BL/6 mice. The RWM was thinner in mice from the aged group compared with that of the young group. The cell density in the epithelial and inner layers was also reduced in the aged group. In the middle layer of the RWM in aged mice, transmission electron microscopy revealed many degenerated short and thick elastic fibers. Confocal laser microscopy using fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining was used to identify WGA-positive fibers in the middle layer of the RWM, which changed in a similar manner to the fibers in aging skin.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0378-5955(02)00651-2 | DOI Listing |
Adv Healthc Mater
January 2025
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, P. R. China.
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) results from prolonged exposure to intense noise, causing damage to sensory outer hair cells (OHCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). The blood labyrinth barrier (BLB) hinders systemic drug delivery to the inner ear. This study applied a retro-auricular round window membrane (RWM) method to bypass the BLB, enabling the transport of macromolecular proteins into the inner ear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
January 2025
Guilloz Imaging Department, Central Hospital, University Hospital Center of Nancy, Nancy, 54000, France.
Background And Purpose: To evaluate various anatomical parameters and their relationship to chorda tympani nerve (CTN) injury and round window (RW) access during cochlear implantation.
Materials And Methods: Ultra-high-resolution CT images of 66 patients were retrospectively reviewed and compared with operative reports. The facial recess and the round window were analyzed, mainly using the chorda-facial angle (CFA), the width of the facial recess, the CTN-tympanic annulus distance, the RW-mastoid portion of the facial nerve angle, and the type of RW.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
January 2025
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels Health Centre, Brussels, Belgium.
Purpose: Cochlear implants (CI) are the most successful bioprosthesis in medicine probably due to the tonotopic anatomy of the auditory pathway and of course the brain plasticity. Correct placement of the CI arrays, respecting the inner ear anatomy are therefore important. The ideal trajectory to insert a cochlear implant array is defined by an entrance through the round window membrane and continues as long as possible parallel to the basal turn of the cochlea.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFElife
January 2025
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, United States.
We hypothesized that active outer hair cells drive cochlear fluid circulation. The hypothesis was tested by delivering the neurotoxin, kainic acid, to the intact round window of young gerbil cochleae while monitoring auditory responses in the cochlear nucleus. Sounds presented at a modest level significantly expedited kainic acid delivery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOtol Neurotol
January 2025
Department of Otolaryngology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.
Hypothesis: Extracochlear electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS) between the round window membrane and the basal part of the cochlear bone exhibits distinct auditory brainstem response (ABR) characteristics.
Background: The use of EAS in individuals with residual hearing is becoming increasingly common in clinical settings. Ongoing research has explored the characteristics of EAS-induced responses in hearing cochleae.
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