Cochlear administration of adenosine triphosphate facilitates recovery from acoustic trauma (temporary threshold shift).

Background: Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has often been used in the treatment of acoustic trauma although evidence supporting its clinical use was lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chronic effects of ATP on acoustic trauma in guinea pigs.

Methods: We infused ATP into the perilymph of the guinea pig cochlea concurrently with intense noise exposure to investigate the effect of ATP on the process of recovery after acoustic trauma. We assessed auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds to evaluate cochlear function.

Results: After noise exposure (120 dB SPL, 5 h), ABR thresholds showed an increase of approximately 50 dB SPL that returned to normal after 14 days. Cochlear function in ATP-treated ears recovered more quickly than in control ears. The effect of ATP was inhibited by the administration of the ATP receptor antagonist: pyridoxal- phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonic acid.

Conclusion: These results suggest that ATP mitigates the effects of noise trauma through the ATP receptor.