Effect of perinatal and postnatal thiamine deficiency on auditory pathway of the Wistar-Albino rats.

Objective: In this study, we created an animal model to demonstrate the effects of thiamine on the hearing pathways of new-borns during pregnancy and lactation by inducing a dietary thiamine deficiency in the mother.

Methods: The study included 16 female Wistar albino rats. The animals were separated into four groups and provided the appropriate amounts of dietary thiamine according to their groups during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and lactation periods. Three pups from each mother were included in the study, and 12 pups were selected from each group. On the fortieth day after birth, the auditory pathways of 48 pups in the 4 groups were examined electro physiologically and ultra-structurally.

Results: In Group N-N, morphology of hair cells stereocilia degeneration was not obtained in all turns of cochlea. In Group N-T, Inner Hair Cells (IHCs) and Outher Hair Cells (OHCs) stereocilia didn't show degeneration in all turns of cochlea but had rupture inrows of HCs stereocilia. In group T-N IHCs stereocilia less degeneration was observed in all turns of cochlea. OHC stereocilia partial loss was observed only in basal turn of cochlea. In Group T-T IHCs stereocilia was observed less degeneration and rupture in all turns of cochlea.

Conclusion: Thiamine is vital for the development of cochlear hair cells during both prenatal and postnatal periods. Even partial deficiency of thiamine causes significant degeneration to the auditory pathway.

Level Of Evidence: The level of evidence of this article is 5. This article is an experimental animal and laboratory study.