Age-related hearing loss is a very common sensory disability, affecting one in three older adults. Establishing a link between anatomical, physiological, and behavioral markers of presbycusis in a mouse model can improve the understanding of this disorder in humans. We measured age-related hearing loss for a variety of acoustic signals in quiet and noisy environments using an operant conditioning procedure and investigated the status of peripheral structures in CBA/CaJ mice. Mice showed the greatest degree of hearing loss in the last third of their lifespan, with higher thresholds in noisy than in quiet conditions. Changes in auditory brainstem response thresholds and waveform morphology preceded behavioral hearing loss onset. Loss of hair cells, auditory nerve fibers, and signs of stria vascularis degeneration were observed in old mice. The present work underscores the difficulty in ascribing the primary cause of age-related hearing loss to any particular type of cellular degeneration. Revealing these complex structure-function relationships is critical for establishing successful intervention strategies to restore hearing or prevent presbycusis.

中文翻译：

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将听觉系统退化的解剖学和生理学标志与年龄相关听力损失小鼠（Mus musculus）模型中的行为听力评估联系起来

与年龄相关的听力损失是一种非常常见的感觉障碍，影响三分之一的老年人。在小鼠模型中建立老年性耳聋的解剖、生理和行为标志物之间的联系可以提高对人类这种疾病的理解。我们使用操作性调节程序在安静和嘈杂的环境中测量了各种声学信号的与年龄相关的听力损失，并调查了 CBA/CaJ 小鼠的外围结构状态。小鼠在其生命的最后三分之一表现出最大程度的听力损失，在嘈杂环境中的阈值高于安静环境中的阈值。听觉脑干反应阈值和波形形态的变化先于行为性听力损失发作。在老年小鼠中观察到毛细胞、听觉神经纤维和血管纹退化迹象的丧失。目前的工作强调了将与年龄相关的听力损失的主要原因归因于任何特定类型的细胞退化的困难。揭示这些复杂的结构-功能关系对于建立成功的干预策略以恢复听力或预防老年性耳聋至关重要。