Synergistic Ototoxicity of Noise and Chemical Ototoxins

Abstract

Abstract Exposure to certain organic solvents, or cationic drugs, such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, can induce permanent hearing loss. High intensity and/or prolonged exposure to noise can also cause temporary or permanent auditory threshold shifts. Individually, each of these insults can induce auditory dysfunction, though the mechanisms by which they do so are still poorly understood. Each insult produces reactive oxygen species, a common precursor of events that lead to hearing loss and deafness. Simultaneous exposure to chemical ototoxins and noise potentiates auditory dysfunction that is greater than the sum of each insult given individually. Preventing the ototoxic synergy of noise and chemical ototoxins requires removing exposure to ototoxins and/or attenuating noise exposure levels when chemical ototoxins are present.