B-ENT
Original Article

Decreased Doublecortin (DCX) immunoreactivity in hippocampus after profound sensorineural hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction in adult mice

1.

Deparment of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium

2.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium

3.

Core Facility Antwerp Centre for Advanced Microscopy - Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium

4.

Departament de Ciències Fisiològiques and Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Catalonia, Spain

5.

Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium

6.

Department of Neurology, Memory Clinic of Hospital Network Antwerp (ZNA) Middelheim and Hoge Beuken, Antwerp, Belgium

7.

Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Research Center, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands

B-ENT 2021; 17: 223-233
DOI: 10.5152/B-ENT.2021.21452
Read: 1653 Downloads: 738 Published: 20 December 2021

Objective: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and bilateral vestibulopathy (BV) have been associated with cognitive decline and incident dementia. Our aim was to investigate the combined effect of profound SNHL and BV on spatial cognition and hippocampal neurogenesis in adult mice. 

Methods: Single oral intake of allylnitrile produces otovestibular failure in less than a week. Behavioral assessment included recording of spontaneous activity, motor activity, spatial cognition, etc. Evaluation of hippocampal neurogenesis was performed 8 weeks after treatment by quantification of neural precursor cells and proliferating cells in the dentate gyrus by staining with doublecortin (Dcx) and Ki67, respectively. 

Results: Profound SNHL and BV were confirmed in the allylnitrile-treated mice respectively by means of auditory brainstem response (ABR) and acoustic startle response, and several vestibular tests. Spatial cognitive deficits, i.e. higher latency to target, were observed with the Barnes maze. In the right hemisphere, no statistically significant difference was observed between groups. In the left hemisphere, the difference in mean cell densities of Dcx positive cells was statistically significant when compared to the control group, whereas the difference in mean cell density of Ki67 positive cells did not differ significantly. 

Conclusion: Spatial cognitive deficits and decreased immunoreactivity to DCX in the left hippocampus were observed 8 weeks after adult mice acquired profound SNHL and BV. 

Cite this article as: Van Rompaey V, Liesenborghs A, Goyvaerts K, et al. Decreased Doublecortin (DCX) immunoreactivity in hippocampus after profound sensorineural hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction in adult mice. B-ENT 2021; 17(4): 223-33.

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