Description
A rat model of acute mitochondrial dysfunction in the cochlea is created by applying an irreversible mitochondrial complex II enzyme inhibitor, 3-NP, directly to the round window membrane. Treatment with 300 mM 3-NP results in temporary hearing loss (temporary threshold shift (TTS) model), whereas treatment with 500 mM 3-NP results in profound and permanent hearing loss (permanent threshold shift (PTS) model. Either treatment results with a primary histological change in the lateral wall spiral ligament. Because local ATP deprivation in the inner ear results from inhibition of inner ear mitochondrial function, this model replicates the etiology of inner ear energy failure caused by ATP deprivation due to inner ear ischemia.