Disorders Affecting the Inner Ear Flashcards
What is homeostasis?
The ability of an organism or a cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes
What is inner ear homeostasis?
The process by which chemical equilibrium of inner ear fluids and tissues maintained
For proper inner ear function, is a tight control of ions and homeostasis required?
Yes
What are the functions of the inner ear that could be disrupted if not balanced?
Hair cell function
Regulation of extracellular endolymph and perilymph
Conduction of nerve impulses
What are the major ions involved in inner ear homeostasis?
Sodium
Potassium
What other ions also play a significant role in inner ear homeostasis?
Chloride
Calcium
Is ion homeostasis controlled by numerous ion channels and transporters in plasma membrane of cells, especially cells lining the scala media?
Yes
Is active transport of H2O across the cell membranes also needed?
Yes
Before sound is perceived, does it have to be converted to electrical impulses in the auditory nerve?
Yes
This process is mediated by the cilia of the inner ear hair cells
Does the sound-induced excitatory deflection of the stereocilia causes a mechanoelectrical transduction current to depolarize the hair cells and initiate action potentials?
Yes
Do endolymph and perilymph must maintain their specific ion concentrations for max sensitivity?
Yes
Are there several cochlear and vestibular disorders that are transient and recover spontaneously?
Yes
What are some of these temporary cochlear and vestibular disorders?
Sudden-onset hearing loss
Diuretic ototoxicity recovery after stopping drugs
Autoimmune labyrinthitis (transient symptoms)
Meniere’s disease (intermittent symptoms)
What is this temporary cochlear loss stemming from?
Not the hair cells or sensory nerves, because it comes back
Damage to homeostatic mechanism
What are symptoms of cochlear disorders?
Hearing loss (constant or fluctuating)
Difficulty with speech perception
Loudness recruitment (abnormal loudness growth)
Aural fullness
Tinnitus
Abnormal or excessive response to sound
Conditions that may be associated with psychological issues
What is the hearing loss associated with cochlear disorders?
Any severity
Always SNHL, unless superimposed with ME issue
What are some conditions that may be associated with psychological issues?
Hyperacusis - physical discomfort/pain when a sound is loud but would be tolerable to most people
Misophonia - intense emotional reactions to certain sounds that are not perceived as loud
Noise sensitivity - increased reactivity to sounds including general discomfort and annoyance in regards to loudness
Phonophobia - anticipatory fear of sound, can cause comorbid conditions (tinnitus) to worsen
What are the most common causes of SNHL?
Aging
Exposure to toxic levels of noise
What are some other causes of SNHL?
Genetic syndromic and non-syndromic SNHL
Ototoxicity
Infections of the inner ear
Autoimmune conditions that affect the inner ear
What are most infections of the inner ear caused by?
Viruses
Can bacteria also cause serious diseases?
Yes, such as meningitis
What are the two known kinds of viruses for the inner ear?
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus (covid 19 and flu)
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) virus
What are RNA viruses?
Contain ribonucleic acid in their genome
High mutation rates compared to DNA viruses because RNA polymerases lack the proofreading ability
What are DNA viruses?
Contain deoxyribonucleic acid in their genome
More stable
What are some examples of DNA viruses?
Smallpox, herpes, and chickenpox
What is effected in the cochlea from these viruses?
Organ of corti is affected at basal turn (high freq SNHL)
Individual hair cells damaged or missing
Stria vascularis may become atrophied
Tectorial membrane appears shriveled
Complete collapse of Reissner’s membrane
Is rubella virus an RNA virus?
Yes
What is rubella virus?
Has adverse affects on fetus
Responsible for German measles
Greater affect on the auditory system if contracted when auditory system is developing (initial part of the 2nd trimester)
What can rubella lead to?
Congenital hearing loss
Congenital cataracts
Cardiovascular problems
Possible intellectual disability
Is paramyxovirus an RNA virus?
Yes
What is paramyxovirus?
Responsible for mumps
Inflammation of the parotid gland (salivary glands)
Can cause males to be infertile
Can cause permanent SNHL, typically unilateral
Is cytomegalovirus (CMV) a DNA virus?
Yes
What is CMV?
A common double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the herpes virus family
Found in other mammals too
One of the most common viral diseases
Common all over north america
Does about 50 to 80% of the U.S. population carry CMV antibodies by age 35 to 40?
Yes
Can CMV result in decreased life expectancy?
Yes
Can CMV cause enlarged organs?
Yes
Can CMV result in a blueberry rash (reddish blue to magenta)?
Yes
Can CMV cause decreased immunity to the flu vaccine?
Yes
CMV has the most genes compared to any other known human virus (large genome)
Our immune system expends a lot of energy fighting this virus all life long
Is CMV the most common viral disease among newborns?
Yes
1 in 200 newborns has CMV
About 20% of newborns diagnosed with CMV will develop hearing loss
75% babies born with CMV can manifest delayed onset SNHL even as adults
How is CMV passed down to a fetus?
Through the placenta and is teratogenic to the fetus
nfected mothers may only exhibit symptoms of a common cold/mild ‘flu
In 2023, Minnesota became the first state to screen ALL newborns for CMV
What kind of hearing loss does CMV result in?
A progressive profound permanent SNHL with the final stage being reached by 3 to 5 years
Many of these children are CI candidates
Are newborns with CMV detected during NBHS?
No, due to late onset progressive loss
How can CMV show up in infants, older children, and adults?
Can be silent or symptoms may mimic common cold
Cause no permanent damage
What other neurological or other complications can CMV cause when it occurs in vitro?
Cardiovascular problems
Neurological problems
Blindness
Intellectual disability
Are infected newborns considered contagious?
Yes, can be passed to clinicians
Problem for pregnant clinicians
Can CMV also be transmitted through breastmilk?
Yes
But there is no evidence to suggest that it produces a SNHL past about 3 weeks of age
How is CMV diagnosed?
Urine polymerase chain reaction (gold standard)
Histologic examination
CT scan
What is urine polymerase chain reaction?
Laboratory technique for rapidly producing millions of copies of a specific DNA segment
Done to study things in greater detail
What is a histological examination for CMV?
Put saliva sample under microscope, look for specific inclusion bodies
Inclusion bodies are common in many virus infections
How does CMV show up on a CT?
Can show intracranial calcification
What is AIDS caused by?
The microbe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Is HIV a retrovirus?
Yes
What are retroviruses?
Retroviruses rely on their enzyme reverse transcriptase to perform the reverse transcription of its genome from RNA into DNA (normal transcription is from DNA to RNA)
Embeds itself into the host’s cells
The virus then replicates as part of the infected cell’s DNA
Can people be HIV positive and not express any signs and symptoms?
Yes
Is HIV neurotropic?
Yes
It attacks the nervous system
Is HIV lymphotropic and immunotropic?
Yes
It attacks the lymph glands, both T and B cells, and the immune system
In populations at risk for HIV, should the condition be considered in all cases of sudden bilateral or unilateral HL?
Yes
What are some otologic signs and symptoms associated with AIDS?
OME with or without CHL; SNHL during later stages
Otalgia
Vertigo
Tinnitus
Aural fullness
Reduced OAEs (OHCs affected)
Delayed ABR interwave latencies (central effects)
Besides AIDS itself, what might the auditory symptoms be due to?
Ototoxic effects of the AIDS drugs
Recurrent/chronic OME and other opportunistic infections that attack the ear due to the suppressed immune system
Can HIV be transmitted through the placenta?
Yes