Beatrice Mao, Ying Wang, Tara Balasubramanian, Rodrigo Urioste, Talah Wafa, Tracy S Fitzgerald, Scott J Haraczy, Kamren Edwards-Hollingsworth, Zahra N Sayyid, Donna Wilder, Venkata Siva Sai Sujith Sajja, Yanling Wei, Peethambaran Arun, Irene Gist, Alan G Cheng, Joseph B Long, Matthew W Kelley
The use of explosive devices in war and terrorism has increased exposure to concussive blasts among both military personnel and civilians, which can cause permanent hearing and balance deficits that adversely affect survivors' quality of life. Significant knowledge gaps on the underlying etiology of blast-induced hearing loss and balance disorders remain, especially with regard to the effect of blast exposure on the vestibular system, the impact of multiple blast exposures, and long-term recovery. To address this, we investigated the effects of blast exposure on the inner ear using a mouse model in conjunction with a high-fidelity blast simulator...
June 7, 2021: Hearing Research