Department of Otolaryngology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Otology and Cochlear Implant Unit, Regional Referral Centre Children's Hospital "Santobono-Pausilipon", Naples, Italy.
J Int Adv Otol. 2020 Dec;16(3):318-322. doi: 10.5152/iao.2020.8481.
To identify the cochlear segment in which spiral ganglion neuron (SGN) loss may more severely impact discrimination thresholds.
Thirteen temporal bones from 13 subjects between 55 and 77 years of age were analyzed. The organ of corti was analyzed to identify the loss of hair cells, and the number of SGNs in each cochlear segment were counted. The results of the speech perception test (SPT) and pure tone audiometry (PTA) tests were collected. PTA averages for low and high frequencies were calculated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson, Spearman, and multilinear regression tests were performed.
No statistically significant correlation was identified between the patient's age and number of SGNs. Statistically significant differences were observed between the number of SGNs in the different cochlear segments (one-way ANOVA: p<0.0001) and between poor PTA average and SPT scores (negative correlation) (p=0.03). A statistically significant correlation was identified between the overall number of cochlear SGNs and SPT scores (p=0.02) and between the number of SGNs in cochlear segments I (p=0.04) and II and the SPT score (p=0.03).
We identified that residual SGNs in the basal and middle turns of the cochlea might be determinants of speech perception.
确定螺旋神经节神经元（SGN）损失可能更严重影响分辨阈值的耳蜗部位。
分析了 13 名年龄在 55 至 77 岁之间的受试者的 13 个颞骨。分析了柯蒂氏器以确定毛细胞的损失，并且计数了每个耳蜗段的 SGN 数量。收集了语音感知测试（SPT）和纯音测听（PTA）测试的结果。计算了低频和高频的 PTA 平均值。进行了单向方差分析（ANOVA）、Pearson、Spearman 和多元线性回归测试。
未发现患者年龄与 SGN 数量之间存在统计学显著相关性。不同耳蜗段 SGN 数量之间存在统计学显著差异（单向 ANOVA：p<0.0001），以及 PTA 平均值与 SPT 评分之间存在统计学显著差异（负相关）（p=0.03）。总体耳蜗 SGN 数量与 SPT 评分之间存在统计学显著相关性（p=0.02），耳蜗段 I 和 II 的 SGN 数量与 SPT 评分之间也存在统计学显著相关性（p=0.03）。
我们发现耳蜗基底和中部的残余 SGN 可能是语音感知的决定因素。
