[Autoradiography study of the uptake of 3H-2-deoxyglucose in the inner ear in normal and unilaterally sympathectomized albino rats].

Using the autoradiographic technique for water-soluble substances, the uptake of 3H-2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) was measured in the inner ear tissue. The experiments were performed on 26 albino rats (22-27 days). 10 microCi/g b.w. of 2-DG were applied i.v. and the control group was immediately kept in the Camera silens in darkness. The main group was exposed to pink noise (50 Hz - 10 kHz of 60-110 dB). 8 unilaterally sympathectomised animals were exposed to pink noise of different intensity after 24h. The highest uptake of 2-DG independent of the intensity of noise was observed in the cochlear lateral wall (stria vasc., sp. lig., sp. prominentia) in the basal turn and decreased to the apical turn. The uptake in the lateral wall increased from 30-40 dB to 60dB and decreased from 60 to 80 dB exposure. The region of the inner hair cells was clearly marked by 80 dB. With increasing intensity of noise exposure, 2-DG uptake in the spiral ganglion increased continually. Unilateral sympathectomy did not result in any significant difference in the uptake of 2-DG. Therefore, the hypothesis that the decrease of 2-DG uptake in the lateral wall may be due to sympathico-adrenergic vasoconstriction is not verified by our results.