Soucek S, Michaels L, Frohlich A
J Otolaryngol. 1986 Jun;15(3):175-83.
All patients in a geriatric unit showed a hearing loss with a mean value of approximately 60 dB HL. Auditory brain stem evoked responses had normal amplitudes but, in most cases, waves I and II were absent. Extratympanic electrocochleograms produced well-marked action potentials with evidence of a type of recruitment. These results suggest a primary disturbance of cochlear function peripheral to the cochlear nerve. Examination of stained surface preparations of the organ of Corti showed complete atrophy of all hair cells at the end of the basal coil and severe outer hair cell loss in all three coils. This was accompanied by a severe alteration - giant stereociliary degeneration - in some surviving cells in all cases, but no other consistent alterations in the cochlea. These findings point towards degenerative change in the hair cells as the basis for hearing loss in the elderly.
老年病房的所有患者均表现出听力损失，平均约为60 dB HL。听觉脑干诱发电位的波幅正常，但在大多数情况下，I波和II波消失。鼓室外电耳蜗图产生明显的动作电位，并有某种募集现象。这些结果提示耳蜗神经外周的耳蜗功能存在原发性障碍。对柯蒂氏器染色表面标本的检查显示，基底圈末端所有毛细胞完全萎缩，三个蜗圈中的外毛细胞均严重缺失。在所有病例中，这伴随着一些存活细胞中严重的改变——巨大静纤毛变性，但耳蜗没有其他一致的改变。这些发现表明毛细胞的退行性变化是老年人听力损失的基础。
