Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 411, Issue 2, 10 January 2007, Pages 112-116
Neuroscience Letters

Atorvastatin slows down the deterioration of inner ear function with age in mice

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2006.10.032Get rights and content

Abstract

Statins have revolutionized the treatment of hypercholesterolemia due to their ability to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis. Their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects and positive effects on the treatment of atherosclerosis and its complications are well known. Here, we describe the effects of statins on the treatment of presbycusis in C57BL/6J mice. In this strain with accelerated aging, we demonstrate that animals treated with atorvastatin (10 mg/kg per day in chow diet) for 2 months showed larger amplitudes of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) than did the non-treated control group. This finding indicates a better survival of outer hair cell function in the inner ear of C57BL/6J mice. The observed decreased expression of intercellular and vascular adhesion molecules in the aortic wall of atorvastatin-treated animals suggests that reducing endothelial inflammatory effects may contribute to the positive effect of atorvastatin on the amplitudes of DPOAE by influencing the blood supply to the inner ear. No such beneficial effect of statins was found in apoE−/− mice treated with atorvastatin under the same conditions. Our results suggest that statins could also slow down the age-related deterioration of hearing in man.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants AVOZ50390512, GACR 309/04/1074, IGA NR8113-4, LC 554, GACR 304/03/P049 and GAUK No. 101/2005C.

References (33)

  • K. Parham

    Distortion product otoacoustic emissions in the C57BL/6J mouse model of age-related hearing loss

    Hear. Res.

    (1997)
  • G.I. Varghese et al.

    Age-related declines in distortion product otoacoustic emissions utilizing pure tone contralateral stimulation in CBA/CaJ mice

    Hear. Res.

    (2005)
  • Y.X. Wang et al.

    Anti-atherosclerotic effect of simvastatin depends on the presence of apolipoprotein E

    Atherosclerosis

    (2002)
  • H.L. Wilson et al.

    Statin and aspirin therapy are associated with decreased rates of choroidal neovascularization among patients with age-related macular degeneration

    Am. J. Ophthalmol.

    (2004)
  • E. Bea et al.

    Simvastatin promotes atherosclerotic plaque stability in apoE-deficient mice independently of lipid lowering

    Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol.

    (2002)
  • J.N. Brown et al.

    Age-related changes in cochlear vascular conductance in mice

    Hear. Res.

    (1995)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text