The Induction of Hypothyroidism during Gestation Decreases Outer Hair Cell Motility in Rat Offspring

Abstract Introduction Perinatal hypothyroidism has a negative repercussion on the development and maturation of auditory system function. However, its long-term effect on auditory function remains unsettled. Objective To evaluate the effect of prenatal hypothyroidism on the auditory function of adult offspring in rats. Methods Pregnant Wistar rats were given the antithyroid drug methimazole (0.02%-1-methylimidazole-2-thiol- MMI) in drinking water, ad libitum, from gestational day (GD) 9 to postnatal day 15 (PND15). Anesthetized offspring from MMI-treated dams (OMTD) and control rats were evaluated by tympanometry, distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR) at PNDs 30, 60, 90, and 120. Results Our data demonstrated no middle ear dysfunction, with the OMTD compliance lower than that of the control group. The DPOAE revealed the absence of outer hair cells function, and the ABR showed normal integrity of neural auditory pathways up to brainstem level in the central nervous system. Furthermore, in the OMTD group, hearing loss was characterized by a higher electrophysiological threshold. Conclusion Our data suggest that perinatal hypothyroidism leads to irreversible damage to cochlear function in offspring.

Vestibular System Eletrophysiology: An Analysis of the Relationship between Hearing and Movement

Abstract Introduction Knowledge about the positive effects that music and dance bring, in its various forms, to the healthy human brain, is important not only in the context of basic neuroscience but may also strongly affect practices in neurorehabilitation. Objective To verify the relationship between hearing and movement and, specifically, to analyze the interference of professional dance practice and formal musical training in the magnitude of the vestibule-cervical and vestibular reflexes. Method The sample consisted of 92 subjects, aged between 18 and 35 years old, 31 professional musicians, 31 ballet dancers, and 30 control subjects. Only subjects with normal hearing sensitivity were included. Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) was recorded in the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) was recorded in the lower oblique muscle of the eye, using tone-bursts (500Hz). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) or Kruskall-Wallis tests were performed. Results The cVEMP presented earlier and higher amplitude waves when recorded in the group of dancers, with a significant difference between all tested groups for latency and amplitude of the N23 wave; the comparison was restricted between dancers and control groups, with no difference between ballet dancers and musicians. The N1 wave of the oVEMP presented lower latencies in dancers than in musicians and controls (p= 0.001). No significant differences were found between the groups for the P1 wave. Conclusion Greater magnitudes of vestibule-cervical reflex responses and faster vestibule-ocular reflex responses were observed in dancers. Dance practice provides greater development of the vestibular system, but musical training also contributes to the magnitude of these responses.

Estresse discente em um curso de Fonoaudiologia / Student stress in a speech, language and hearing sciences undergraduate course

RESUMO Objetivo verificar a prevalência de estresse e os fatores associados à sua presença em discentes de um curso de Fonoaudiologia. Métodos participaram 105 discentes, maiores de 18 anos, de ambos os sexos, matriculados no curso de Fonoaudiologia de uma universidade federal. Foram excluídos os discentes que não estavam com a matrícula ativa durante o período da pesquisa. Todos responderam a um questionário sociodemográfico e ao Inventário de Sintomatologia de Stress de Lippi, que identifica os sintomas de estresse, bem como a sua respectiva fase e os sintomas predominantes. Os dados receberam tratamento estatístico, sendo estipulado o nível de significância de 5%. Resultados dentre os participantes, 77,1% apresentaram resultados sugestivos de estresse, sendo que, destes, 77,7% estavam na fase de "resistência", 18,5% na fase de "quase exaustão"; 2,5% na fase de "alerta"; e 1,2% na fase de "exaustão". Quanto à sintomatologia 64,2% apresentaram predominância de sintomas psicológicos, 18,5%, físicos e 17,3%, físicos e psicológicos. A análise estatística mostrou a presença significativamente superior de estresse entre as mulheres e entre os que não trabalhavam e a relação do estresse com o ano de estudo. Conclusão um elevado número de discentes de Fonoaudiologia foi identificado com estresse, sendo a fase de "resistência" a mais frequente, com prevalência de sintomas psicológicos. Os fatores associados ao estresse foram sexo, com maior prejuízo entre as mulheres, o fato de não exercerem atividade remunerada e o ano do curso em que estavam matriculados, sendo que no primeiro ano foi observada menor prevalência de estresse e no último ano, maior.

ABSTRACT Objective To verify the prevalence and factors associated with the presence of stress in students of a Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences course. Methods 105 students participated, over 18 years old, of both sexes, enrolled in the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences course at a Federal University. Students who were not active during participation in the research were excluded. All respond to a sociodemographic questionnaire and Lipp's Stress Symptoms Inventory, which identifies the symptoms of stress, as well as their s—pecific phase and the predominant symptoms. The data received statistical treatment being stipulated the significance level of 5%. Results 77.1% showed results suggestive of stress, of which 77.7% were in the "resistance" phase, 18.5% in the "almost exhaustion"; 2.5% in the "alarm"; and 1.2% in the "exhaustion". As for the symptomatology, 64.2% had a predominance of psychological symptoms, 18.5% physical, and 17.3% physical and psychological. The statistical analysis showed a significantly higher presence of stress among women and among those who do not work, and a relationship between stress and the study year. Conclusion A high number of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences students with stress, was identified, with the "resistance" phase as the most frequent and the prevalence of psychological symptoms. The factors associated with stress were gender, which presented greater damages among women, the fact that students do not engage in paid work, and the year of the course they were enrolled. The first year had the lowest prevalence of stress, while the last year had the highest result.

Cancer treatment in determination of hearing loss / Tratamento oncológico na determinação das alterações auditivas

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy in oncology have repercussions in hearing health, and can damage structures of the inner ear. These repercussions usually, result in a bilateral and irreversible hearing loss. OBJECTIVE: To identify sensorineural hearing loss cases with complaints of tinnitus and difficulty in speech understanding and investigate their relationship with the types of chemotherapy and radiotherapy the patients received. METHODS: Cross-sectional, clinical, observational, analytical, historical cohort study of 58 subjects treated in a public hospital in the state of Sergipe, diagnosed with neoplasia. The subjects were submitted to anamnesis, conventional pure tone audiometry, and speech recognition threshold. RESULTS: Of the 116 ears, 25.9% presented sensorioneural hearing loss characterized by changes in high frequencies. There was a positive correlation between hearing loss and the association of chemotherapy and radiotherapy ( p = 0.035; R = 0.196). The auditory complaint analysis shows that most of the subjects had tinnitus and speech understanding difficulty, even with a normal auditory threshold. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer treatment causes hearing loss, associated with the administration of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Cyclophosphamide increased the risk of causing hearing loss. Complaints of tinnitus and speech understanding difficulty were observed.

RESUMO INTRODUÇÃO: O tratamento quimioterápico e radioterápico na oncologia tem repercussão na saúde auditiva e pode lesar estruturas da orelha interna. Ocasiona perda auditiva, geralmente bilateral e irreversível. OBJETIVO: Identificar casos de perda auditiva sensorioneural e sua relação com a média de sessões de quimioterapia e radioterapia, com queixas de zumbido e dificuldade de entendimento da fala, bem como sua relação com medicamentos quimioterápicos. MÉTODO: Estudo de coorte histórica com corte transversal, clínico, observacional, analítico e retrospectivo em 58 sujeitos de um hospital público de Sergipe diagnosticados com neoplasia. Realizou-se anamnese, avaliação audiológica tonal convencional e pesquisa do limiar de reconhecimento de fala. RESULTADOS: Das 116 orelhas; 25,9% apresentaram perda auditiva sensorioneural caracterizada por alterações nas frequências agudas. Observou-se correlação significativa entre perda auditiva e associação da quimioterapia e radioterapia (p = 0,035; R = 0,196). Na análise das queixas auditivas, verificou-se que a maioria apresentou zumbido e dificuldade de entendimento de fala, mesmo com limiares auditivos normais. CONCLUSÕES: O tratamento oncológico gera perda auditiva, que foi determinada pela associação da quimioterapia e radioterapia. Ciclofosfamida aumentou as chances de gerar perda auditiva. Verificou-se presença de queixas de zumbido e dificuldade de entendimento da fala.

Emissões otoacústicas como instrumento de vigilância epidemiológica na saúde do trabalhador / Otoacoustic emissions as an instrument of epidemiological surveillance in the health of the workers

INTRODUÇÃO: O ruído é um agente nocivo à audição sendo frequente nos ambientes urbanos e laborativos. Dentre as estruturas do sistema auditivo, as células ciliadas externas são as primeiras a serem lesadas e as emissões otoacústicas identificam mínimas alterações cocleares. OBJETIVO: Analisar alterações cocleares com as otoemissões acústicas evocadas transientes em indivíduos expostos ao risco combinado: ruído e produtos químicos. MÉTODO: Participaram da pesquisa 49 trabalhadores de uma empresa de cimento, com idade entre 19 e 49 anos, tempo de exposição de no mínimo dois anos e limiares auditivos normais. Foi realizadas anamnese e emissões otoacústicas antes e pós-atividade laborativa. Os resultados do exame foram relacionados com as variáveis: tempo de exposição ao ruído, idade, exposição a produtos químicos e hábitos sonoros. Os testes estatísticos utilizados foram: T de Student, qui-quadrado de Pearson e Exato Fisher e caracteriza-se por um estudo clínico prospectivo. RESULTADOS: Na primeira testagem houve presença de emissões em todos os trabalhadores, a média de amplitude de 10,22 dBSPL na orelha direita e 9,48 dBSPL na orelha esquerda. Na segunda testagem houve uma variação de 0,69 dBSPL na orelha esquerda e 0,42 dBSPL na orelha direita, sendo que 79,6 por cento dos indivíduos tiveram presença de emissões bilateralmente e 20,4 por cento ausência em pelo menos uma orelha. Ao analisar a relação entre variação de emissões com as variáveis, não se observou dado estatisticamente significante. CONCLUSÃO: As emissões otoacústicas na saúde do trabalhador buscam prevenir o dano ao sistema auditivo através das alterações cocleares.

INTRODUCTION: The noise is a harmful agent to the hearing, being frequent in urban and work environments. Among the structures of the hearing system, the outer hair cells are the first to be injured, and otoacoustic emissions identify minimal cochlear alterations. OBJECTIVE: Analyze cochlear alterations with otoacoustic emissions transient evoked in individuals exposed to combined risk: noise and chemical products. METHOD: 49 workers of a cement company participated of the research, aged between 19 and 49 years old, exposure time of at least two years and normal hearing thresholds. Was performed an anamnesis and otoacoustic emissions before and post work activity. The results of the exam were related with the variable: time of exposure to the noise, age, exposure to chemical products and sound habits. The statistical tests used were: T of Student, chi-squared Pearson test and Fisher's exact test and is characterized by a prospective clinical study. RESULTS: At the first testing, had presence of emissions in all of the workers. The average of amplitude is of 10,22 dBSPL in the right ear and 9,48 dBSPL in the left ear. In the second testing there were a variation of 0,69 dBSPL in the lef ear and 0,42 dBSPL in the right ear, of which 79,6 percent of individuals had presence of emission bilaterally and 20,4 percent absence in at least one ear. Analyzing the relation between variations of emissions with the variable was not observed statistically significant data. CONCLUSION: The otoacoustic emissions in the workers health search to prevent the damage to the hearing system through cochlear changings.