Journal article

BDNF mRNA expression and protein localization are changed in age-related hearing loss

Lukas Ruettiger, Rama Panford-Walsh, Thomas Schimmang, Justin Tan, Ulrike Zimmermann, Karin Rohbock, Iris Koepschall, Annette Limberger, Marcus Mueller, Juergen-Theodor Fraenzer, Jelka Cimerman, Marlies Knipper

NEUROBIOLOGY OF AGING | ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC | Published : 2007

Abstract

A decline in neuronal plasticity during the adult life span has been proposed to be associated with a reduced level of the effectors of plasticity responses (e.g., BDNF). Alteration of plasticity is also correlated with age-related hearing loss (presbycusis), but to date no detailed studies of BDNF expression have been performed in the young or aging mature cochlea. We have used rat and gerbil animal models for presbycusis, which displayed hearing loss in the final third of the animals' natural life span. We demonstrate for the first time a co-localization of BDNF protein, transcripts III and IV in cochlear neurons with a declining distribution towards low-frequency processing cochlear turns..

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University of Melbourne Researchers