The Laryngoscope
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Recent studies in the bird ear have shown that degenerated hair cells are sometimes replaced by regenerated receptor cells. The present study evaluated the adult mammalian cochlea for evidence of hair-cell and nerve-fiber regeneration. Eighty-eight noise-damaged chinchilla cochleas were examined as plastic-embedded whole mounts by phase-contrast and bright-field microscopy. ⋯ The number of regenerated fibers varied with type of exposure and length of recovery. The strongest response was found in ears exposed to a high-intensity, low-frequency noise. The results described here indicate that a potential exists for the biological restoration of the mammalian inner ear.