Glucose utilization in the auditory system: cochlear dysfunctions and species differences.

Deoxyglucose uptake in peripheral auditory tissues and inferior colliculus of the young CBA or C57BL/6J mouse increases with intensity of an acoustic stimulus from 25 to 85 dBA and decreases from 85 to 115 dBA. In 36-month-old CBA and 9-month-old C57BL with sensorineural hearing loss the metabolic response to stimulation is attenuated 50% or more. Metabolic responses to stimuli are qualitatively and quantitatively different in the gerbil and in the guinea-pig. It is concluded that cochlear dysfunctions are characterized by abnormal evoked metabolism; and that the stimulus-response pattern varies with species.