Idiopathic hair cell loss in the guinea pig.

An incidence of specific, marked sensory cell loss affecting 12--88% of the outer hair cells in the third cochlear turn was found in a group of 130 healthy, coloured, intact guinea pigs divided into three age groups (6 weeks, 7 months, and 3 years). The pathological findings were compared with a known physiological norm. At 7 months, the disorder occurred in 8% of the animals, whereas at 3 years 30% were involved. The etiology of the above finding is at present still obscure.