Abstract
When vestibular function is lost, vestibular compensation works for the reacquisition of body balance. For the study of vestibular dysfunction and vestibular compensation, surgical or chemical labyrinthectomy has been performed in various animal species. In the present study, we performed chemical labyrinthectomy using arsanilic acid in mice and investigated the time course of vestibular compensation through behavioral observations and histological studies. The surgical procedures required only paracentesis and storage of 50 µL of p-arsanilic acid sodium salt solution in the tympanic cavity for 5 min. From behavioral observations, vestibular functions were worst at 2 days and recovered by 7 days after surgery. Spontaneous nystagmus appeared at 1 day after surgery with arsanilic acid and disappeared by 2 days. Histological studies revealed specific damage to the vestibular endorgans. In the ipsilateral spinal vestibular nucleus, the medial vestibular nucleus, and the contralateral prepositus hypoglossal nucleus, a substantial number of c-Fos-immunoreactive cells appeared by 1 day after surgery with arsanilic acid, with a maximum increase in number by 2 days and complete disappearance by 7 days. Taken together, these findings indicate that chemical labyrinthectomy with arsanilic acid and the subsequent observation of vestibular compensation is a useful strategy for elucidation of the molecular mechanisms underlying vestibular pathophysiologies.
Highlights
The vestibular system contributes to posture and oculomotor control, perception, and the autonomic nervous system
We observed the expression of c-Fos and other immediate early genes (IEGs) such as Arc and Zif268. We describe how these parameters collectively changed during vestibular compensation after chemical labyrinthectomy with arsanilic acid in mice
The present study described the characteristics of vestibular compensation after chemical labyrinthectomy using arsanilic acid in mice
Summary
The vestibular system contributes to posture and oculomotor control, perception, and the autonomic nervous system. Kim et al reported detailed procedures of chemical labyrinthectomy using arsanilic acid in rats [6] They described the process of vestibular compensation after chemical labyrinthectomy in rats and compared it with the process after surgical labyrinthectomy through assessments of nystagmus, head tilt, and distribution patterns for c-Fos-immunoreactive (IR) cells. We performed a pilot study in mice using the same procedures described by Kim et al [6], and preliminary experiments revealed some differences in the expression of nystagmus and head tilt after chemical labyrinthectomy with arsanilic acid. We observed the expression of c-Fos and other immediate early genes (IEGs) such as Arc and Zif268 We describe how these parameters collectively changed during vestibular compensation after chemical labyrinthectomy with arsanilic acid in mice
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