Doctors used Mongolian rodents to study the phenomenon of the third window in humans
Scientists from Rutgers University conducted a study on Mongolian gerbils that will allow to find the causes and possible treatment of a rare neurological disease – dehiscence of the superior semicircular canal. The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology .
The syndrome of dehiscence of the bone wall of the superior semicircular canal (SDVC) is one of the causes of the development of the “third window syndrome”. Usually people have two “windows” in the ear: oval and round. If there is a third window due to trauma or other causes, patients may become dizzy and hear internal sounds unusually well, such as eye movement or blinking.
Patients may also suffer from cognitive dysfunction, including memory impairment, poor concentration, spatial disorientation, speech disorders, and so on. Usually only surgery helps patients, but the recovery of cognitive functions takes a long time, and suitable animal models for studying this phenomenon have not been found.
Scientists from the Department of Otolaryngology used 36 Mongolian gerbils, animals with a human-like ear structure, to study. They were divided into two groups, which were artificially created either a small or a large third window.
The researchers then studied how the animals responded to sound stimulation. They found that a large window led to the development of the same symptoms that people with ADHD have. This means that the approach of scientists in the future will allow a better understanding of cognitive impairment in ADHD.
