Researchers at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are using a Mongolian gerbil to develop an animal model for superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD), a rare inner ear problem affecting up to 2% of the US population. SSCD is caused by an abnormal third mobile window in the inner ear, resulting in sound-induced dizziness, hearing internal sounds unusually well, and chronic headaches.
Patients can also experience cognitive dysfunction, such as impaired memory, poor concentration, spatial disorientation, and anxiety.
“We don’t know what part of the brain is impacted by this disorder. That’s where the animal model comes in. With this model we might be able to understand the nervous system pathways affected by SSCD and develop interventions to prevent this dysfunction or accelerate recovery.”
–P. Ashley Wackym, MD, Neurotologist at Rutgers
“While surgery can plug the third hole, based upon neuropsychology studies in these patients, full cognitive recovery can take between three and 18 months,” Dr. Wackym said.
The animal model aims to help researchers understand the nervous system pathways affected by SSCD and develop interventions to prevent dysfunction or accelerate recovery. Researchers divided 36 adult Mongolian gerbils into two groups and created an artificial third window by performing a small or large semicircular canal fenestration in their inner ear. The researchers found that the large window resulted in similar electrophysiologic findings as observed in human patients with SSCD. The bony holes created in the animal’s inner ear healed spontaneously, and all hearing and balance functioning returned to baseline.
This tool will help neuroscientists better understand the anatomy and pathology of SSCD cognitive dysfunction. The animal model will enable future studies to test SSCD conditions before, during, and after recovery, which can be applied to human patients. While surgery can plug the third hole, full cognitive recovery can take between three and 18 months. Developing interventions that can speed up the human-recovery process is a goal for researchers.
Source: Rutgers, Frontiers Neurology
