Higher serum aldosterone correlates with lower hearing thresholds: A possible protective hormone against presbycusis

Female hormone influences on auditory system aging are not completely understood. Because of widespread clinical use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), it is critical to understand HRT effects on sensory systems. The present study retrospectively analyzed and compared hearing abilities among 124 postmenopausal women taking HRT, treated with estrogen and progestin (E؉P; n ‫؍‬ 32), estrogen alone (E; n ‫؍‬ 30), and a third [non-hormone replacement therapy (NHRT; n ‫؍‬ 62)] control group. Subjects were 60 -86 years old and were matched for age and health status. All had relatively healthy medical histories and no significant noise exposure, middle-ear problems, or major surgeries. Hearing tests included pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), transient otoacoustic emissions, and the hearing-in-noise test (HINT). The HINT tests for speech perception in background noise, the major complaint of hearing-impaired persons. Pure-tone thresholds in both ears were elevated (poorer) for the E؉P relative to the E and control groups. For DPOAEs, the E؉P group presented with lower (worse) levels than the E and control groups, with significant differences for both ears. For the HINT results, the E؉P group had poorer speech perception than the E and control groups across all background noise speaker locations and in quiet. These findings suggest that the presence of P as a component of HRT results in poorer hearing abilities in aged women taking HRT, affecting both the peripheral (ear) and central (brain) auditory systems, and it interferes with the perception of speech in background noise.estrogen ͉ hearing loss ͉ hormone replacement therapy ͉ presbycusis ͉ progesterone A ge-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is the number one communication disorder, and it is one of the top three chronic medical conditions of elderly persons. Because of the widespread prescription of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), it is critical to determine the effects of HRT on sensory systems in postmenopausal females. Sensory function declines with age, yet the effects of HRT on hearing, balance, vision, and the chemical senses are not assessed in HRT drug development.Estrogen (E) and progestin (P) actions have been linked to key sensory and CNS processes and disorders such as cognition, memory, dementia (Alzheimer's disease), epilepsy, depression, and others. For instance, Rice et al.(1) reported differences between E alone and EϩP in rates of cognitive decline, showing E alone as beneficial and the presence of P as detrimental. Shumaker et al. (2) reported that the use of EϩP increased the risk for dementia in elderly females. Klaiber et al. (3,4) demonstrated that the effects of P seem opposed to those of E for mood changes. Stein and Hoffman (5) reported opposite effects of E and P in the treatment of acute brain trauma, attributing to P overall qualities of a neuroprotection agent. Klein et al. (6) suggested a protective effect of E on eye-lens opacities.The effects of sex hormones on hearing and ...

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“…The methods were similar to those of our previous basic and clinical research investigations of age-related hearing loss (29)(30)(31)(32)(33).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Progestin negatively affects hearing in aged women

Guimaraes

Frisina²,

Mapes³

et al. 2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…The results showed significant differences (P = 0.0003), in the sense that the aldosterone level among people with presbycusis was significantly lower than that of normal participants. They concluded that aldosterone might have a protective effect on the hearing ability of old people, with its effect being more profound on inner hair cells than outer hair cells (15). Given that other studies showed that aldosterone and serum potassium can affect people's hearing ability, the present study also took the influence of SPL of these hormones into account.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Sodium and potassium play a significant role in the inner ear and are involved in cellular functions converting the mechanical energy into nerve impulses (14). Aldosterone exercises a stimulatory impact on the expression of the sodium-potassium ATPase (Na, K-ATPase) and sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter (NKCC) in cell membranes (15,16). Changes in the serum potassium level in pathological conditions can have more harmful effects on the outer hair cells rather than the inner hair cells and auditory nerve fibers (17).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tadros et al demonstrated that the hearing thresholds of old males and females at lower levels of aldosterone (but still within the clinically normal range) were worse than those of participants whose aldosterone levels were in the upper middle of the normal range. As a result, aldosterone may function protectively in the cochlea (15). However, little research is conducted on the combined effect of sound pressure level (SPL), exposure time, and the serum potassium level on the aldosterone serum level among industrial workers, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum aldosterone levels and age-related hearing loss (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Model to Determine the Level of Serum Aldosterone in the Workers Attributed to the Combined Effects of Sound Pressure Level, Exposure Time and Serum Potassium Level: A Field-Based Study

Nassiri

Monazzam

Pourbakht

2016

Jundishapur J Helath Sci

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Background: Occupational exposure to excessive noise is one of the biggest work-related challenges in the world. This phenomenon causes the release of stress-related hormones, which in turn, negatively affects cardiovascular risk factors. Objectives: The current study study aimed to determine the level of workers' serum aldosterone in light of the combined effect of sound pressure level, exposure time and serum potassium level. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study was conducted on 45 workers of Gol-Gohar Mining and Industrial Company in the fall of 2014. The subjects were divided into three groups (one control and two case groups), each including 15 workers. Participants in the control group were selected from workers with administrative jobs (exposure to the background noise). On the other hand, participants in the case groups were selected from the concentrator and pelletizing factories exposed to excessive noise. Serum aldosterone and potassium levels of participants were assessed at three different time intervals: at the beginning of the shift and before exposure to noise (7:30 -8:00 AM), during exposure to noise (10:00 -10:30 AM), and during continuous exposure (1:30 -2:00 PM). The obtained data were transferred into SPSS ver. 18. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to develop the statistical model of workers' aldosterone level in light of the combined effect of sound pressure level, exposure time, and serum potassium level. Results:The results of the final statistical model to determine the level of serum aldosterone based on the combined effect of sound pressure level, exposure time and serum potassium level indicated that the sound pressure level had a significant influence on the human's serum aldosterone level (P = 0.04). In addition, the effects of exposure time and serum potassium on aldosterone level were statistically significant with P-values of 0.008 and 0.001, respectively. Conclusions:The obtained model in the study revealed that the results of predictive models to determine aldosterone level were very similar to real values; therefore, the obtained values of this model were largely in line with the ones obtained from the field.

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“…This potential impact on ion homeostasis in the ear has largely been ignored in explaining steroid-responsive ear disease. Recently, presbycusis has been shown to correlate with reduced levels of aldosterone, the natural mineralocorticoid [57]. Also, supplementing low aldosterone patients with this hormone appears to be effective in reversing auditory and vestibular problems [Wright, J., pers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blocking the Glucocorticoid Receptor with RU-486 Does Not Prevent Glucocorticoid Control of Autoimmune Mouse Hearing Loss

Trune

Kempton²

2009

Audiol Neurotol

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Background/Aims: Glucocorticoids effectively manage autoimmune hearing loss, although the cochlear mechanisms involved are unknown. Previous studies of steroid-responsive hearing loss in autoimmune (lupus) mice showed glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids were equally effective, suggesting the ion homeostasis functions of glucocorticoids may be as relevant as immunosuppression for control of autoimmune-induced inner ear disease. Therefore, to better characterize the role of the glucocorticoid receptor in autoimmune hearing loss therapy, its function was blocked with the antagonist RU-486 (mifepristone) during glucocorticoid (prednisolone) treatments. Methods: Following baseline auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds, MRL/MpJ-Fas^lpr autoimmune mice were implanted with pellets providing combinations of 1.25 mg/kg of RU-486, 4 mg/kg of prednisolone, or their respective placebos. After 1 month, animals were retested with ABR and blood was collected for immune complex analyses. Results: Mice receiving no prednisolone (placebo + placebo and placebo + RU-486) showed continued declines in hearing. On the other hand, mice receiving prednisolone (prednisolone + placebo and prednisolone + RU-486) had significantly better hearing (p < 0.05) than the non-prednisolone groups. Immune complexes were significantly elevated in the placebo + RU-486 group, suggesting RU-486 effectively blocked glucocorticoid receptor-mediated immune suppression. These results showed that blockage of the glucocorticoid receptor with RU-486 did not prevent prednisolone’s effects in the ear, suggesting its ion homeostasis actions via the mineralocorticoid receptor were more relevant in hearing control. Conclusion: The mineralocorticoid receptor-mediated actions of glucocorticoids are potentially relevant in steroid-responsive hearing disorders, implying disrupted cochlear ion transport functions may underlie the vascular problems proposed in some forms of immune-mediated hearing loss.

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Higher serum aldosterone correlates with lower hearing thresholds: A possible protective hormone against presbycusis

Cited by 50 publications

References 67 publications

Progestin negatively affects hearing in aged women

Progestin negatively affects hearing in aged women

A Model to Determine the Level of Serum Aldosterone in the Workers Attributed to the Combined Effects of Sound Pressure Level, Exposure Time and Serum Potassium Level: A Field-Based Study

Blocking the Glucocorticoid Receptor with RU-486 Does Not Prevent Glucocorticoid Control of Autoimmune Mouse Hearing Loss

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