Acoustic Startle Response
Objective: Measurement of startle response amplitude in mice exposed to acoustic stimuli to assess sound hyperresponsivity and determine whether noise-induced cochlear neuropathy results in abnormal auditory behavior
This is a Acoustic Startle Response protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 5 procedural steps, 4 equipment items. Extracted from a 2013 paper published in Journal of Neurophysiology.
Model and subjects
mouse • Not specified in provided text • unknown • Not specified in provided text • Not specified in provided text
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Noise exposure conditions • Acoustic Startle Response (ASR) measurement • Prepulse Inhibition (PPI) testing
Primary readouts
- Acoustic startle response amplitude
- Prepulse inhibition magnitude
- Gap detection performance at various gap-startle latencies
- Auditory brainstem response wave 1 amplitude
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Noise exposure conditions
Mice were exposed to either neuropathic noise (high-intensity acoustic overexposure causing cochlear nerve degeneration) or nonneuropathic noise (lower-intensity exposure without neuronal loss), with unexposed control mice as comparison group
Note: Neuropathic noise exposure results in immediate, permanent degeneration of cochlear nerve despite complete threshold recovery and lack of hair cell damage
View evidence from paper
“Mice were exposed either to a neuropathic noise or to a lower-intensity, nonneuropathic noise and in unexposed control mice”
Acoustic Startle Response (ASR) measurement
Measure startle response amplitude in mice exposed to acoustic stimuli to assess sound hyperresponsivity
Note: Mice with cochlear neuropathy displayed hyperresponsivity to sound, evidenced by enhanced ASR
View evidence from paper
“Mice with cochlear neuropathy displayed hyperresponsivity to sound, evidenced by enhanced ASR and PPI”
Prepulse Inhibition (PPI) testing
Measure prepulse inhibition of startle response in mice to assess auditory processing and potential hyperacusis
Note: Enhanced PPI observed in mice with cochlear neuropathy compared to controls
View evidence from paper
“Mice with cochlear neuropathy displayed hyperresponsivity to sound, evidenced by enhanced ASR and PPI”
Gap PPI testing
Conduct gap detection tests using gap-startle latencies to assess potential tinnitus presence, as gaps in background noise may be filled in by tinnitus
Note: Limited gap detection deficits observed only for certain gap-startle latencies in mice with cochlear neuropathy, inconsistent with tinnitus filling in the gap
View evidence from paper
“Gap PPI tests, often used to assess tinnitus, revealed limited gap detection deficits in mice with cochlear neuropathy only for certain gap-startle latencies”
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) recording
Record auditory brainstem response to measure cochlear nerve activity (wave 1) and brainstem neural activity (later peaks)
Note: Wave 1 significantly reduced in mice with cochlear neuropathy, while later peaks unchanged or enhanced, suggesting compensatory neural hyperactivity
View evidence from paper
“Despite significantly reduced wave 1 of the auditory brainstem response, representing cochlear nerve activity, later peaks were unchanged or enhanced”