SS injection produces a hearing threshold shift, and noise exposure produces a temporary hearing threshold shift
ABR thresholds were analyzed to determine the degree of hearing loss in the mice in both the SS injection group and the noise exposure group. Tests were conducted on days 0 and 7 of continuous injection for the SS group and on days 0, 1, 7 and 14 after noise exposure for the noise exposure group. Compared with before injection, 7 days after SS injection, the hearing threshold of the mice (n=10) was significantly increased at almost all frequencies except 4 kHz (Fig. 2A). Similarly, we also found a significant threshold shift at days 1 and 7 in the noise exposure group. However, on day 14 after noise exposure, the increase in hearing threshold had reversed (Fig. 2B). Based on these results, we concluded that SS produced a permanent threshold shift (PTS), whereas noise exposure produced a temporary threshold shift (TTS).
Fig.2. (A) Sodium salicylate injection produce long-term, significant hearing threshold shift. On day 7 of continuous injection, hearing thresholds at each frequency are 74.375±1.475 dB SPL (4kHz, P=0.1234), 45.000±1.637 dB SPL (8kHz, P=0.0019), 41.250±1.250 dB SPL (16kHz, P<0.0001), 46.875±1.315 dB SPL (24kHz, P<0.0001), and 55.625±1.990 dB SPL (32kHz, P<0.0001). (B) Noise exposure produce permanent, reversible hearing impairment. On day 1 right after noise exposure, hearing threshold was significantly elevated at all frequencies but recovered to normal on day 14 after noise exposure. A maximum threshold shift of over 30 dB was detected at 32 kHz at day 1 post-exposure and recovered to normal pre-exposure values by day 14. Mean ± SEM is shown in each group. Paired t-test, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001.
Establishment of a tinnitus mouse model by SS overdose and traumatic noise exposure
To verify the effectiveness of SS overdose and traumatic noise exposure in inducing tinnitus in a mouse model, we conducted behavioral tests (PPIAS and GPIAS) in both experimental groups. The SS overdose group was tested 1 day after continuous injection, whereas the traumatic noise exposure group was tested 14 days after noise exposure.
Mice that exhibited the tinnitus frequency in both the PPIAS and GPIAS tests were defined as tinnitus mice in our study. According to the PPIAS prepulse detection ratio and GPIAS gap detection ratio, we divided these mice into four groups: traumatic noise exposure with tinnitus (NE-Tinnitus (+)) group, traumatic noise exposure without tinnitus (NE-Tinnitus (-)) group, SS overdose group with tinnitus (SS-Tinnitus (+)) group and SS overdose without tinnitus (SS-Tinnitus (-)) group (Figs. 3 and 4). Six mice (6/10) in the SS injection group and four (4/10) in the traumatic noise exposure group presented behavioral evidence of tinnitus.
A comparison of the noise exposure group and the SS group revealed that the ΔGPIAS and ΔPPIAS ratios were significantly greater in mice with tinnitus than in those without tinnitus (Fig. 3F and Fig. 4F). Compared with the NE-Tinnitus (-) and control groups, the NE-Tinnitus (+) group had significantly greater ΔPPIAS and ΔGPIAS ratios (Fig. 3F). However, the average ΔGPIAS and ΔPPIAS ratios in the SS-Tinnitus (+) group were not different from those in the SS-Tinnitus (-) and control groups (Fig. 4F).
Although both traumatic noise exposure and SS overdose can cause tinnitus, the mice with tinnitus caused by traumatic noise exposure exhibited more interesting behavioral signs.
Fig. 3. ∆PPIAS ratio for control (n=10), sodium salicylate injection (n=10), and noise exposure (n=10) group. ∆PPIAS ratio were calculated on BBN, 8kHz, 10kHz, 16kHz, 20kHz, 24kHz and 32kHz frequencies. All behavioral tests were taken on day 7 for sodium salicylate group and day 14 for noise exposure group. (A-E) ∆PPIAS ratio of each mice in NE-Tinnitus (+) (n=4), NE-Tinnitus (-) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (+) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (-) (n=4) and control group (n=10). (F) Comparison of average ∆PPIAS ratio among NE-Tinnitus (+) (n=4), NE-Tinnitus (-) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (+) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (-) (n=4) and control group (n=10) at different frequencies. Mean ± SEM is shown in each group. The green asterisks represent the statistical difference between the NE-Tinnitus (+) and the Control group. p > 0.05; *: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001; ****: p < 0.001 by two-way ANOVA. The green asterisks represent the statistical difference between the NE-Tinnitus (+) and the Control group. p > 0.05; *: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001; ****: p < 0.001 by two-way ANOVA. The black hashes represent the statistical difference between the NE-Tinnitus (+) and the NE-Tinnitus (-) group. p > 0.05; #: p < 0.05; ##: p < 0.01; ###: p < 0.001; ####: p < 0.001 by two-way ANOVA.
Fig. 4. ∆GAPAS ratio for control (n=10), sodium salicylate injection (n=10), and noise exposure (n=10) group. ∆GAPAS ratio were calculated on 10kHz, 16kHz, 20kHz, 24kHz and 32kHz frequencies. All behavioral tests were taken on day 7 for sodium salicylate group and day 14 for noise exposure group. (A-E) ∆GAPAS ratio of each mice in NE-Tinnitus (+) (n=4), NE-Tinnitus (-) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (+) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (-) (n=4) and control group (n=10). (F) Comparison of average ∆GAPAS ratio among NE-Tinnitus (+) (n=4), NE-Tinnitus (-) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (+) (n=6), SS-Tinnitus (-) (n=4) and control group (n=10) at different frequencies. Mean ± SEM is shown in each group. The green asterisks represent the statistical difference between the NE-Tinnitus (+) and the Control group. p > 0.05; *: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001; ****: p < 0.001 by two-way ANOVA. The green asterisks represent the statistical difference between the NE-Tinnitus (+) and the Control group. p > 0.05; *: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001; ****: p < 0.001 by two-way ANOVA. The black hashes represent the statistical difference between the NE-Tinnitus (+) and the NE-Tinnitus (-) group. p > 0.05; #: p < 0.05; ##: p < 0.01; ###: p < 0.001; ####: p < 0.001 by two-way ANOVA.
Alterations in ALFF in the SS overdose and traumatic noise exposure groups
From the perspective of energy metabolism, ALFF is defined as the density of neurons with spontaneous synchronized firing in the frequency range of 0.01~0.1 Hz; this value reflects brain region activity (Biswal B 1995; Cordes D 2000; Lowe MJ 1998).
Comparing the NE-Tinnitus (+) group with the NE-Tinnitus (-) group, significantly increased ALFF values were observed in the paraflocculus (PFL) and AC (Fig. 5A). However, when the NE-Tinnitus (+) group was compared with the control group, multiple brain regions, including the entorhinal area (ENT), hippocampal–amygdalar transition area (HATA), supplementary somatosensory area (SSs), striatum-like amygdalar nuclei (sAMY) and medial amygdalar nucleus (MEA), presented decreased ALFF values (Fig. 5B).
The ALFF values in the AC, SSs, and primary somatosensory cortex (SSp) were significantly lower in the SS-Tinnitus (+) group than in the SS-Tinnitus (-) group (Fig. 5C). When the SS-Tinnitus (+) group was compared with the control group, increased ALFF was detected in the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON), whereas decreased ALFF was detected in the medulla (MY) (Fig. 5D).
Based on the above results, we believe that SS overdose and traumatic noise exposure may induce tinnitus through different central mechanisms, leading to diverse patterns of ALFF activation.
Fig.5. Significant enhancement and depression of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) for noise exposure group and sodium salicylate group respectively. (A) ALFF increases in PFL and AC, NE-Tinnitus (+) group mice versus NE-Tinnitus (-) group mice, at 14th day after traumatic noise exposure. (B) ALFF decreases in ENT, HATA, SSs, sAMY and MEA, NE-Tinnitus (+) group mice versus control mice, at 14th day after traumatic noise exposure. (C) ALFF decreases in AC, SSs, and SSp, SS-Tinnitus (+) group mice versus SS-Tinnitus (-) group mice, at 1st day after overdose sodium salicylate injection. (D) ALFF changes in MY, pons and AON, SS-Tinnitus (+) group mice versus control mice, at 1st day after overdose sodium salicylate injection. Statistical analysis threshold is p<0.001 for two sample t-tests. Color heat map scale shows corrected t-values ranging from +10 to 0 and from 0 to -10. Abbreviations: PFL, paraflocculus; AC, auditory cortex; ENT, entorhinal area; HATA, hippo-campo amygdalar transition area; SSs, supplementary somatosensory area; sAMY, striatum-like amygdalar nuclei; MEA, medial amygdalar nucleus; CA1, Ammon’s horn; AI, agranular insular area; STR, striatum; PAL, pallidum; MOB, main olfactory bulb; MY, medulla; AON, anterior olfactory nucleus; SSp, primary somatosensory cortex.
The alterations of regional homogeneity (ReHo) in overdose sodium salicylate and traumatic noise exposure group
A As a voxel-based measure of brain activity, ReHo is used to evaluate the similarity or synchronization between the time series of a given voxel and its nearest neighbors (Zang et al. 2004), ased on the hypothesis that intrinsic brain activity is manifested by clusters of voxels rather than single voxels. Higher ReHo indicates that neurons in that specific region tend to synchronize and that there is increased consistency of neuronal activity. On the other hand, low ReHo indicates decreased consistency of neuronal activity, which may suggest dysfunction in the brain region (Qu T 2019).
In the NE-Tinnitus (+) group, the AC, Ammon's horn (CA) and striatum (STR) had significantly greater ReHo values than those in the control group (Fig. 6A). However, other brain regions in the NE-Tinnitus (+) group, including the sAMY, HATA, subiculum (SUB), and midbrain (MB), presented decreased ReHo, suggesting a two-way effect of noise exposure. In the NE-Tinnitus (-) group, only decreased ReHo was observed in the HATA, ENT and cortical subplate (CTXsp) regions (Fig. 6B).
In the SS overdose group, the ReHo exhibited a different pattern of change than that in the traumatic noise exposure group. As shown in Fig. 6C, the SS-Tinnitus (+) group presented lower ReHo values than did the control group in the CA1, AC, SSs, SSp, and retrosplenial area and lateral agranular part (RSPagl). The SS-Tinnitus (-) group presented increased ReHo values in the SSp and CA1 and decreased ReHo values in the hypothalamus (HY) and pons (Fig. 6D), suggesting that SS administration has an impact on ReHo, particularly in the limbic system, although it fails to induce tinnitus. When the SS-Tinnitus (+) group was compared with the SS-Tinnitus (-) group, multiple regions, including the MY, SSp, SSs, thalamus, sensory‒motor cortex-related (DORsm), hippocampus (HIP), thalamus and polymodal association cortex-related (DORpm) regions, all presented decreased ReHo in tinnitus mice (Fig. 6E).
The ALFF and ReHo results in tinnitus mice indicated that different patterns of neural activity developed not only in auditory pathways (such as the AC) but also in limbic systems (such as the hippocampus and thalamus) and somatosensory systems (such as the SSp and SSs). On the other hand, the different brain activity patterns in the SS overdose and traumatic noise exposure groups provide evidence that these two modeling methods may induce tinnitus through different neural circuits or physiological mechanisms.
Fig.6. Significant increase and decrease of regional homogeneity (ReHo) for overdose sodium salicylate and traumatic noise exposure group respectively. (A) ReHo changes in sAMY, HATA, SUB, MB, AC, CA3, and STR, NE-Tinnitus (+) group versus control, at 14th day after traumatic noise exposure. (B) ReHo decreases in ENT, HATA and CTXsp, NE-Tinnitus (-) group mice versus control mice, at 14th day after traumatic noise exposure. (C) ReHo increases in RSPagl, CA1, AC, SSs and SSp, SS-Tinnitus (+) group mice versus control mice, at 1st day after overdose sodium salicylate injection. (D) ReHo changes in HY, pons, SSp and CA1, SS-Tinnitus (-) group mice versus control mice, at 1st day after overdose sodium salicylate injection. (E) ReHo decreases in MY, SSp, DORsm ,SS, HIP, DORpm and SSp, SS-Tinnitus (+) group mice versus SS-Tinnitus (-) group mice, at 1st day after overdose sodium salicylate injection. Statistical analysis threshold is p<0.001 for two sample t-tests. Color heat map scale shows corrected t-values ranging from +10 to 0 and from 0 to -10. Abbreviations: SUB, subiculum; MB, midbrain; CTXsp, cortical subplate; RSPagl, retrosplenial area, lateral agranular; HY, hypothalamus; DORsm, thalamus, sensory-motor cortex related; HIP, hippocampus; DORpm, thalamus, polymodal association cortex related.
Alterations in FC patterns in tinnitus mice induced by SS overdose and traumatic noise exposure
FC refers to the similarity between signals arising from two brain regions (Mohanty et al. 2020). Higher FC may indicate that the regions tend to be functionally connected (Greicius et al. 2003; Eickhoff and Müller 2015). To investigate whether there were FC changes in tinnitus mice, 7 main brain regions in the auditory pathway were selected as ROIs, and the connectivity between any two regions was examined.
In both the traumatic noise exposure group and the SS overdose group, we calculated the FC from 7 brain regions of the central auditory pathway to the AC. In the traumatic noise exposure group, most brain regions, especially the MGB region, presented increased FC in tinnitus mice (Fig. 7A and 7C). Interestingly, in the SS overdose group, the FC values of the brain regions in the tinnitus group and the control group were not significantly different (Fig. 7B and 7C). These noticeably different patterns further suggest that noise exposure and sodium salicylate may induce tinnitus through different mechanisms or neural pathways.
Fig. 7. FC is calculated between the defined AC and related brain regions of interest. (A) Pattern diagram of related brain regions in correlation with auditory cortex. (B) FC between NE-Tinnitus (+) group (n=4) and control group (n=10). DCO (NT=0.04±0.03,Control=0.11±0.03), IC (NT=0.08±0.07,Control=0.03±0.03),MG (NT=0.09±0.06,Control=0.08±0.03), NLL (NT=-0.16±0.04,Control=0.04±0.02), SOC (NT=-0.01±0.03,Control=0.05±0.03), VOC (NT=0.03±0.03,Control=-0.002±0.02). (C) FC between SS-Tinnitus (+) group (n=6) and control group (n=10). DCO (SS=-0.01±0.06,Control=0.11±0.03), IC (NT=0.09±0.11,Control=0.03±0.03),MG (NT=0.30±0.09,Control=0.08±0.03), NLL (NT=-0.16±0.04,Control=0.04±0.02), SOC (NT=-0.01±0.03,Control=0.05±0.03), VOC (NT=0.03±0.03,Control=-0.002±0.02). (D) Comparison of FC among NE-Tinnitus (+) group, SS-Tinnitus (+) group and control group. Mean ± SEM was shown. :Level of significance is illustrated in the figures with symbols or shaded areas (not significant (n.s.): p > 0.05; *: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001; ****: p < 0.001). Abbreviations: AC, auditory cortex; DCO, dorsal cochlear nucleus; IC, inferior colliculus; MG, medial geniculate body; NLL, nucleus of the lateral lemniscus; SOC, superior olivary body; VOC, ventral cochlear nucleus.