Targeting Cholesterol Homeostasis to Fight Hearing Loss: A New Perspective

Abstract

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a major pathology of the inner ear that affects nearly 600 million people worldwide. Despite intensive researches, this major health problem remains without satisfactory solutions. The pathophysiological mechanisms involved in SNHL include oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and ischemia, resulting in synaptic loss, axonal degeneration, and apoptosis of spiral ganglion neurons. The mechanisms associated with SNHL are shared with other neurodegenerative disorders. Cholesterol homeostasis is central to numerous pathologies including neurodegenerative diseases and cholesterol regulates major processes involved in neurons survival and function. The role of cholesterol homeostasis in the physiopathology of inner ear is largely unexplored. In this review, we discuss the findings concerning cholesterol homeostasis in neurodegenerative diseases and whether it should be translated into potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of SNHL.

Longitudinal Pure‐Tone Threshold Changes in the Same Subjects: Analysis of Factors Affecting Hearing

“…These results indicate that strict control of LDL cholesterol could be beneficial in HL. Association between cholesterol and HL has been frequently mentioned in several other studies . Despite numerous studies and researches being conducted to identify the association between cholesterol and changes in inner ear, it remains unclear.…”

“…Further studies to understand the relationship would be necessary. After understanding the relationship in the future, management of cholesterol might be a notable issue in consideration of HL with aging …”

“…Association between cholesterol and HL has been frequently mentioned in several other studies. 20,21 Despite numerous studies and researches being conducted to identify the association between cholesterol and changes in inner ear, it remains unclear. Further studies to understand the relationship would be necessary.…”

Use of Natural Antioxidants in the Inhibition of Cholesterol Oxidation: A Review

“…The presence of COPs has also been associated with the development of type 2 diabetes (Sottero et al, 2015), sensorineural loss of hearing (Malgrange, Varela-Nieto, de Medina, & Paillasse, 2015), chronic processes of gallbladder inflammation, renal problems (Kulig et al, 2016), ocular diseases (Gambert et al, 2017;Rodriguez et al, 2014), and osteoporosis (Sato, Ishihara, Nagayama, Saiki, & Tatsuno, 2017).…”

Aging, neurogenesis and neuroinflammation in hearing loss and protection

“…Lipid metabolism is central to neuronal degenerative diseases although its role in inner ear pathologies is essentially unknown. The role of cholesterol (Malgrange et al, 2015) and sphingosine 1-P (Romero-Guevara et al, 2015) in the physiology of hearing as well as advance future strategies based on their derivatives to fight hearing loss are explored.…”