Ototoxicity and Otoprotection: Complex Interactions Between Noise and Chemicals

Details

• Personal Author:
  Fuente A ; Le Prell CG ; Morata, Thais C. ; Spankovich C
• Description:
  Sound energy results from molecules vibrating and moving in waves within a medium such as air or water; sound does not exist in a vacuum. That excessive sound (noise) can injure the ear directly via mechanical damage and indirectly through metabolic stress is clear. Recently, it has become evident that exposure to chemicals can also be harmful, in part due to metabolic stress related to chemical exposure. To prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), reducing noise at its source, decreasing the duration of exposure, and/or using hearing protection devices (HPDs) are accepted strategies needed for protection of our hearing. However, we now know that death of the sensory cells in the inner ear happens not only from exposure to noise, but also from exposure to chemicals and from intake of ototoxic drugs. In addition to the potentially hazardous effects of any one of these three insults, there are synergistic effects of noise, chemicals, and ototoxic drugs. Cell death and hearing loss from noise and/or chemicals are now thought to be at least, in part, a consequence of metabolic stress that results in toxic accumulation of free radicals. Scientific investigations have demonstrated that free radical scavengers ("antioxidants") and agents that enhance the natural antioxidant systems can attenuate the harmful effects of noise or chemicals (or the combination of noise plus chemicals) on the inner ear. These developments represent a departure from traditional noise research, which was characterized by the study of noise as if it occurred alone in the environment. Exposure standards and recommendations assume that the health effects of combined exposure to two substances can be predicted by adding the adverse effects resulting from exposures to each individual substance. In contrast to these assumptions about additive effects across insults, recent investigations have revealed synergistic effects during mixed exposures. The study of multiple exposures in relation to each other is not new, but the literature has been limited given the complexity inherent in multivariate interactions. This chapter examines interactions that damage the ear through increasing ototoxicity or protect the ear via a mechanism termed "0t0protection." The chapter concludes with a public health proposal for widening the framework of hearing loss prevention initiatives. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ear Hearing Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Protective Clothing Safety Sense Organs
• Keywords:
  Sound; Noise measurement; Noise exposure; Noise induced hearing loss; Auditory system; Hearing protection; Ototoxicity; Hearing protection; Ears; Ear protection; Ear disorders; Drugs
• ISBN:
  9781950286072
• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Book
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DFSE - Division of Field Studies and Engineering
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  123-151
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065859
• Citation:
  The noise manual, sixth edition. Meinke DK, Berger EH, Neitzel RL, Driscoll DP, Bright K eds. Falls Church, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2022 Jan; :123-151
• Editor(s):
  Meinke DK; Berger EH; Neitzel RL; Driscoll DP; Bright K
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction ; Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  The noise manual, sixth edition
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0af433d6a60b6acb105f42ed7ae8163d6d7ffee4868dd2e6fb35d41fae421ab811c5b2ba2953d9c3509acd3338467475f45290b353ee45398353b80deb369582
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/248956/cdc_248956_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 27.38 MB ]