Effect of menstrual cycle on outer hair cells (OHC’s) and efferent auditory pathway in females – An Indian study

Abstract

Menstrual cycle occurs in females every months for ones where the endometrium which is the thick lining of the uterus wall where the fertilized egg is attached during pregnancy, this will shed every month. Sodium, chloride, and water reabsorption capacity increases by high-level progesterone during this period. When there is a change in water and sodium reabsorption which may in term affect the functioning of the auditory system especially peripheral auditory system. Otoacoustic emissions (OAE’s) arise from outer hair cells (OHC’s) which is situated on the basilar membrane that is seen inside the inner ear. The changes in the hormonal levels during the menstrual cycle has a clinically less significant effect on the suppression of TEOAE’s, one of the type of OAE. The current study targeted the testing during three different phases of the menstrual cycle (Day 1 to Day 28) - Follicular phase, Ovulation phase and Luteal phase. The amount of suppression (3dB) caused during different phases of the menstrual cycle for each individual frequencies was compared and analyzed. The study shows that TEOAE, CSTEOAE’s and suppression did not exhibit any statistically significant differences at all the frequencies between the different phases of the menstrual cycle. There are no significant correlation findings between menstrual cycle and outer hair cell function, and menstrual cycle and efferent auditory pathway functioning, considering the complaints of hearing and balance problem during the menstrual cycle period by.