The gut microbiota is not linked to acute noise-induced hearing loss in C57BL/6 mice.

Abstract

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a widespread auditory disorder in industrialized nations, posing significant global and domestic health concerns. Despite its prevalence, the mechanisms underlying NIHL remain poorly understood, hindering the development of effective therapeutic interventions. Emerging evidence from clinical and animal studies suggests a potential relationship between altered gut microbiota and hearing loss, although causality remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of postnatal microbial signals in NIHL pathogenesis using acute noise exposure models in C57BL/6 mice. Our findings indicate that acute noise exposure does not significantly alter gut microbiota composition in this strain and that microbiota depletion does not confer protection against hearing loss following acute acoustic trauma. These results suggest no link between gut microbiota and acute NIHL in C57BL/6 mice.