EARLY MORPHOFUNCTIONAL ALTERATIONS INDUCED BY CISPLATIN IN THE COCHLEA - A QUANTITATIVE AND ELECTROCOCHLEOGRAPHIC STUDY

The early morphological and functional alterations of the cochlea were studied in guinea pigs treated with cisplatin, administered to two gr oups of animals as a single dose of 4 or 10 mg/kg body weight. Morphol ogical changes were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and func tional alterations were investigated by electrocochleography to record compound action potentials. Statistically significant alterations in neurosensory stereocilia, consisting of partial or total denudation, w ere observed only after the exprimental administration of the higher d ose of cisplatin; these changes were consistently associated with dist ortions in the compound action potential.