Multiple dosing strategies with acetyl L-carnitine (ALCAR) fail to alter age-related hearing loss in the Fischer 344/NHsd rat
2008

Acetyl L-carnitine does not improve age-related hearing loss in rats

Sample size: 44 publication Evidence: low

Author Information

Author(s): Bielefeld Eric C, Coling Donald, Chen Guang-Di, Henderson Donald

Primary Institution: Center for Hearing and Deafness, State University of New York at Buffalo

Hypothesis

Can long-term ALCAR treatment prevent or reverse age-related hearing loss in Fischer 344/NHsd rats?

Conclusion

The study found no evidence that ALCAR treatment alters age-related hearing loss in Fischer 344/NHsd rats.

Supporting Evidence

  • ALCAR was administered to rats at different ages to evaluate its effects on hearing loss.
  • Hearing thresholds were measured using auditory brainstem responses before, during, and after treatment.
  • No significant differences were found between treated rats and controls at any frequency tested.

Takeaway

The researchers gave a medicine called ALCAR to rats to see if it would help their hearing as they got older, but it didn't work.

Methodology

The study used three different dosing strategies of ALCAR in aging rats and measured their hearing using auditory brainstem responses.

Limitations

The study did not test higher doses of ALCAR or start treatment at an earlier age, which may have affected the results.

Participant Demographics

Fischer 344/NHsd male albino rats aged 15 to 24 months.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1477-5751-7-4

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