Tinnitus-induced weight loss in rats. An animal model for tinnitus research.

Growing rats were exposed to noise and/or tinnitus-producing drugs (sodium salicylate, quinine, gentamycin). Growth inhibition or weight loss was absent or significantly lower in the noise-only and salicylate-only/quinine-only groups than in the groups exposed to both noise and drugs. In the gentamycin groups, initially the same trend was found, but general toxicity soon prevailed, leading to heavy weight losses in both groups. The findings clearly favor the hypothesis that tinnitus-induced stress may be the cause for this effect. The experimental set-up thus could serve as an animal model for tinnitus research. In humans, high doses of salicylate or quinine should be avoided in persons exposed to elevated noise levels.