Autoregulation of cochlear blood flow in young and aged mice.

Autoregulation is the capacity of an organ system to maintain organ blood flow constant in response to changes in arterial blood pressure (BP). The current study was carried out to investigate the effect of age on autoregulation of cochlear blood flow (CBF) in mice. CBF was measured using a laser-Doppler flowmeter while BP was increased by angiotensin II injections and decreased by exsanguination in 2-month-old, 10-month-old and 18-month-old CBA mice. Autoregulation of CBF was significantly weaker in the 2-month-old mice when compared to the older mice. Although CBF autoregulation was weaker in the 18-month-old mice compared to the 10-month-old mice, this difference was not statistically significant. These results suggest that autoregulation changes with maturation and age. Findings are discussed in relationship to the possible development of presbycusis.