Discrimination of auditory from nonauditory toxicity by reflex modulation audiometry: effects of triethyltin.

The evaluation of toxicity in sensory systems presents particular problems because of the need to distinguish specific sensory loss from other toxic effects. It has recently been shown that modulation of reflex behavior by low-intensity test stimuli can be used to provide a rapid assessment of sensory acuity and of ototoxic hearing loss. In this report the ability of the method to distinguish the known neuromuscular consequences of triethyltin (TET) from hearing loss is demonstrated. Rats treated with TET bromide (30 mg/liter) in their drinking water for 3 weeks showed a profound decrease in acoustic startle reflex amplitudes which was apparent prior to overt neuromuscular weakness and subsequent hindlimb paralysis. Following cessation of treatment, startle levels recovered to preexposure values. Despite these large changes in startle reflex amplitudes, TET treatment did not alter the ability of pure tone stimuli to modulate reflex behavior. These results indicate that TET as administered in these studies disrupted neuromuscular function but did not affect hearing.