Steady streaming as a method for drug delivery to the inner ear

Sumner L, Mestel J, Reichenbach T (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Scientific Reports Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Journals - Option B

Book Volume: 11

Article Number: 57

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79946-z

Abstract

The inner ear, or cochlea, is a fluid-filled organ housing the mechanosensitive hair cells. Sound stimulation is relayed to the hair cells through waves that propagate on the elastic basilar membrane. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs from damage to the hair cells and cannot currently be cured. Although drugs have been proposed to prevent damage or restore functionality to hair cells, a difficulty with such treatments is ensuring adequate drug delivery to the cells. Because the cochlea is encased in the temporal bone, it can only be accessed from its basal end. However, the hair cells that are responsible for detecting speech-frequency sounds reside at the opposite, apical end. In this paper we show that steady streaming can be used to transport drugs along the cochlea. Steady streaming is a nonlinear process that accompanies many fluctuating fluid motions, including the sound-evoked waves in the inner ear. We combine an analytical approximation for the waves in the cochlea with computational fluid dynamic simulations to demonstrate that the combined steady streaming effects of several different frequencies can transport drugs from the base of the cochlea further towards the apex. Our results therefore show that multi-frequency sound stimulation can serve as a non-invasive method to transport drugs efficiently along the cochlea.

Authors with CRIS profile

Tobias Reichenbach

Involved external institutions

Imperial College London / The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine GB United Kingdom (GB)

How to cite

APA:

Sumner, L., Mestel, J., & Reichenbach, T. (2021). Steady streaming as a method for drug delivery to the inner ear. Scientific Reports, 11(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79946-z

MLA:

Sumner, Laura, Jonathan Mestel, and Tobias Reichenbach. "Steady streaming as a method for drug delivery to the inner ear." Scientific Reports 11.1 (2021).

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