EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF NOISE-INDUCED SENSORY DEPRIVATION ON COGNITION AND BEHAVIOR IN THE TAU58/4 TAUOPATHY MOUSE MODEL

Accumulating clinical evidence revealed an association between hearing loss, tau hyperphosphorylation and cognitive decline. However, how this link is established remains to be elucidated. This study therefore aimed to determine the effects of noise-induced hearing loss on cognition, behavior and circadian activity using a validated mouse model of tauopathy. Hearing loss was induced through narrowband noise exposure in Tau58/4 mice aged 3 months. Baseline and post-noise auditory functions were assessed using the acoustic startle reflex, auditory brainstem response and distortion product otoacoustic emission. The Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests were applied to assess cognitive functioning, while the open field and elevated plus maze tests were carried out to investigate exploration and anxiety-related behavior. Locomotion and circadian rhythms were evaluated by means of cage activity recordings. An earlier onset of cognitive deficits and behavioral abnormalities are expected in Tau58/4 mice with induced hearing loss when compared to sham-exposed Tau58/4 animals and wild-type controls. We moreover expect more prominent locomotor alterations and circadian disturbances in Tau58/4 mice with induced hearing loss. Outcomes of this study will give more insight into the link between auditory dysfunction and tau-related neurodegeneration, offering new perspectives on shared mechanisms underlying hearing loss and cognitive decline.