RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus has been known as a multisystemic disorder for a long time. An association between diabetes and hearing loss was first postulated in the one case report published by Jordao in 1857. The typical hearing loss from diabetes is a progressive and bilateral sensorineural deficit that predominantly occurs in the high frequency and in the elderly patients. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphological changes of cochlear hair cells in the insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus induced by Streptozotocin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty two rats were used for this study and divided into control and diabetic group. Furthermore each group was subdivided into 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks group. All experimental animal were put in the same environmental condition. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was induced by intravenous injection of Streptozotocin (65 mg/kg of body weight). Hair cell loss and their ultrastructural changes were observed with phase contrast light microscope and transmission electron microscope. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that metabolic change of diabetes mellitus may affect the cochlear hair cells.