Research articleChlorogenic acid rescues sensorineural auditory function in a diabetic animal model

•CA may improve damaged peripheral and central auditory function in the DM mouse model.•CA may aid in the recovery of OHCs damage in the DM mice cochlea and otic hair cells damage in AIZL.•The efficacy of CA in diabetic sensorineural auditory dysfunctions seems to be an independent action of CA, rather than an hypoglycemiant effect.

Recently, many studies have reported that sensorineural hearing impairment related to neurological disorders may be caused by diabetes mellitus. However, to date, only a small number of studies have investigated the treatment of sensorineural hearing impairment. In the present study, the effects of chlorogenic acid on diabetic auditory pathway impairment were evaluated by neuro-electrical physiological measurements and morphological investigations. We have shown that CA efficiently prevents the progression of auditory pathway dysfunction caused by DM using auditory brainstem responses and auditory middle latency responses in mice. Additionally, using transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions measurement and scanning electron microscope observation of hair cells in DM mice, we found that CA may aid in the recovery from outer hair cell and otic hair cell damage. In conclusion, CA has beneficial effects for the management of diabetic sensorineural auditory dysfunction.