The Effects of Hypoxia on Middle Ear Pressure Regulation

Middle ear (ME) pressure regulation has been suggested as a physiological mechanism that maintains pressure equilibrium between the ME and the ambient environment. This mechanism would be based on a complex sensorineural reflex loop composed of mechanoreceptors, an integrative center, and efferent n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	High altitude medicine & biology Vol. 21; no. 1; p. 99
Main Authors:	Alshukry, Abdullah, Lagier, Christine, Della Vedova, Claire, Salburgo, Florent, Lavieille, Jean-Pierre, Montava, Marion
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States 01-03-2020
Subjects:	Eustachian Tube Humans Hypoxia Pressure Reflex tubomanometry hypoxia pressure regulation middle ear
Online Access:	Get more information
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Summary:	Middle ear (ME) pressure regulation has been suggested as a physiological mechanism that maintains pressure equilibrium between the ME and the ambient environment. This mechanism would be based on a complex sensorineural reflex loop composed of mechanoreceptors, an integrative center, and efferent neural pathways. Our aim was to demonstrate that hypoxic conditions, which would inhibit mechanoreceptors in general, similarly participate in the inhibition of the opening of the Eustachian tube (ET), and thus, to suggest that such receptors are involved in the overall regulation of ME pressure. Among 14 healthy volunteers, tubomanometry was performed in normoxia followed by hypoxia, and 3 parameters were evaluated for each ear under each condition, allowing the evaluation of the reactivity of the system: ET opening latency index (R), the Index of Velum Contraction (IVC), and the latency of pressure instauration (C2-C1). Hypoxia induced a significant increase in the opening latency index of ET opening, without deleterious effects on the quality (IVC) and latency (C2-C1) of soft palate contraction. Our study supports the theory of a sensorineural reflex loop and provides evidence for the existence of mechanoreceptors, whose function is modified by changes in oxygen partial pressure, able to collect information on pressure variations between the ME and the external environment.
ISSN:	1557-8682
DOI:	10.1089/ham.2019.0043