Ototoxicity: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Dear Colleagues,

Ototoxicity refers to damage to the inner ear or the vestibulocochlear nerve resulting from exposure to certain drugs or chemicals. Ototoxic agents induce ototoxic hearing loss (OHL) by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cause mitochondrial dysfunction, ultimately leading to cellular injury within the cochlea. This selective targeting of the ear’s sensorineural structures manifests as tinnitus, hearing loss, impaired speech perception, vertigo, and dizziness, depending on the specific cochlear or vestibular toxicity of each compound.

In recent years, the use of novel drugs and combination therapies has increased the incidence of OHL. Known ototoxic substances include aminoglycoside antibiotics, loop diuretics, and platinum-derived chemotherapeutic agents, as well as newer antimicrobial drugs, organic solvents, trace elements from environmental pollution, and new drugs still under investigation. Genetic susceptibility may also contribute to individual vulnerability.

Because ototoxicity can lead to severe and sometimes irreversible effects, prevention, early diagnosis, and timely intervention are essential to safeguard patient health, particularly in adults and children, who may be more vulnerable to ototoxic damage. Therefore, the aim of this Special Issue is to clinically characterize vestibular and cochlear toxicity in both adults and children in whom such toxicity had previously not been considered due to the bilateral and symmetrical nature of the hearing damage, as well as explore new molecular mechanisms, clinical diagnosis, and therapy, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and new targeted molecules.

Dr. Giacinto Asprella Libonati
Dr. Salvatore Allosso
Prof. Dr. Anna Rita Fetoni
Guest Editors

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• ototoxicity
• vestibular toxicity
• hearing loss
• antioxidant therapy