Rapamycin but not acarbose decreases age-related loss of outer hair cells in the mouse Cochlea

The study investigated the effects of rapamycin and acarbose on age-related cochlear hair cell loss in UM-HET3 mice. At 22 months of age, a significant loss of outer hair cells was observed in untreated mice. While acarbose had no significant impact on hair cell loss, rapamycin treatment notably reduced the loss of outer hair cells in the basal half of the cochlea. This protective effect was observed at dosages known to extend lifespan in these mice. There was no significant difference in the results between male and female mice. The findings suggest that rapamycin, but not acarbose, may delay the age-related loss of cochlear outer hair cells.