International Session 4　　Otology-Surgery

Disequilibrium is a common condition among the elderly, however, the genetic basis of vestibular dysfunction remains unclear.This study investigated vestibular function using a genome-wide association study(GWAS)with the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel, consisting of 84 recombinant inbred strains and 18 common inbred strains.Female mice(n6/strain)underwent vestibular evoked potentials and balance beam tests.Genotypes of ~500 000 SNPs, derived from the Mouse Diversity Array, were analyzed using FaST-LMM.Candidate loci were visualized with LocusZoom, and gene annotations were performed using the UCSC Genome Browser(GRCm38/mm10) .Single-cell RNA sequencing datasets from the gEAR web platform(https://umgear.org/)were used to analyze candidate gene expression in cochlear tissues.While no SNPs reached genome-wide significance, marginally significant SNPs on chromosomes 6, 13, and 14 highlighted candidate genes (Cntnap2, Atxn1, Xkr6, Ccdc126, Gpnmb, Tmem176a) .These genes showed high expression in cochlear hair cells and the stria vascularis.This study identifies potential genetic contributors to vestibular dysfunction, providing a foundation for future therapeutic research.