Which of the following is NOT a potential cause of sensorineural hearing loss?

Sensorineural hearing loss arises from damage to the inner ear or the auditory pathways to the brain. It is primarily linked to issues affecting the cochlea or the neural structures involved in hearing.

Trauma to the inner ear can lead to sensorineural hearing loss due to physical damage to the hair cells or auditory nerve fibers. Medical conditions such as Meniere's disease, which directly affect the cochlea, also contribute to this type of hearing loss. Genetic factors may predispose individuals to sensorineural hearing loss by affecting the development or function of the inner ear structures.

In contrast, infections of the middle ear, while they can cause conductive hearing loss, do not directly damage the structures of the inner ear or the auditory nerve. Middle ear infections typically affect the eardrum and ossicles, impairing the conduction of sound rather than creating the profound issues characteristic of sensorineural hearing loss. Therefore, middle ear infections are distinct from the mechanisms underlying sensorineural hearing loss, making this option the one that does not belong in this context.