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 58,342 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Various methods in auditory neuroscience have been used to gain knowledge about the structure and function of the human auditory cortical system. Regardless of method, hemispheric differences are evident in the normal processing of speech sounds. This review article, augmented by the authors' own work, provides evidence that asymmetries exist in both cortical and subcortical structures of the human auditory system. Asymmetries are affected by stimulus type, for example, hemispheric activation patterns have been shown to change from right to left cortex as stimuli change from speech to nonspeech. In addition, the presence of noise has differential effects on the contribution of the two hemispheres. Modifications of typical asymmetric cortical patterns occur when pathology is present, as in hearing loss or tinnitus. We show that in response to speech sounds, individuals with unilateral hearing loss lose the normal asymmetric pattern due to both a decrease in contralateral hemispheric activity and an increase in the ipsilateral hemisphere. These studies demonstrate the utility of modern neuroimaging techniques in functional investigations of the human auditory system. Neuroimaging techniques may provide additional insight as to how the cortical auditory pathways change with experience, including sound deprivation (e.g., hearing loss) and sound experience (e.g., training). Such investigations may explain why some populations appear to be more vulnerable to changes in hemispheric symmetry such as children with learning problems and the elderly.
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 2006 Apr
PMID:Differential representation of speech sounds in the human cerebral hemispheres. 1655 May 60

This article reviews and presents new data regarding the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits alpha9 and alpha10. Although phylogentically ancient, these subunits have only recently been identified as critical components of the efferent auditory system and medial olivocochlear pathway. This pathway is important in auditory processing by modulating outer hair cell function to broadly tune the cochlea and improve signal detection in noise. Pharmacologic properties of the functionally expressed alpha9alpha10 receptor closely resemble the cholinergic response of outer hair cells. Molecular, immunohistochemical, and knockout mice studies have added further weight to the role this receptor plays in mediating the efferent auditory response. Alternate and complementary mechanisms of outer hair cell efferent activity might also be mediated through the nAChR alpha9alpha10, either through secondary calcium stores, second messengers, or direct protein-protein interactions. We investigated protein-protein interactions using a yeast-two-hybrid screen of the nAChR alpha10 intracellular loop against a rat cochlear cDNA library. Among the identified proteins was prosaposin, a precursor of saposins, which have been shown to act as neurotrophic factors in culture, can bind to a putative G0-coupled cell surface receptor, and may be involved in the prevention of cell death. This study and review suggest that nAChR alpha9alpha10 may represent a potential therapeutic target for a variety of ear disorders, including preventing or treating noise-induced hearing loss, or such debilitating disorders as vertigo or tinnitus.
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 2006 Apr
PMID:Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor structure and function in the efferent auditory system. 1655 May 89

Our prior work suggested that petro-occipital fissure (POF) ossification may be altered in clinicopathologies of the cranial base such as hearing loss (Balboni et al., 2005). Here we demonstrate an accelerated and statistically significant ossification of the POF and cochlear aqueduct (CA) in a historical population of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). While a number of studies have sought to reduce the importance of the POF/CA to hearing, given its anatomical location, evolutionary conservation across mammals and the mounting data linking morphological changes of the POF/CA to the temporal onset of hearing loss and tinnitus, it is becoming difficult to maintain that its function is not related to inner ear homeostasis.
Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2008 May
PMID:Tuberculosis induced changes to the osseous cranial base and its potential effect on hearing. 1838 78