Hearing Research最新文献

{"title":"Clonidine mitigates noise-induced hearing loss by regulating TRPC6-mediated calcium influx in cochlear hair cells","authors":"Wenji Zhai ,&nbsp;Xiaojing Kuang ,&nbsp;Jie Wu ,&nbsp;Liheng Li ,&nbsp;Bo Li ,&nbsp;Ruishuang Geng ,&nbsp;Tihua Zheng ,&nbsp;Qingyin Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109284","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109284","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a common auditory disorder driven by calcium overload, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in cochlear sensory hair cells. The transient receptor potential canonical 6 (TRPC6), a nonselective cation channel that can be activated by norepinephrine, is implicated in calcium influx and associated cellular damage. This study explores the protective effects of clonidine, an FDA-approved α2-adrenergic receptor agonist that reduces sympathetic nervous system activity and norepinephrine release, on NIHL in mice. Clonidine treatment significantly preserved hearing thresholds, reduced damage to outer hair cells and ribbon synapses, and suppressed TRPC6 channel activation induced by noise exposure. Mechanistically, clonidine alleviated calcium influx, inhibited the calcium-dependent MLCK-MRLC signaling pathway, and attenuated oxidative stress and apoptosis in cochlear hair cells. Molecular docking analyses demonstrated strong binding between norepinephrine and TRPC6, elucidating the regulatory role of clonidine in calcium signaling. These findings highlight clonidine's potential to prevent NIHL by maintaining intracellular calcium homeostasis and reducing cochlear damage via the modulation of norepinephrine and TRPC6 activity. TRPC6 emerges as a promising therapeutic target for preventing and managing noise-induced auditory dysfunction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"462 ","pages":"Article 109284"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143863540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Change Detection in Spatialized Acoustic Scenes","authors":"Katarina C. Poole ,&nbsp;Drew Cappotto ,&nbsp;Vincent Martin ,&nbsp;Jakub Sztandera ,&nbsp;Maria Chait ,&nbsp;Lorenzo Picinali ,&nbsp;Martha Shiell","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ability to detect changes in complex auditory scenes is crucial for human survival, yet the neural mechanisms underlying this process remain elusive. This study investigates how the presence and location of sound sources impacts active auditory change detection as well as neural correlates of passive change detection. Stimuli were naturalistic temporal envelopes applied to synthesized broadband carriers designed to eliminate semantics and minimize contextual information while preserving naturalistic temporal envelopes and broadband spectra, presented in a spatial loudspeaker array. Behavioral change detection experiments tasked participants with detecting new sources added to spatialized and non-spatialized multi-source auditory scenes. In a passive listening experiment, participants were given a visual decoy task while neural data were collected via electroencephalography (EEG) during exposure to unattended spatialized scenes and added sources.</div><div>Our two behavioral experiments (N = 21 and 21) demonstrated that spatializing sounds facilitated change detection compared to non-spatialized presentation, but that performance declined with increasing number of sound sources and higher hearing thresholds at mid-high frequencies, exclusively in spatialized conditions. Slower reaction times were also observed when changes occurred from above or behind the listener, exacerbated by a higher number of sources. Two EEG experiments (N = 32 and 30), using the same stimuli, showed robust change-evoked responses. However, no significant differences were detected in our analysis as a function of spatial location of the appearing source. These findings provide fresh insights into the mechanisms of spatial auditory change detection, emphasizing the dynamic interplay of spatial cues, change location, and scene complexity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"462 ","pages":"Article 109283"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143874514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Peripheral and central auditory dysfunction induced by intermittent hypoxia via a novel recurrent airway obstruction device in rats","authors":"Yue Wu ,&nbsp;Tao Li ,&nbsp;Dong Shao ,&nbsp;Yiwei Wang ,&nbsp;Boyu Chen ,&nbsp;Yan Yan ,&nbsp;Furong Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to investigate the effects of intermittent hypoxia (IH) on auditory thresholds, auditory brainstem response (ABR) latency, and neuronal activity in the auditory cortex using a novel recurrent airway obstruction device.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Twenty-four male Sprague–Dawley rats (300–350 g) were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. A custom 3D-printed mask with one-way valves and a ventilation system was used to induce IH in the experimental group via periodic airflow cessation. The control group wore the same apparatus without hypoxic exposure. Blood oxygen saturation was continuously monitored using a pulse oximeter. A three-dimensional gas dynamics model was constructed to validate the oxygen and carbon dioxide dynamics within the mask. After 3 h of exposure, ABR and the spontaneous firing rate (SFR) of auditory cortical neurons were recorded.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The experimental group showed periodic desaturation, with minimum and maximum oxygen saturation values of 80.19 ± 0.34 % and 97.68 ± 0.31 %, respectively. ABR thresholds at 24 and 32 kHz significantly increased to 19.17 ± 1.54 dB and 25.00 ± 1.83 dB (<em>P</em> <em>&lt;</em> <em>0.05</em>). ABR wave III–V latency at 32 kHz was significantly shortened from 2.79 ± 0.17 ms to 2.27 ± 0.16 ms (<em>P</em> <em>&lt;</em> <em>0.05</em>). Additionally, the SFR of auditory cortical neurons increased to 2.67 ± 0.18 Hz in the experimental group versus 1.02 ± 0.11 Hz in controls (<em>P</em> <em>&lt;</em> <em>0.01</em>).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Short-term IH induces high-frequency hearing loss, reduces ABR latency, and enhances cortical neuronal excitability, implicating both peripheral and central auditory pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"462 ","pages":"Article 109277"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143886896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustained Wnt signaling in the mouse inner ear after morphogenesis: In hair cells, supporting cells, and spiral ganglion neurons","authors":"Teppei Noda ,&nbsp;Takahiro Wakizono ,&nbsp;Takahiro Manabe ,&nbsp;Kei Aoyagi ,&nbsp;Marie Kubota ,&nbsp;Tetsuro Yasui ,&nbsp;Takashi Nakagawa ,&nbsp;Kinichi Nakashima ,&nbsp;Chikara Meno","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The regenerative capacity of inner ear hair cells in mammals varies between the cochlea and the vestibular system. Hair cells in the cochlea lack regenerative ability, whereas those in the vestibular system exhibit limited regenerative potential. However, supporting cells in the cochlea retain proliferative capacity, making them a key focus in auditory regeneration research. Similarly, spiral ganglion neurons actively proliferate until birth but lose this ability within a week postnatally, sharing the regenerative limitations of hair cells. This study investigated the role of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway as a potential regulator of these cells. Wnt signaling plays a crucial role in otic development and inner ear morphogenesis. Using reporter mice, we analyzed the activity of the Wnt canonical pathway in the inner ear at the cellular stages from embryonic to adult stages, assessing fluorescence intensities as an indicator of signaling activity. Our findings demonstrate that Wnt signaling remains active in the vestibular hair cells and in the supporting cells of both the cochlea and vestibule throughout development and into adulthood. In addition, Wnt activity was observed in spiral ganglion neurons up to 7 days after birth, coinciding with their period of proliferative potential. These findings suggest that Wnt signaling is integral to cell proliferation in the inner ear both before and after birth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"462 ","pages":"Article 109282"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143860249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial, Hear Res 2024","authors":"Pascal Barone ,&nbsp;Andrej Kral","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109281","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109281","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"461 ","pages":"Article 109281"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143900048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The cortilymph wave: Its relation to the traveling wave, auditory-nerve responses, and low-frequency downward glides","authors":"John J. Guinan Jr","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109279","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109279","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the cochlear base, recent data show that amplification of the traveling wave does <em>not</em> come from outer-hair-cell (OHC) forces acting on the basilar membrane (BM). Instead, traveling wave amplification is hypothesized to come from OHCs producing cyclic cortilymph flow along the organ-of-Corti (OoC) tunnels (the “cortilymph wave”), which changes OoC cross-section area and adds energy to the scala-media-fluid traveling wave. This hypothesis accounts for amplification of cochlear-motion in the base but may not work in the low-frequency apex. One base-to-apex difference is the OHC-membrane resistance-capacitance (RC) low-pass filter. Measurements in live animals found the OHC-RC corner frequency, Fc, was ∼3 kHz. At tone frequencies &gt;&gt;Fc, the RC filter delays the cortilymph wave from the traveling wave by ¼ cycle, which provides the correct timing for OoC-area-change traveling-wave amplification. However, at frequencies &lt;&lt;Fc, the RC-filter delay is shorter, so traveling-wave amplification may be different in the low-frequency cochlear apex. A source of data for understanding low-frequency cochlear mechanics is auditory-nerve (AN) data. AN rate-vs-level functions show two components separated by a phase jump. The frequency relative to the fiber characteristic frequency (CF) where the jump is a phase reversal varies across fibers. This variation is hypothesized to be due to a variable phase relationship of the cortilymph and traveling waves. It is further hypothesized (1) that low-CF AN-tuning-curve “side lobes” have short group delays because they are excited by a cortilymph wave that flows ahead of the traveling wave, and (2) low-CF AN-fiber impulse-response instantaneous-frequency-versus-time profiles (glides) are downward mostly due to a cortilymph wave driven from more basal OHCs. A long downward glide may indicate the presence of a cortilymph wave. Cochlear output is driven by both the traveling wave and the cortilymph wave.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"462 ","pages":"Article 109279"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143850105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coupling-induced tunability of characteristic frequency, bandwidth and gain of artificial hair cells","authors":"Kalpan Ved ,&nbsp;Hermann Folke Johann Rolf ,&nbsp;Tzvetan Ivanov ,&nbsp;Thomas Meurer ,&nbsp;Martin Ziegler ,&nbsp;Claudia Lenk","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109260","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109260","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drawing inspiration from nature, we develop bio-inspired acoustic sensors with integrated signal processing capabilities to (i) close the performance gap between the human hearing and machine hearing and (ii) test models on biological hearing. Particularly important is thereby the combination of frequency decomposition with nonlinear (compressive) amplification of the sound signals. Here, the question arises, how the frequency resolution of 0.1–0.4%, the large gain and the coverage of the large frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz can be obtained with a modest number of 3000 inner hair cells as transducers without missing tones. To solve this issue, it was hypothesized that the cochlea can be modeled as coupled critical oscillators. We study experimentally and theoretically the effects of coupling critical oscillators using bio-inspired acoustic sensors, which are based-on microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonators with a high-quality factor and a resonance frequency set by the geometry. Using electronic feedback, these resonators act like critical oscillators tuned near Andronov–Hopf bifurcation point. If output-signal coupling is added, three different bifurcation points are generated. Tuning the system close to one of these bifurcation points leads to a highly tunable behavior and sound pressure dependent sensitivity that is compressive in nature. In this case, the response frequency of the sensor system can be shifted by tuning the control parameter for bifurcation, allowing to cover larger bandwidths with one sensor pair while retaining high quality factors. Furthermore, tuning coupling and feedback strength, bandwidth and gain of each sensor can be adapted as needed. Using these effects, an adaptive filter bank to model the cochlear functionality and adaptation can be build. Since efferent feedback can tune the response of outer hair cells and thus inner hair cells and basilar membrane as well, the question arises if such tuning mechanisms can be observed in the mammalian cochlea as well.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"462 ","pages":"Article 109260"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143839396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"C57BL/6-derived mice and the Cdh23ahl allele – Background matters","authors":"Sherylanne Newton,&nbsp;Carlos Aguilar,&nbsp;Michael R. Bowl","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109278","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109278","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>C57BL/6-derived mice are the most utilised mice in biomedical research, and yet actually there is no such thing as a generic C57BL/6 mouse. Instead, there are more than 150 C57BL/6-derived sub-strains recognised by the Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) database, each of which carry sub-strain-specific fixed genetic differences that can potentially lead to phenotypic differences affecting a single, or multiple biological systems. One of the most widely known strain-specific alleles is the <em>Cdh23^ahl</em> allele, a single nucleotide change that predisposes C57BL/6-derived mice to a progressive hearing loss that starts in the high-frequency region. As such, this allele is of particular relevance to auditory researchers. However, a recent study, comparing C57BL/6NTac mice with a co-isogenic strain in which the <em>Cdh23^ahl</em> allele has been ‘repaired’ using genome editing, suggests that the <em>Cdh23^ahl</em> allele may have a broader effect on phenotype expressivity of mouse mutants impacting not just the auditory system, but other organ systems as well. Here, using the <em>Cdh23^ahl</em> allele as an exemplar, we discuss the importance of knowing, understanding and reporting the genetic background of mouse mutants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"462 ","pages":"Article 109278"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143881384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preoperative MRI, audiovisual speech perception, and mood are associated with cochlear implant outcomes in adults with postlingual deafness","authors":"Anaïs M. Grégoire ,&nbsp;Laurence Dricot ,&nbsp;Caroline Huart ,&nbsp;Monique Decat ,&nbsp;Naïma Deggouj ,&nbsp;Ron Kupers","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109272","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109272","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acquired severe to profound hearing loss is an increasingly challenging problem of our aging population. Cochlear implantation (CI) is the gold standard treatment for this advanced form of sensory deprivation. Despite the overall satisfactory results of CI, a substantial number of patients show unsatisfactory outcomes. This study aims to improve current predictive models of CI outcome by integrating preoperative MRI with behavioral data. We acquired a 3D T1 MRI to measure cortical thickness (CT) and volume using surface-based analysis and parcellation from the Brainnetome atlas. CI success at 6 months post-implant, as measured by audiovisual speech perception, was correlated with preoperative speech and audiovisual perception with hearing aids, and residual hearing, especially at the side of the non-implanted ear. In addition, CI outcome correlated positively with CT of the left superior temporal gyrus and sulcus, left inferior frontal region, and bilateral superior frontal regions. The volume of the left middle frontal gyrus and regions of the parietal lobe, especially at the left side, also correlated with CI outcome. Linear regression models revealed that CI outcome was best predicted by the combination of preoperative measures of audiovisual speech perception, residual hearing, depression and CT. Our results highlight the importance of preserved brain areas implicated in hearing, language, audiovisual integration, and cognitive functions for CI success. Furthermore, brain MRI in conjunction with other predictors can help to identify patients who may need more time to adjust to the CI, allowing a more tailored rehabilitation, and potentially greater efficacy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"461 ","pages":"Article 109272"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estimating hearing thresholds in rodents using the parallel auditory brainstem response","authors":"Pawichaya Suphinnapong,&nbsp;Shievanie Sabesan,&nbsp;Nicholas A. Lesica","doi":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109273","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.heares.2025.109273","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>ABR thresholds are traditionally measured for one sound frequency at a time, but a new approach, the parallel ABR (pABR), has recently been developed. The pABR allows thresholds to be measured for multiple frequencies simultaneously and has been shown to be more efficient than the traditional approach for humans. This study explored the applicability of the pABR approach for threshold measurement in gerbils. The basic properties of the estimated ABRs were analyzed and the dependence of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the reliability of measured thresholds on the number of trials was assessed. For a subset of ears, direct comparisons were made between the pABR and the traditional approach. The results suggest that the pABR approach can be more efficient for rodents than the traditional ABR approach, particularly for threshold estimation. To facilitate its use, software toolboxes in Matlab and Python are provided for the design of the pABR sounds and the analysis of recordings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12881,"journal":{"name":"Hearing Research","volume":"461 ","pages":"Article 109273"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}