Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology最新文献

{"title":"Impacts of Kv3.1 Channels on Action Potentials in Fusiform Neurons From the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus of Mice Before and After Hearing Onset.","authors":"Mario Henrique Lopes Duarte de Oliveira, Alan Eidi Sasaki, Leonardo Calaça Arruda Vanderlei, Ricardo Mauricio Leão","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01067-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01067-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Kv3.1 channels are high-voltage-activated potassium channels that facilitate high-frequency firing in auditory brainstem neurons. Fusiform neurons in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) can fire rapid trains of action potentials and express Kv3.1 channels. Their ability to fire high-frequency action potential trains increases after hearing onset at postnatal day 14. Simultaneously, the action potentials become shorter and faster. We tested whether Kv3.1 channels drive the developmental maturation of action potentials in DCN fusiform neurons.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used Swiss female mice from postnatal day 8 to 25 and divided them into pre-hearing (< P14) and post-hearing (> P14). We measured Kv currents and action potentials in whole-cell patch-clamp. Tetraethylammonium (TEA) was applied at a concentration of 1-5 mM to block Kv3 channels, and we detected the expression of Kv3.1b channel subunits by immunocytochemistry.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found increased Kv3.1b subunit expression in the DCN after hearing onset, suggesting that this subunit could be responsible for the electrophysiological changes in post-hearing fusiform neurons. TEA-sensitive high-threshold currents were a significant component of voltage-dependent potassium currents in both pre- and post-hearing fusiform neurons, with similar magnitudes in both groups. However, blocking Kv3 currents with 1-5 mM TEA broadens action potential waveforms in neurons from both groups while maintaining the developmental differences between groups. On the other hand, TEA was more effective at reducing the firing of post-hearing neurons.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We conclude that the rise in Kv3.1b channel expression in DCN fusiform neurons after hearing does not account for the shorter, faster action potentials observed at that time, but could contribute to their ability to fire action potentials at high frequencies.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"753-770"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13687534/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148726676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deaf Acoustics: Listening Through Hearing Aids with Thomas Edison.","authors":"Mara Mills","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01055-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01055-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The history of hearing aids is rife with examples of deaf invention, \"sonic skills,\" and other expertise on the parts of deaf and hard of hearing people-whether they were celebrated figures like Thomas Edison, forgotten deaf scientists and engineers, or lay experts. This article, a contribution to the roundtable from the field of history of science, examines correspondence about hearing aids in the Edison archives to argue that Edison and his deaf interlocutors have much to tell us about deaf acoustics: the innovations or insights offered by deaf and hard of hearing people that have contributed to the suite of scientific approaches to sound (i.e., acoustics) including engineering, architecture, physiology, and psychology.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"707-714"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13687504/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148354825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating Human Auditory Nerve (AN) and Brainstem Function Through Level-Dependent Chirps and Predicted AN Firing Distributions.","authors":"Skyler G Jennings, Tabitha Pickard, Jessica Chen, Shawn S Goodman","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01075-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10162-026-01075-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The amplitudes of the human compound action potential (CAP) and auditory brainstem response (ABR) are influenced by the cochlear traveling wave. To synchronize auditory nerve (AN) firing, short, rising-frequency chirps have been used to compensate for traveling wave delays; however, for high presentation levels, basal spread of excitation may disrupt AN synchrony. Further, unintended spread of excitation over the time course of the chirp may adapt basal AN fibers, thereby reducing CAP and ABR amplitudes-opposite of the objective of using chirps. Previous work has altered the rate of frequency change as a function of chirp level to maximize AN synchrony. Here, we evaluated, in normal-hearing adults (N = 12, six males), an alternative approach of attenuating low-frequency chirp energy and hypothesized this manipulation would increase CAP and ABR amplitudes relative to the original, flat-spectrum chirp for high stimulus levels. Low-frequency-attenuated chirps produced larger CAP and ABR wave amplitudes than clicks and the original chirp for nearly all stimulus levels. To explore mechanisms underlying these results, we derived AN firing distributions for chirps and clicks. The distributions for low-frequency-attenuated chirps were consistent with greater AN synchrony compared to those for clicks and the original chirp. ABR waveforms were reasonably simulated by convolving the derived AN firing distributions with an impulse response waveform associated with the ABR electrode montage. These findings suggest that low-frequency-attenuated chirps and predicted AN firing distributions may be useful in evaluating human AN function, including the effects of AN fiber loss, and other disease states.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149119039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Enigmatic Presence of Actin Rings, Actin Cables and Ectopic Hair Cells in the Vestibular Maculae of Mice and Humans.","authors":"Mark E Warchol, Jaclynn Lett, Alain Dabdoub","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01074-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10162-026-01074-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Prior studies have shown that the utricles of mice contain a population of actin rings that reside in the lower stratum of the sensory epithelium, embedded among the nuclei of supporting cells. Although these structures display structural similarities with phagosomes, their function is not clear. The present study characterized actin rings, as well as actin cables and ectopic hair cells, in the sensory epithelia of normal, developing, and ototoxically-lesioned utricles of mice, and in utricles of adult humans.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Filamentous actin structures in the utricles of mice were labeled with phalloidin. Actin rings in developing, mature and lesioned utricles were characterized and quantified. Intraepithelial actin cables and ectopic hair cells in normal and developing utricles were also examined. Similar studies were conducted on utricles obtained from adult humans.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All mouse utricles contained actin rings, whose number was unaffected by hair cell injury. Actin rings present in ototoxically-lesioned utricles did not clearly engage in the phagocytosis of hair cell debris. The lower stratum of the sensory epithelium also contained actin cables, which were associated with 'ectopic' hair cells. Although many ectopic hair cells appeared to be 'impaled' by the actin cables, those hair cells showed no clear signs of pathology or degeneration. Actin rings, actin cables and ectopic hair cells were also present in the utricles of neonatal mice, well before the full population of hair cells had been generated. Actin rings and cables were also observed in utricles of mature humans (2 males, ages 30 and 67; two females, ages 27 and 75).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Actin rings were present in mouse utricles, but were not affected by hair cell damage. Developmental data suggest that, if actin rings and cables are associated with spontaneous hair cell death, then such processes are likely to begin before the utricle has fully matured. At present, the origin and function of these structures remain unclear.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149119020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Utricular Compound Action Potential Thresholds to Pulsed Interaural Vibration in Guinea Pig, and Mechanical Tuning Curve Estimates in Mouse, Rat, Sheep, and Human.","authors":"Richard D Rabbitt, Christopher J Pastras, Suhrud M Rajguru, Hong Zhu, Wu Zhou","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01070-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10162-026-01070-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Determine thresholds of vestibular compound action potentials (vCAPs) evoked by pulsed interaural bone-conducted vibration (BCV) and estimate synchronization tuning curves for sinusoidal BCV and stapes vibration (SV) in multiple mammalian species.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thresholds were determined from previously reported vCAP data in response to vibration pulses with acceleration amplitudes ranging from ~ 0.0003 to 0.04 m s^-2 (~ 0.3-4 mG) and rise times from ~ 0.17 to 0.6 ms in guinea pigs of either sex. A simple two-degrees-of-freedom model was applied to estimate mechanical tuning curves underlying frequency-dependent synchronization.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Stimulus-evoked vCAPs increased linearly with peak acceleration on a dB scale, and intercepted zero at a synchronization threshold of -54 dB (re: 1 m s^-2). Combining the threshold with the model predicts a critical shear rate of - 34 dB (re: 1 rad s^-1) between otoconia and the sensory epithelium is sufficient to evoke synchronized action potentials. The interaural acceleration threshold required to reach the critical shear rate predicts a V-shaped tuning curve for sinusoidal BCV with thresholds near -55 dB (re: 1 m s^-2) across species evaluated. The characteristic frequency (CF) was estimated as 210 Hz for humans, 286 Hz for sheep, 526 Hz for guinea pigs, 600 Hz for rats, and 688 Hz for mice. The threshold estimated for SV was - 50 dB (re: 1 m s⁻²) with relatively broad tuning extending approximately 1 kHz above the BCV CF.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Results are consistent with the hypothesis that synchronized action potentials in the utricular nerve are driven by the mechanical shear rate acting on sensory hair bundles.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148978733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural and Molecular Evidence for a Frequency-Dependent Electrochemical Gradient in the Human Cochlear Lateral Wall.","authors":"Gwenaelle Creff, Karin Staxäng, Hanif M Ladak, Sumit Agrawal, Rudolf Glueckert, Anneliese Schrott-Fischer, Hao Li, Helge Rask-Andersen","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01071-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10162-026-01071-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The stria vascularis (SV) is a tripartite epithelium lining the lateral wall (LW) of the human cochlea, generating a positive endocochlear potential (EP) essential for auditory sensory transduction. There remains limited information about its variable structure and organization along the cochlear spiral or whether an electrochemical gradient exists. Here, we used three-dimensional (3D) synchrotron radiation phase-contrast imaging (SR-PCI) and light and transmission electron microscopy (LM and TEM) to examine the human SV and spiral ligament (SL) at different frequency locations based on the SR-PCI. Results were compared with recent molecular analyses performed in our laboratory.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Volumetric and microanatomic analyses of the LW and SV, including critical K⁺ recycling pathways were made at different frequency locations on matched cochlear frequency maps based on Greenwood's formula. TEM analyses were correlated with previous results obtained on the expression of ion transporter and channels including the multiplex RNAscope® technique.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The LW diminished in volume a 100-fold and the SV 14-fold in the cochlear apical turn. Ultrastructural analyses showed reduced cellularity in the SV and SL. Moreover, the organization and architecture of the SV cell and vascular pattern modified along the cochlear spiral. Claudius cell outline, TEM, and prior results of Na/K-ATPase activity and GJB2 gene transcript distribution suggest there is a reduced K⁺ recycling potential and water flux in the LW of the apical cochlea.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Macro-, micro-, and recent molecular anatomical studies suggest that the human cochlear \"battery\" may be less potent in the apex. This could indicate that sensory transduction at low frequencies may be partially power-driven by more basal regions. Frequency-dependent variations in electrochemistry may have pathophysiological significance in connection with metabolic hearing loss and surgical treatments such as cochlear implantation.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148931918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gain-Delay Decoupling in Human Stimulus Frequency Otoacoustic Emissions Reveals Constraints on Cochlear Nonlinear Amplification.","authors":"Yoshita Sharma, Arturo Moleti, Renata Sisto, Teresa Botti, Hansapani Rodrigo, Srikanta K Mishra","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01069-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10162-026-01069-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The nonlinear cochlear amplifier, driven by outer hair cells, underlies the remarkable sensitivity and frequency selectivity of the mammalian auditory system. Stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAEs) provide a noninvasive window into these active cochlear processes, yet the relationship between emission gain and delay across stimulus levels remains incompletely understood. This study examined the level dependence of SFOAEs in normal-hearing human listeners to characterize cochlear nonlinear response properties. We tested how emission gain and delay vary with stimulus level and estimated the frequency of the apical-basal transition associated with the breakdown of the approximate local scaling symmetry.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>SFOAEs were recorded from a cohort of normal-hearing participants (n = 20; females = 13) across a range of stimulus levels. A time-frequency filtering approach was applied to isolate single-reflection components and improve signal-to-noise ratio, yielding stable and unbiased estimates of emission level and phase-gradient delay. The relationships between stimulus level, gain, and delay were analyzed and normalized using a general relation derived from the fundamental physical properties of linear two-dimensional cochlear model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results confirm the nonlinear dependence of SFOAE level and delay on stimulus level. However, when the variations in gain and delay were compared to the predictions of a linear and a nonlinear 2D cochlear model, the discrepancy with the linear model predictions was evident. Measurements also revealed no stimulus-level dependence of the apical-basal transition frequency, consistent with a fixed apical cochlear region associated with the breakdown of the approximate scaling symmetry.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The relative decoupling between gain and delay indicates that changes in cochlear amplification do not produce proportionate changes in emission timing, revealing constraints on the relationship between amplification and phase behavior in human cochlear responses. These findings indicate that SFOAE delay may remain informative about cochlear tuning, but nonlinear cochlear models could be constrained by the observed decoupling between gain and delay.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148876526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Discovering Age- and Sex-Specific Genetic Risk Factors in Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Genome-Wide Evidence from Large-Scale Biobanks.","authors":"Argyro Bizaki-Vallaskangas, Eeva Sliz, Tuuli Lankinen, Elmo Saarentaus, Ville Salo, Kristi Krebs, Tytti Willberg, Ilkka Kivekäs, Joel Rämö, Sanna Toppila-Salmi, Aarno Dietz, Vesa Hytönen, Aarno Palotie, Lili Milani, Antti Mäkitie, Johannes Kettunen","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01054-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01054-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Investigate the genetic components of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) by performing genome-wide meta-analyses using the data from FinnGen and Estonian Biobank.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We studied genome-wide associations of SNHL in FinnGen and the Estonian Biobank in the general population and in sex- and age-of-onset stratified subgroups. The study-specific GWASs were combined through inverse variance-weighted genome-wide meta-analyses, encompassing a total of 531,059 individuals (Ncases = 35,960). Age-stratified meta-analyses included 28,198 individuals diagnosed at the age of 55 years or after and 7762 individuals diagnosed before the age of 55 years, with 495,099 controls. Sex-stratified meta-analyses included 313,501 females (Ncases = 17,761) and 217,558 males (Ncases = 18,199).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the meta-analysis focusing on the general population, 22 SNHL-associated loci (±1 Mb window) were observed, three of which were previously unreported. In the sex-stratified analysis, two previously unreported SNHL loci were observed in the female subgroup and one locus in the male subgroup. Additionally, in the age-stratified analysis, two previously unreported SNHL loci were observed in the subgroup of those that were diagnosed at the age of 55 years or after. In those diagnosed before the age of 55 years, one previously unreported locus was observed. Overall, 32 loci were associated with SNHL at p < 5 × 10^-8 in at least one of the study groups. Of these, nine have not been previously reported in association with SNHL. We also estimated if there were significant differences in the effect sizes of the lead variants at each locus between the analytical subgroups and observed differences for 14 variants.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Previously unreported SNHL risk loci and differences in effect sizes found in this study provide additional insight into the genetic underpinnings of SNHL. Our results validate the role of mechano-transduction and genetic components affecting the structure of the inner ear in the background of SNHL. Our study contributes to our understanding of the genetic causes of SNHL and may open the door for further translational research.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"631-646"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13504140/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148038265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cochlear Neural Degeneration Is Widespread in Ménière's Disease: A Temporal Bone Study.","authors":"Charanjeet Kaur, Pei-Zhe Wu, Andreas H Eckhard, Jennifer T O'Malley, M Charles Liberman","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01049-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01049-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Ménière's disease presents with endolymphatic hydrops and disproportionately poor word-recognition compared to other forms of sensorineural hearing loss, yet the underlying patterns of cochlear degeneration are not well defined. This study aimed to characterize cochlear pathology in Ménières, compare it to age-matched controls and clinically unaffected contralateral ears, and evaluate how hydrops severity and clinical endotypes relate to tissue degeneration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed 97 human cochleas, including 43 Ménière's ears, 10 contralateral (clinically unaffected) ears, and 44 age-matched controls. Quantitative histopathology assessed survival of hair cells, spiral ganglion cells, auditory-nerve peripheral axons, stria vascularis, and spiral ligament fibrocytes, along with the degree of endolymphatic hydrops. We also examined the effects of disease duration and endolymphatic sac phenotype (hypoplastic vs degenerative).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ménière's ears displayed consistent cochlear hydrops and more severe saccular hydrops. They showed roughly half the normal complement of cochlear hair cells but only 25% of the normal complement of auditory-nerve peripheral axons, despite preservation of most spiral ganglion cells. The degree of hydrops was most strongly correlated with cochlear neural degeneration. Ménière's ears also exhibited significant strial atrophy and fibrocyte loss, with strong correlations between these measures. Contralateral ears showed no hydrops but similar strial and fibrocyte degeneration with normal hair and neural populations. Disease duration and endolymphatic sac phenotype, i.e. hypoplastic vs degenerative, produced only modest differences in cochlear histopathology, suggesting that profound neural degeneration is a common endpoint across clinical subtypes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Profound cochlear neural degeneration is likely the key driver of poor word-recognition scores associated with Ménière's disease. The presence of strial and spiral ligament atrophy in the clinically unaffected ears suggests lateral wall histopathology may be the earliest site of cochlear damage in this disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"569-581"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13378735/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147730849","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bayesian Uncertainty Quantification for A Fractional-Order Model of the Human Ear.","authors":"Prakash Kc, Maryam Naghibolhosseini, Mohsen Zayernouri","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01058-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01058-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We employ the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) algorithm to estimate model parameters and quantify their uncertainties in a fractional-order lumped-element model of the human ear in a Bayesian inference framework. The model, originally developed by Naghibolhosseini and Long (2018), incorporates fractional-order elements to capture viscoelastic memory effects in ear tissues that otherwise cannot adequately be represented via conventional integer-order models. Using previously optimized model parameters to construct informative priors, we perform Bayesian parameter estimation via the No-U-Turn Sampler (NUTS) implementation. From the inferred posterior distributions, we compute the model's outer-middle ear gain (OMEG) and validate predictions against experimental OMEG derived from DPOAE measurements. Additionally, we compare stapes velocity transfer functions and ear canal pressure gain with established experimental and computational literature. HMC sampling yields well-convergent posterior distributions for all parameters, centered near original optimized values with uncertainty quantified through credible intervals. The posterior predictive OMEG frequency response closely matches the experimental OMEG measurements. Interestingly, the Bayesian-derived parameter sets correctly exhibit stapes velocity resonances near 1 kHz and ear canal pressure gain peaks between 2.5 and 4 kHz, with amplification ranging from 4 to 12 dB, consistent with cadaveric experimental measurements and existing computational models. The model demonstrates a minimal intersubject variability while capturing realistic biological variations within experimentally reported ranges. The present Bayesian HMC simulation approach then provides a robust uncertainty quantification for fractional-order ear model parameter inference, maintaining physiologically consistent predictions across multiple validation datasets. Hence, the proposed framework enhances the model's credibility by establishing a firm foundation for further developing probabilistic diagnostic tools for hearing assessment in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"661-681"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13427340/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148207134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}