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

{"title":"Cochlear Aqueduct Advection and Diffusion Inferred from Computed Tomography Imaging with a Bayesian Approach.","authors":"Amal M A Alghamdi, Barbara K Mathiesen, Leo Miyakoshi, Maiken Nedergaard, Jakob S Jørgensen, Peter A R Bork","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01047-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01047-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Fluid flow and transport of therapeutic agents and pathogenic bacteria into the cochlea has been challenging to study due to its small size and location within bone. We here take advantage of recent non-invasive Computed Tomography (CT) imaging to infer transport parameters in a 1-dimensional advection-diffusion model of the cochlear aqueduct using a Bayesian approach.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Six male C56BL/6 mice injected with the small molecule tracer iohexol in cisterna magna were scanned every 5 min for 30 min in CT under anesthesia. Using the CT data to set boundary conditions, we solve the advection-diffusion equation for given advection and spatially varying diffusion parameters. The CT data is modeled as normally distributed around the model-predicted concentration. We specify priors for the model unknown parameters and infer their posterior distributions using Bayes' formula and the CUQIpy library. The statistical approach is validated using synthetic data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The evolution of the concentration of tracer in the cochlear aqueduct is well predicted by the advection-diffusion model using inferred parameters. Though diffusion of the small CT tracer varies along the aqueduct, it is usually near the free diffusion and therefore not likely to be influenced much by membranes or flow. Advection is inferred near zero in most cases. We show how to use these results to calculate transport through the cochlear aqueduct for other animals and molecules.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Free diffusion dominates transport of small molecules in the cochlear aqueduct, which can therefore be effectively approximated using simple 1-dimensional (advection-)diffusion formulas.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"555-567"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13504145/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147679183","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":"Limited Potential to Reverse Deafness Caused by Mutation of Myo7a.","authors":"Daniel R Pentland, Jack Blackburn, Lauren Witting, Darcey A Kirwin, Karen P Steel","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01050-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01050-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>MYO7A is involved in several forms of deafness in humans and mice, and in this study we aimed to investigate if the hearing loss could be reversed after its onset.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A knockdown allele of Myo7a in the mouse, Myo7a^tm1a, was characterised by recording ABR thresholds at ages from 4 weeks to 6 months old and measuring the amount of hair cell degeneration at 4 weeks old. Scanning electron microscopy was used to assess the condition of stereocilia bundles. A tamoxifen-inducible Flp recombinase was used to activate expression of Myo7a in Myo7a^tm1a/tm1a homozygotes at 4 weeks old by excising the transcription disruption cassette in the tm1a allele allowing expression of the Myo7a gene, and ABRs were recorded before and after activation of the gene.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Myo7a^tm1a was found to be a recessive allele causing reduced transcription and early onset profound deafness. Some hair cell loss was found at 4 weeks old, and scanning electron microscopy showed Myo7a^tm1a severely affects stereocilia morphology and organisation. Activation of Myo7a expression at 4 weeks old results in very small improvements in ABR thresholds of Myo7a^tm1a/tm1a mice at 12 and 18 kHz at 6 and 8 weeks old but there were no responses to sound by 14 weeks old.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>It is likely to be challenging to reverse hearing loss due to very early developmental defects of stereocilia organisation.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"521-535"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7619100/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147730832","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 the N1-P2 Interpeak Latency of the eCAP and Its Intertrial Variability as Potential Indicators of Neural Synchrony in the Auditory Nerve of Cochlear Implant Users.","authors":"Shuman He, Ian C Bruce, Zi Gao, Ross A Aiello, Christopher R Mueller","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01051-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01051-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study evaluated interpeak latency (IPL) and its intertrial variability (IPLVAR) of the electrically evoked compound action potential (eCAP) as potential alternatives to the phase-locking value (PLV) for quantifying auditory nerve (AN) synchrony in cochlear implant (CI) users.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>The IPL and IPLVAR were assessed in 28 postlingually deafened adults, 37 children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD), 43 children with cochlear nerve deficiency, and 38 children with typical sensorineural hearing loss. All participant groups include both male and female participants. Their associations with temporal resolution and speech perception outcomes were evaluated in children with ANSD and/or adult CI users. Frequency analysis was conducted to understand the impacts of eCAP recording noise on the IPL, IPLVAR, and PLV. Simulations of intertrial jitter in the eCAP were performed to quantify how the IPL, IPLVAR, and PLV metrics varied with increased temporal jitter and its interaction with recording noise level and sampling rate.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>eCAP traces recorded in all patient groups showed a multipoint peak issue affecting the accuracy of IPL and IPLVAR assessments. Temporal resolution and speech perception outcomes were significantly correlated with IPLVAR but not with IPL metrics. The PLV was impacted less by recording noise than either the IPL or the IPLVAR. Simulation results revealed that the IPL was less sensitive to the amount of intertrial jitter in the eCAP than were the IPLVAR and the PLV.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The IPL is not a reliable indicator of AN synchrony. The IPLVAR is indicative of neural synchrony in the AN; however, it is more strongly affected by high levels of eCAP recording noise than the PLV. The PLV is therefore the preferred measure for quantifying neural synchrony in the AN in CI users.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"583-609"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13428357/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147876418","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":"Acoustic Scene-Aware Processing and Auditory Model-Based Compensation Strategies.","authors":"Torsten Dau, Tobias May","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01043-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01043-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite significant advances in our understanding of human hearing and assistive hearing technologies, the benefits of hearing loss compensation continue to vary widely across individuals. A central challenge is the complexity and heterogeneity of hearing loss, whose perceptual consequences often extend far beyond reduced sensitivity. Conventional strategies rely on signal processing algorithms-such as spatial filtering, noise reduction, and dynamic range compression-to improve audibility and enhance target signals. These components are usually optimized in isolation, yet their combined effects may interfere with one another and therefore do not necessarily yield an overall benefit. More recently, machine learning techniques have been used to further improve the performance of individual components. To tailor compensation strategies to specific acoustic environments or listeners, various steering mechanisms have also been proposed, guided by acoustic cues, audiovisual input, or listener attention. While these approaches show promise, a consistent and objective computational target for optimization has yet to be established. As an alternative, auditory model-based strategies, increasingly combined with machine learning, have emerged. These approaches aim to minimize the discrepancy between simulated auditory representations of normal and impaired hearing, thereby providing a physiologically motivated optimization goal. Although both categories of strategies offer considerable potential, achieving effective compensation under real-time, real-world conditions remains a major challenge. This paper reviews opportunities and limitations of these approaches for individualized hearing aid compensation.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"495-511"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13503992/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147647535","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":"White Matter Alterations Are More Robust Than Gray Matter Differences in Tinnitus and Hearing Loss: An MRI Study of Military Personnel.","authors":"Emilia Kaniewska, Gibbeum Kim, Rafay A Khan, Yihsin Tai, Caterina M Willson, Carlos Esquivel, Paul M Sherman, Fatima T Husain","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01052-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01052-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Tinnitus and hearing loss are the most prevalent service-related auditory disabilities among American veterans. Previous studies have examined gray matter or white matter alterations in tinnitus and hearing loss relative to healthy controls, but typically in isolation, and none of them have focused specifically on a military-affiliated population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We employed voxel-based morphometry to assess gray matter differences and diffusion tensor imaging to evaluate white matter integrity in tinnitus and/or hearing loss compared to controls in a sample of 68 military-affiliated adults (56 men, 10 women, two identifying as 'other' gender). Additionally, we conducted an exploratory, hypothesis-generating effect size analysis to describe the magnitude of group differences.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Combined tinnitus and hearing loss was associated with decreased gray matter volume in the thalamus. White matter integrity was reduced in the forceps minor, right superior longitudinal fasciculus, and left inferior longitudinal fasciculus. Hearing loss alone was associated with white matter orientation changes in the right anterior thalamic radiation, left superior longitudinal fasciculus, and right corticospinal tract. Larger effect sizes were noted in white matter comparisons across tinnitus, hearing loss, and combined conditions, suggesting that white matter differences may be of greater magnitude than gray matter alterations.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings advance the understanding of the neural correlates of tinnitus and hearing loss in the military population, an understudied group with a high prevalence of tinnitus and hearing loss. They also present preliminary effect size estimates that may inform future studies on the neural correlates of tinnitus and hearing loss, indicating a larger overall magnitude in white matter and more subtle contributions from gray matter.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"611-629"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13504148/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935865","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":"Age-dependent Shifts in Spiral Ganglion Neuron Subtypes Are Associated with Interphase Gap-dependent Modulation of Electrically Evoked Compound Action Potentials in Mice.","authors":"Nafisa Tursun, Linhan Huang, Min Chen, Xueying He, Wen Li, Shufeng Li","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01059-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01059-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Older adults with profound hearing loss can derive substantial benefit from cochlear implants (CIs), yet outcomes are more variable than in younger recipients. Degeneration of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) is a major determinant of CI performance, and age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is accompanied by subtype-specific SGN alterations. However, how these changes shape electrically evoked neural responses remains unclear. This study examined the effects of age-related changes in SGN packing density and subtype composition on electrically evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs), with particular emphasis on interphase gap (IPG) sensitivity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cochlear implant model was established in 17 male C57BL/6 J mice across three age groups: 6-8-weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. ECAPs were quantified using absolute measures, including amplitude, slope, dynamic range, 50% level, and N1-P2 interpeak interval, as well as IPG effects. SGN packing density and subtype composition were assessed histologically, and their associations with ECAP measures were evaluated using correlation analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Aging was associated with significant shifts in SGN subtype composition, characterized by a relative increase in Ia-type SGNs, along with robust IPG-related modulation of ECAP responses. ECAP measures showed differential associations with SGN packing density and subtype composition: IPG-sensitive measures such as amplitude, threshold and 50% level were primarily related to SGN packing density, whereas slope and dynamic range were more closely associated with Ia proportion. In addition, N1-P2 interpeak interval and its IPG effect showed strong correlations with both overall SGN packing density and Ia proportion, indicating sensitivity to both neural status and subtype balance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Age-related changes in SGN packing density and subtype composition jointly influence ECAP characteristics and IPG sensitivity. Latency-based ECAP metrics appear particularly sensitive to underlying neural status and subtype balance. These findings provide new insight into the peripheral neural factors that may contribute to age-related variability in cochlear implant outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"537-554"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13504030/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148221048","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":"Development of the Surgical Implantation and Fixation of an Implanted Middle Ear Microphone, the \"UmboMic,\" in Cadaveric Sheep.","authors":"Isadora C Comens, Chaoqun Zhou, Dan L Nguyen, Emma F Wawrzynek, John Z Zhang, Ioannis Kymissis, D Bradley Welling, Jeffrey H Lang, Hideko Heidi Nakajima, Elizabeth S Olson","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01056-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01056-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The UmboMic is a recently developed middle ear microphone that functions by detecting the sound-induced motion of the umbo [1]. To prepare for a live animal study of the in vivo performance of the UmboMic, we developed the surgical implantation and fixation system in cadaveric sheep ears.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Temporal bones from seven female sheep were prepared for implantation of the UmboMic system. Fixation hardware for sheep was designed to secure the UmboMic sensor in position so that the sensing tip contacted the umbo in the middle-ear cavity and the non-sensing tail end was secured to the surrounding mastoid bone. First, pre-surgical micro-CT scans of the temporal bones and open-source software were used to simulate surgical drilling, and to virtually plan and fit the UmboMic fixation system. Then, in physical sheep temporal bones, sound-induced umbo motion was measured with a laser Doppler vibrometer as a preliminary step. After surgical implantation of the UmboMic system, the position of the UmboMic sensor was evaluated with microscopic visualization and post-surgical micro-CT. Implanted UmboMic sensor function in response to acoustic frequency sweeps to the external ear canal was measured in two specimens.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Measurements of sheep temporal bone anatomical dimensions with micro-CT showed that the facial recess featured a mean maximum height of 2.36 mm, length of 12.2 mm, and depth from outer opening surface of facial recess to the umbo of 11.1 mm. The amplitude of umbo motion prior to UmboMic implantation was consistent with that previously reported by [2], with a displacement of ~ 14 nm/Pa up to a frequency of 5.5 kHz, followed by a gradual drop-off. When bench tested and implanted in sheep temporal bones, the UmboMic sensitivity was as predicted from [1], ~ 1-2 fC/nm.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>When implanted in sheep cadaveric ears, UmboMic performance was similar to previous measurements in fresh human cadaveric temporal bones. The method of simulating surgical drilling using micro-CT and simple open-source software is economical and broadly applicable in understanding the 3D biological anatomy and implantable device design and customization. The UmboMic implantation in cadaveric sheep ears was possible, and this study represents a step towards planned live animal studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"647-660"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13504021/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148165720","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":"From Selective Listening to Brain-Controlled Hearing: A Perspective on the Future of Auditory Technology.","authors":"Nima Mesgarani","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01048-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01048-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding speech in noisy environments is a major challenge for millions, a problem that conventional hearing aids often exacerbate by amplifying all sounds indiscriminately. Auditory Attention Decoding (AAD) offers a revolutionary alternative: a brain-computer interface that decodes a listener's attentional focus from their neural signals to selectively enhance the desired sound source. For over a decade, research has demonstrated the scientific feasibility of attention decoding, yet the field has faced a critical barrier in translating this promise into a real-time system that provides a demonstrable perceptual benefit in real-world listening conditions. This perspective charts the journey of AAD, from its foundational neuroscientific discoveries to the current engineering hurdles that must be overcome for real-world deployment. We outline the key remaining challenges, including the need to define user-centric metrics for success, develop practical and power-efficient wearable sensors, design low-latency and computationally efficient decoding algorithms, and ensure robust performance in complex, naturalistic scenes. By addressing these questions, the field can move beyond passive amplification and create the next generation of assistive technology: one that listens with the brain to restore or augment the hearing experience, making it fully aligned with the user's intent.</p>","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"513-520"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13504003/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147730810","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":"Correction: A Structural Equation Approach to Characterizing Growth and Nonlinearity Underlying Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions.","authors":"Shawn S Goodman, M Ehsan Khalili, Julia H Roemen, Ishan Bhatt, Skyler G Jennings, Jeffery T Lichtenhan, Sumitrajit Dhar","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01064-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01064-w","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"705"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13504004/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148304113","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":"FDA Approval of the Congenital OTOF Gene Therapy Otarmeni Reshapes the Future of Hearing Care.","authors":"Ellen Reisinger, Christopher R Cederroth","doi":"10.1007/s10162-026-01053-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10162-026-01053-z","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":56283,"journal":{"name":"Jaro-Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology","volume":" ","pages":"491-493"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13503644/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147977582","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}