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Devolder P, Keppler H, Keshishzadeh S, Taghon B, Dhooge I, Verhulst S. The role of hidden hearing loss in tinnitus: Insights from early markers of peripheral hearing damage. Hear Res 2024; 450:109050. [PMID: 38852534 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.109050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Since the presence of tinnitus is not always associated with audiometric hearing loss, it has been hypothesized that hidden hearing loss may act as a potential trigger for increased central gain along the neural pathway leading to tinnitus perception. In recent years, the study of hidden hearing loss has improved with the discovery of cochlear synaptopathy and several objective diagnostic markers. This study investigated three potential markers of peripheral hidden hearing loss in subjects with tinnitus: extended high-frequency audiometric thresholds, the auditory brainstem response, and the envelope following response. In addition, speech intelligibility was measured as a functional outcome measurement of hidden hearing loss. To account for age-related hidden hearing loss, participants were grouped according to age, presence of tinnitus, and audiometric thresholds. Group comparisons were conducted to differentiate between age- and tinnitus-related effects of hidden hearing loss. All three markers revealed age-related differences, whereas no differences were observed between the tinnitus and non-tinnitus groups. However, the older tinnitus group showed improved performance on low-pass filtered speech in noise tests compared to the older non-tinnitus group. These low-pass speech in noise scores were significantly correlated with tinnitus distress, as indicated using questionnaires, and could be related to the presence of hyperacusis. Based on our observations, cochlear synaptopathy does not appear to be the underlying cause of tinnitus. The improvement in low-pass speech-in-noise could be explained by enhanced temporal fine structure encoding or hyperacusis. Therefore, we recommend that future tinnitus research takes into account age-related factors, explores low-frequency encoding, and thoroughly assesses hyperacusis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Devolder
- Hearing Technology @ WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Hannah Keppler
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sarineh Keshishzadeh
- Hearing Technology @ WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Baziel Taghon
- Hearing Technology @ WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Ingeborg Dhooge
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sarah Verhulst
- Hearing Technology @ WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Zwijnaarde, Belgium
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Schirmer J, Wolpert S, Dapper K, Rühle M, Wertz J, Wouters M, Eldh T, Bader K, Singer W, Gaudrain E, Başkent D, Verhulst S, Braun C, Rüttiger L, Munk MHJ, Dalhoff E, Knipper M. Neural Adaptation at Stimulus Onset and Speed of Neural Processing as Critical Contributors to Speech Comprehension Independent of Hearing Threshold or Age. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2725. [PMID: 38731254 PMCID: PMC11084258 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13092725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: It is assumed that speech comprehension deficits in background noise are caused by age-related or acquired hearing loss. Methods: We examined young, middle-aged, and older individuals with and without hearing threshold loss using pure-tone (PT) audiometry, short-pulsed distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (pDPOAEs), auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs), speech comprehension (OLSA), and syllable discrimination in quiet and noise. Results: A noticeable decline of hearing sensitivity in extended high-frequency regions and its influence on low-frequency-induced ABRs was striking. When testing for differences in OLSA thresholds normalized for PT thresholds (PTTs), marked differences in speech comprehension ability exist not only in noise, but also in quiet, and they exist throughout the whole age range investigated. Listeners with poor speech comprehension in quiet exhibited a relatively lower pDPOAE and, thus, cochlear amplifier performance independent of PTT, smaller and delayed ABRs, and lower performance in vowel-phoneme discrimination below phase-locking limits (/o/-/u/). When OLSA was tested in noise, listeners with poor speech comprehension independent of PTT had larger pDPOAEs and, thus, cochlear amplifier performance, larger ASSR amplitudes, and higher uncomfortable loudness levels, all linked with lower performance of vowel-phoneme discrimination above the phase-locking limit (/i/-/y/). Conslusions: This study indicates that listening in noise in humans has a sizable disadvantage in envelope coding when basilar-membrane compression is compromised. Clearly, and in contrast to previous assumptions, both good and poor speech comprehension can exist independently of differences in PTTs and age, a phenomenon that urgently requires improved techniques to diagnose sound processing at stimulus onset in the clinical routine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Schirmer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Stephan Wolpert
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Konrad Dapper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
- Department of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Moritz Rühle
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Jakob Wertz
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Marjoleen Wouters
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium; (M.W.); (S.V.)
| | - Therese Eldh
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Katharina Bader
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Wibke Singer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Etienne Gaudrain
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR5292, Inserm U1028, Université Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier-Bâtiment 462–Neurocampus, 95 Boulevard Pinel, 69675 Bron CEDEX, France;
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Hanzeplein 1, BB21, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Deniz Başkent
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), Hanzeplein 1, BB21, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands;
| | - Sarah Verhulst
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 126, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium; (M.W.); (S.V.)
| | - Christoph Braun
- Magnetoencephalography-Centre and Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 27, 72076 Tübingen, Germany;
- Center for Mind and Brain Research, University of Trento, Palazzo Fedrigotti-corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Matthias H. J. Munk
- Department of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry & Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Calwerstraße 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ernst Dalhoff
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Marlies Knipper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Str. 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (J.S.); (S.W.); (K.D.); (M.R.); (J.W.); (T.E.); (K.B.); (W.S.); (L.R.)
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Patro C, Monfiletto A, Singer A, Srinivasan NK, Mishra SK. Midlife Speech Perception Deficits: Impact of Extended High-Frequency Hearing, Peripheral Neural Function, and Cognitive Abilities. Ear Hear 2024:00003446-990000000-00269. [PMID: 38556645 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000001504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of age-related changes in extended high-frequency (EHF) hearing, peripheral neural function, working memory, and executive function on speech perception deficits in middle-aged individuals with clinically normal hearing. DESIGN We administered a comprehensive assessment battery to 37 participants spanning the age range of 20 to 56 years. This battery encompassed various evaluations, including standard and EHF pure-tone audiometry, ranging from 0.25 to 16 kHz. In addition, we conducted auditory brainstem response assessments with varying stimulation rates and levels, a spatial release from masking (SRM) task, and cognitive evaluations that involved the Trail Making test (TMT) for assessing executive function and the Abbreviated Reading Span test (ARST) for measuring working memory. RESULTS The results indicated a decline in hearing sensitivities at EHFs and an increase in completion times for the TMT with age. In addition, as age increased, there was a corresponding decrease in the amount of SRM. The declines in SRM were associated with age-related declines in hearing sensitivity at EHFs and TMT performance. While we observed an age-related decline in wave I responses, this decline was primarily driven by age-related reductions in EHF thresholds. In addition, the results obtained using the ARST did not show an age-related decline. Neither the auditory brainstem response results nor ARST scores were correlated with the amount of SRM. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that speech perception deficits in middle age are primarily linked to declines in EHF hearing and executive function, rather than cochlear synaptopathy or working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhayakanta Patro
- Department of Speech Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Angela Monfiletto
- Department of Speech Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Aviya Singer
- Department of Speech Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Nirmal Kumar Srinivasan
- Department of Speech Language Pathology & Audiology, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA
| | - Srikanta Kumar Mishra
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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Maass JC, Leiva A, Torrente M, Vergara R, Belkhiria C, Delgado C, Delano PH. Supra-Threshold LS CE-Chirp Auditory Brainstem Response in the Elderly. Audiol Neurootol 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38437806 DOI: 10.1159/000533683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Aging deteriorates peripheral and central auditory structures and functions. In elders, for an accurate audiological evaluation, it is important to explore beyond the cochlear receptor. Audiograms provide an estimation of hearing thresholds, while the amplitudes and latencies of supra-threshold auditory brainstem response (ABR) can offer noninvasive measures of the auditory pathways functioning. Regarding ABR, in young populations, level-specific chirp (LS CE-chirp) stimulus has been proposed as an alternative synchronizing method to obtain larger ABR responses than those evoked by clicks. However, the supra-threshold characteristics of chirp evoked ABR, and their association to hearing thresholds is relatively unknown in the elderly. The aim of this study was to evaluate supra-threshold LS CE-chirp ABRs in an aged population by comparing their features with click ABRs, and evaluating their relationship with audiometric hearing thresholds. METHODS We carried out a cross-sectional study to characterize the hearing of 125 adults aged over 65 years. We determined the audiometric hearing thresholds and supra-threshold ABRs elicited by LS CE-chirp and click stimuli at 80 dB nHL. We evaluated associations by means of partial correlations and covariate adjustment. We performed specific frequencies' analysis and subgroup analysis per hearing level. RESULTS Wave V responses had significantly shorter latencies and larger amplitudes when elicited by LS CE-chirp as compared to click-evoked responses. Audiometric hearing thresholds correlated with age, but ABR characteristics did not. We found mild correlations between hearing thresholds and ABR characteristics, predominantly at higher frequencies and with chirp. We found scarce evidence of correlation between ABR characteristics and the average of behavioral hearing thresholds between 0.5 to 4 kHz (0.5-4 kHz PTA). After subgroup analysis according to the hearing level, no stronger or more significant correlations were found between ABR characteristics and 0.5-4 kHz PTA. DISCUSSION In this study, we found that supra-threshold LS CE-chirp ABR presented some of the previously described similitudes and differences with supra-threshold click ABR in younger populations. Although, the average amplitude and latency of wave V evoked by LS CE-chirp were larger and faster than those evoked by clicks, these results should be taken with caution at the individual level, and further studies are required to state that LS CE-chirp ABRs are better than click ABRs in elders for clinical evaluations. We did not find consistent associations between hearing thresholds and supra-threshold wave V features, suggesting that these measures should be considered independently in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan C Maass
- Interdisciplinary Program of Physiology and Biophysics, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile,
- Otolaryngology Department, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile,
| | - Alexis Leiva
- Neuroscience Department, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, BNI, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mariela Torrente
- Otolaryngology Department, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Vergara
- Facultad de Psicología y Humanidades, Universidad San Sebastián, Valdivia, Chile
- Centro Nacional de Inteligencia Artificial CENIA, Santiago, Chile
| | - Chama Belkhiria
- Neuroscience Department, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, BNI, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Delgado
- Neuroscience Department, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Neurology and Neurosurgery Department, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paul H Delano
- Otolaryngology Department, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Neuroscience Department, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, BNI, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Centro Avanzado de Ingeniería Eléctrica y Electrónica, AC3E, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile
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Liu J, Stohl J, Overath T. Hidden hearing loss: Fifteen years at a glance. Hear Res 2024; 443:108967. [PMID: 38335624 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.108967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Hearing loss affects approximately 18% of the population worldwide. Hearing difficulties in noisy environments without accompanying audiometric threshold shifts likely affect an even larger percentage of the global population. One of the potential causes of hidden hearing loss is cochlear synaptopathy, the loss of synapses between inner hair cells (IHC) and auditory nerve fibers (ANF). These synapses are the most vulnerable structures in the cochlea to noise exposure or aging. The loss of synapses causes auditory deafferentation, i.e., the loss of auditory afferent information, whose downstream effect is the loss of information that is sent to higher-order auditory processing stages. Understanding the physiological and perceptual effects of this early auditory deafferentation might inform interventions to prevent later, more severe hearing loss. In the past decade, a large body of work has been devoted to better understand hidden hearing loss, including the causes of hidden hearing loss, their corresponding impact on the auditory pathway, and the use of auditory physiological measures for clinical diagnosis of auditory deafferentation. This review synthesizes the findings from studies in humans and animals to answer some of the key questions in the field, and it points to gaps in knowledge that warrant more investigation. Specifically, recent studies suggest that some electrophysiological measures have the potential to function as indicators of hidden hearing loss in humans, but more research is needed for these measures to be included as part of a clinical test battery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayue Liu
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, USA.
| | - Joshua Stohl
- North American Research Laboratory, MED-EL Corporation, Durham, USA
| | - Tobias Overath
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, USA
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Cassinotti LR, Ji L, Yuk MC, Desai AS, Cass ND, Amir ZA, Corfas G. Hidden hearing loss in hereditary demyelinating neuropathies: insights from Charcot-Marie-Tooth mouse models. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.14.571732. [PMID: 38168255 PMCID: PMC10760174 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.14.571732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Hidden hearing loss (HHL) is a recently described auditory neuropathy characterized by normal audiometric thresholds but reduced sound-evoked potentials. It has been proposed that HHL contributes to hearing difficulty in noisy environments in people with normal audiometric thresholds, a widespread complaint. While most studies on HHL pathogenesis have focused on inner hair cell (IHC) synaptopathy, recent research suggests that transient auditory nerve (AN) demyelination may also cause HHL. To test the impact of myelinopathy in a clinically relevant model, we studied a mouse model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A (CMT1A), the most prevalent hereditary peripheral neuropathy in humans. CMT1A mice exhibit the functional hallmarks of HHL, together with disorganization of AN heminodes near the IHCs with minor loss of AN fibers. Our results support the hypothesis that mild disruptions of AN myelination can cause HHL, and that heminodal defects contribute to the alterations in action potential amplitudes and latencies seen in these models. Also, these findings suggest that patients with CMT1A or other mild peripheral neuropathies are likely to suffer from HHL. Furthermore, these results suggest that studies of hearing in CMT1A patients might help develop robust clinical tests for HHL, which are currently lacking.
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Saidia AR, François F, Casas F, Mechaly I, Venteo S, Veechi JT, Ruel J, Puel JL, Wang J. Oxidative Stress Plays an Important Role in Glutamatergic Excitotoxicity-Induced Cochlear Synaptopathy: Implication for Therapeutic Molecules Screening. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:149. [PMID: 38397748 PMCID: PMC10886292 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13020149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The disruption of the synaptic connection between the sensory inner hair cells (IHCs) and the auditory nerve fiber terminals of the type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGN) has been observed early in several auditory pathologies (e.g., noise-induced or ototoxic drug-induced or age-related hearing loss). It has been suggested that glutamate excitotoxicity may be an inciting element in the degenerative cascade observed in these pathological cochlear conditions. Moreover, oxidative damage induced by free hydroxyl radicals and nitric oxide may dramatically enhance cochlear damage induced by glutamate excitotoxicity. To investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in cochlear excitotoxicity, we examined the molecular basis responsible for kainic acid (KA, a full agonist of AMPA/KA-preferring glutamate receptors)-induced IHC synapse loss and degeneration of the terminals of the type I spiral ganglion afferent neurons using a cochlear explant culture from P3 mouse pups. Our results demonstrated that disruption of the synaptic connection between IHCs and SGNs induced increased levels of oxidative stress, as well as altered both mitochondrial function and neurotrophin signaling pathways. Additionally, the application of exogenous antioxidants and neurotrophins (NT3, BDNF, and small molecule TrkB agonists) clearly increases synaptogenesis. These results suggest that understanding the molecular pathways involved in cochlear excitotoxicity is of crucial importance for the future clinical trials of drug interventions for auditory synaptopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Rym Saidia
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), INSERM U1298, University Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France; (F.F.); (I.M.); (S.V.); (J.T.V.); (J.-L.P.)
| | - Florence François
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), INSERM U1298, University Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France; (F.F.); (I.M.); (S.V.); (J.T.V.); (J.-L.P.)
| | - François Casas
- INRA, UMR 866 Dynamique Musculaire et Métabolisme, 34060 Montpellier, France;
| | - Ilana Mechaly
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), INSERM U1298, University Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France; (F.F.); (I.M.); (S.V.); (J.T.V.); (J.-L.P.)
| | - Stéphanie Venteo
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), INSERM U1298, University Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France; (F.F.); (I.M.); (S.V.); (J.T.V.); (J.-L.P.)
| | - Joseph T. Veechi
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), INSERM U1298, University Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France; (F.F.); (I.M.); (S.V.); (J.T.V.); (J.-L.P.)
| | - Jérôme Ruel
- Centre de Recherche en CardioVasculaire et Nutrition, Aix-Marseille Université-INSERM, 1263-INRAE 1260, 13385 Marseille, France;
| | - Jean-Luc Puel
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), INSERM U1298, University Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France; (F.F.); (I.M.); (S.V.); (J.T.V.); (J.-L.P.)
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM), INSERM U1298, University Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France; (F.F.); (I.M.); (S.V.); (J.T.V.); (J.-L.P.)
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Na D, Yang Y, Xie L, Piekna-Przybylska D, Bunn D, Shamambo M, White P. Neuroinflammation in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease versus Auditory Dysfunction: Machine Learning Interpretation and Analysis. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3370200. [PMID: 37841847 PMCID: PMC10571613 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3370200/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Background Auditory dysfunction, including central auditory hyperactivity, hearing loss and hearing in noise deficits, has been reported in 5xFAD Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice, suggesting a causal relationship between amyloidosis and auditory dysfunction. Central auditory hyperactivity correlated in time with small amounts of plaque deposition in the inferior colliculus and medial geniculate body, which are the auditory midbrain and thalamus, respectively. Neuroinflammation has been associated with excitation to inhibition imbalance in the central nervous system, and therefore has been proposed as a link between central auditory hyperactivity and AD in our previous report. However, neuroinflammation in the auditory pathway has not been investigated in mouse amyloidosis models. Methods Machine learning was used to classify the previously obtained auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) from 5xFAD mice and their wild type (WT) littermates. Neuroinflammation was assessed in six auditory-related regions of the cortex, thalamus, and brainstem. Cochlear pathology was assessed in cryosection and whole mount. Behavioral changes were assessed with fear conditioning, open field testing and novel objection recognition. Results Reliable machine learning classification of 5xFAD and WT littermate ABRs were achieved for 6M and 12M, but not 3M. The top features for accurate classification at 6 months of age were characteristics of Waves IV and V. Microglial and astrocytic activation were pronounced in 5xFAD inferior colliculus and medial geniculate body at 6 months, two neural centers that are thought to contribute to these waves. Lower regions of the brainstem were unaffected, and cortical auditory centers also displayed inflammation beginning at 6 months. No losses were seen in numbers of spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), auditory synapses, or efferent synapses in the cochlea. 5xFAD mice had reduced responses to tones in fear conditioning compared to WT littermates beginning at 6 months. Conclusions Serial use of ABR in early AD patients represents a promising approach for early and inexpensive detection of neuroinflammation in higher auditory brainstem processing centers. As changes in auditory processing are strongly linked to AD progression, central auditory hyperactivity may serve as a biomarker for AD progression and/or stratify AD patients into distinct populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Li Xie
- University of Rochester Medical Center
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Na D, Zhang J, Beaulac HJ, Piekna-Przybylska D, Nicklas PR, Kiernan AE, White PM. Increased central auditory gain in 5xFAD Alzheimer's disease mice as an early biomarker candidate for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1106570. [PMID: 37304021 PMCID: PMC10250613 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1106570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative illness without a cure. All current therapies require an accurate diagnosis and staging of AD to ensure appropriate care. Central auditory processing disorders (CAPDs) and hearing loss have been associated with AD, and may precede the onset of Alzheimer's dementia. Therefore, CAPD is a possible biomarker candidate for AD diagnosis. However, little is known about how CAPD and AD pathological changes are correlated. In the present study, we investigated auditory changes in AD using transgenic amyloidosis mouse models. AD mouse models were bred to a mouse strain commonly used for auditory experiments, to compensate for the recessive accelerated hearing loss on the parent background. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) recordings revealed significant hearing loss, a reduced ABR wave I amplitude, and increased central gain in 5xFAD mice. In comparison, these effects were milder or reversed in APP/PS1 mice. Longitudinal analyses revealed that in 5xFAD mice, central gain increase preceded ABR wave I amplitude reduction and hearing loss, suggesting that it may originate from lesions in the central nervous system rather than the peripheral loss. Pharmacologically facilitating cholinergic signaling with donepezil reversed the central gain in 5xFAD mice. After the central gain increased, aging 5xFAD mice developed deficits for hearing sound pips in the presence of noise, consistent with CAPD-like symptoms of AD patients. Histological analysis revealed that amyloid plaques were deposited in the auditory cortex of both mouse strains. However, in 5xFAD but not APP/PS1 mice, plaque was observed in the upper auditory brainstem, specifically the inferior colliculus (IC) and the medial geniculate body (MGB). This plaque distribution parallels histological findings from human subjects with AD and correlates in age with central gain increase. Overall, we conclude that auditory alterations in amyloidosis mouse models correlate with amyloid deposits in the auditory brainstem and may be reversed initially through enhanced cholinergic signaling. The alteration of ABR recording related to the increase in central gain prior to AD-related hearing disorders suggests that it could potentially be used as an early biomarker of AD diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daxiang Na
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Jingyuan Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Holly J. Beaulac
- Department of Neuroscience, Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Dorota Piekna-Przybylska
- Department of Neuroscience, Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Paige R. Nicklas
- Department of Neuroscience, Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Amy E. Kiernan
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Patricia M. White
- Department of Neuroscience, Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States
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10
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Reynolds A, Bielefeld EC. Music as a unique source of noise-induced hearing loss. Hear Res 2023; 430:108706. [PMID: 36736160 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Music is among the most important artistic, cultural, and entertainment modalities in any society. With the proliferation of music genres and the technological advances that allow people to consume music in any location and at any time, music over-exposure has become a significant public health issue. Music-induced hearing loss has a great deal in common with noise-induced hearing loss. However, there are important differences that make music a unique insult to the auditory system and a unique threat to public health. Its unique properties also make it a potentially valuable asset in sound conditioning paradigms. This review discusses hearing loss from noise and music, comparing and contrasting the two. Recent research on music-induced hearing loss is reviewed, followed by discussion of the differences in music-induced hearing loss between performers and consumers. The review concludes with a discussion of the potential of music as a sound conditioning stimulus to protect against acquired hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Reynolds
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, The Ohio State University, 110 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Eric C Bielefeld
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, The Ohio State University, 110 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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11
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Paciello F, Pisani A, Rinaudo M, Cocco S, Paludetti G, Fetoni AR, Grassi C. Noise-induced auditory damage affects hippocampus causing memory deficits in a model of early age-related hearing loss. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 178:106024. [PMID: 36724860 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies identified noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) as a risk factor for sensory aging and cognitive decline processes, including neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and age-related hearing loss (ARHL). Although the association between noise- and age-induced hearing impairment has been widely documented by epidemiological and experimental studies, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood as it is not known how these risk factors (aging and noise) can interact, affecting memory processes. We recently found that early noise exposure in an established animal model of ARHL (C57BL/6 mice) accelerates the onset of age-related cochlear dysfunctions. Here, we extended our previous data by investigating what happens in central brain structures (auditory cortex and hippocampus), to assess the relationship between hearing and memory impairment and the possible combined effect of noise and sensory aging on the cognitive domain. To this aim, we exposed juvenile C57BL/6 mice of 2 months of age to repeated noise sessions (60 min/day, pure tone of 100 dB SPL, 10 kHz, 10 consecutive days) and we monitored auditory threshold by measuring auditory brainstem responses (ABR), spatial working memory, by using the Y-maze test, and basal synaptic transmission by using ex vivo electrophysiological recordings, at different time points (1, 4 and 7 months after the onset of noise exposure, corresponding to 3, 6 and 9 months of age). We found that hearing loss, along with accelerated presbycusis onset, can induce persistent synaptic alterations in the auditory cortex. This was associated with decreased memory performance and oxidative-inflammatory injury in the hippocampus, the extra-auditory structure involved in memory processes. Collectively, our data confirm the critical relationship between auditory and memory circuits, suggesting that the combined detrimental effect of noise and sensory aging on hearing function can be considered a high-risk factor for both sensory and cognitive degenerative processes, given that early noise exposure accelerates presbycusis phenotype and induces hippocampal-dependent memory dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Paciello
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Anna Pisani
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Rinaudo
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Sara Cocco
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Gaetano Paludetti
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy
| | - Anna Rita Fetoni
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Audiology, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.
| | - Claudio Grassi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
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12
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Paciello F, Ripoli C, Fetoni AR, Grassi C. Redox Imbalance as a Common Pathogenic Factor Linking Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:antiox12020332. [PMID: 36829891 PMCID: PMC9952092 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12020332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Experimental and clinical data suggest a tight link between hearing and cognitive functions under both physiological and pathological conditions. Indeed, hearing perception requires high-level cognitive processes, and its alterations have been considered a risk factor for cognitive decline. Thus, identifying common pathogenic determinants of hearing loss and neurodegenerative disease is challenging. Here, we focused on redox status imbalance as a possible common pathological mechanism linking hearing and cognitive dysfunctions. Oxidative stress plays a critical role in cochlear damage occurring during aging, as well as in that induced by exogenous factors, including noise. At the same time, increased oxidative stress in medio-temporal brain regions, including the hippocampus, is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. As such, antioxidant therapy seems to be a promising approach to prevent and/or counteract both sensory and cognitive neurodegeneration. Here, we review experimental evidence suggesting that redox imbalance is a key pathogenetic factor underlying the association between sensorineural hearing loss and neurodegenerative diseases. A greater understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms shared by these two diseased conditions will hopefully provide relevant information to develop innovative and effective therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Paciello
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Cristian Ripoli
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0630154966
| | - Anna Rita Fetoni
- Unit of Audiology, Department of Neuroscience, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Claudio Grassi
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
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13
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Van Der Biest H, Keshishzadeh S, Keppler H, Dhooge I, Verhulst S. Envelope following responses for hearing diagnosis: Robustness and methodological considerations. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 153:191. [PMID: 36732231 DOI: 10.1121/10.0016807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have found that envelope following responses (EFRs) are a marker of age-related and noise- or ototoxic-induced cochlear synaptopathy (CS) in research animals. Whereas the cochlear injury can be well controlled in animal research studies, humans may have an unknown mixture of sensorineural hearing loss [SNHL; e.g., inner- or outer-hair-cell (OHC) damage or CS] that cannot be teased apart in a standard hearing evaluation. Hence, a direct translation of EFR markers of CS to a differential CS diagnosis in humans might be compromised by the influence of SNHL subtypes and differences in recording modalities between research animals and humans. To quantify the robustness of EFR markers for use in human studies, this study investigates the impact of methodological considerations related to electrode montage, stimulus characteristics, and presentation, as well as analysis method on human-recorded EFR markers. The main focus is on rectangularly modulated pure-tone stimuli to evoke the EFR based on a recent auditory modelling study that showed that the EFR was least affected by OHC damage and most sensitive to CS in this stimulus configuration. The outcomes of this study can help guide future clinical implementations of electroencephalography-based SNHL diagnostic tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heleen Van Der Biest
- Hearing Technology at Wireless, Acoustics, Environment and Expert Systems, Department of Information Technology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sarineh Keshishzadeh
- Hearing Technology at Wireless, Acoustics, Environment and Expert Systems, Department of Information Technology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hannah Keppler
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences-Audiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ingeborg Dhooge
- Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sarah Verhulst
- Hearing Technology at Wireless, Acoustics, Environment and Expert Systems, Department of Information Technology, Ghent, Belgium
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14
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Gómez-Álvarez M, Johannesen PT, Coelho-de-Sousa SL, Klump GM, Lopez-Poveda EA. The Relative Contribution of Cochlear Synaptopathy and Reduced Inhibition to Age-Related Hearing Impairment for People With Normal Audiograms. Trends Hear 2023; 27:23312165231213191. [PMID: 37956654 PMCID: PMC10644751 DOI: 10.1177/23312165231213191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Older people often show auditory temporal processing deficits and speech-in-noise intelligibility difficulties even when their audiogram is clinically normal. The causes of such problems remain unclear. Some studies have suggested that for people with normal audiograms, age-related hearing impairments may be due to a cognitive decline, while others have suggested that they may be caused by cochlear synaptopathy. Here, we explore an alternative hypothesis, namely that age-related hearing deficits are associated with decreased inhibition. For human adults (N = 30) selected to cover a reasonably wide age range (25-59 years), with normal audiograms and normal cognitive function, we measured speech reception thresholds in noise (SRTNs) for disyllabic words, gap detection thresholds (GDTs), and frequency modulation detection thresholds (FMDTs). We also measured the rate of growth (slope) of auditory brainstem response wave-I amplitude with increasing level as an indirect indicator of cochlear synaptopathy, and the interference inhibition score in the Stroop color and word test (SCWT) as a proxy for inhibition. As expected, performance in the auditory tasks worsened (SRTNs, GDTs, and FMDTs increased), and wave-I slope and SCWT inhibition scores decreased with ageing. Importantly, SRTNs, GDTs, and FMDTs were not related to wave-I slope but worsened with decreasing SCWT inhibition. Furthermore, after partialling out the effect of SCWT inhibition, age was no longer related to SRTNs or GDTs and became less strongly related to FMDTs. Altogether, results suggest that for people with normal audiograms, age-related deficits in auditory temporal processing and speech-in-noise intelligibility are mediated by decreased inhibition rather than cochlear synaptopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Gómez-Álvarez
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Peter T. Johannesen
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Sónia L. Coelho-de-Sousa
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Georg M. Klump
- Department of Neuroscience and Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Enrique A. Lopez-Poveda
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Departamento de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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15
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Shehabi AM, Prendergast G, Guest H, Plack CJ. Binaural temporal coding and the middle ear muscle reflex in audiometrically normal young adults. Hear Res 2023; 427:108663. [PMID: 36502543 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Noise exposure may damage the synapses that connect inner hair cells with auditory nerve fibers, before outer hair cells are lost. In humans, this cochlear synaptopathy (CS) is thought to decrease the fidelity of peripheral auditory temporal coding. In the current study, the primary hypothesis was that higher middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR) thresholds, as a proxy measure of CS, would be associated with smaller values of the binaural intelligibility level difference (BILD). The BILD, which is a measure of binaural temporal coding, is defined here as the difference in thresholds between the diotic and the antiphasic versions of the digits in noise (DIN) test. This DIN BILD may control for factors unrelated to binaural temporal coding such as linguistic, central auditory, and cognitive factors. Fifty-six audiometrically normal adults (34 females) aged 18 - 30 were tested. The test battery included standard pure tone audiometry, tympanometry, MEMR using a 2 kHz elicitor and 226 Hz and 1 kHz probes, the Noise Exposure Structured Interview, forward digit span test, extended high frequency (EHF) audiometry, and diotic and antiphasic DIN tests. The study protocol was pre-registered prior to data collection. MEMR thresholds did not predict the DIN BILD. Secondary analyses showed no association between MEMR thresholds and the individual diotic and antiphasic DIN thresholds. Greater lifetime noise exposure was non-significantly associated with higher MEMR thresholds, larger DIN BILD values, and lower (better) antiphasic DIN thresholds, but not with diotic DIN thresholds, nor with EHF thresholds. EHF thresholds were associated with neither MEMR thresholds nor any of the DIN outcomes, including the DIN BILD. Results provide no evidence that young, audiometrically normal people incur CS with impacts on binaural temporal processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan M Shehabi
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, UK; Department of Audiology and Speech Therapy, Birzeit University, Palestine.
| | | | - Hannah Guest
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Christopher J Plack
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, UK; Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, UK
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16
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Mauriac SA, Peineau T, Zuberi A, Lutz C, Géléoc GSG. Loss of Pex1 in Inner Ear Hair Cells Contributes to Cochlear Synaptopathy and Hearing Loss. Cells 2022; 11:cells11243982. [PMID: 36552747 PMCID: PMC9777190 DOI: 10.3390/cells11243982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome Biogenesis Disorders (PBD) and Zellweger syndrome spectrum disorders (ZSD) are rare genetic multisystem disorders that include hearing impairment and are associated with defects in peroxisome assembly, function, or both. Mutations in 13 peroxin (PEX) genes have been found to cause PBD-ZSD with ~70% of patients harboring mutations in PEX1. Limited research has focused on the impact of peroxisomal disorders on auditory function. As sensory hair cells are particularly vulnerable to metabolic changes, we hypothesize that mutations in PEX1 lead to oxidative stress affecting hair cells of the inner ear, subsequently resulting in hair cell degeneration and hearing loss. Global deletion of the Pex1 gene is neonatal lethal in mice, impairing any postnatal studies. To overcome this limitation, we created conditional knockout mice (cKO) using Gfi1Creor VGlut3Cre expressing mice crossed to floxed Pex1 mice to allow for selective deletion of Pex1 in the hair cells of the inner ear. We find that Pex1 excision in inner hair cells (IHCs) leads to progressive hearing loss associated with significant decrease in auditory brainstem responses (ABR), specifically ABR wave I amplitude, indicative of synaptic defects. Analysis of IHC synapses in cKO mice reveals a decrease in ribbon synapse volume and functional alterations in exocytosis. Concomitantly, we observe a decrease in peroxisomal number, indicative of oxidative stress imbalance. Taken together, these results suggest a critical function of Pex1 in development and maturation of IHC-spiral ganglion synapses and auditory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A. Mauriac
- Department of Otolaryngology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Kirby Neurobiology Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Thibault Peineau
- Department of Otolaryngology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Kirby Neurobiology Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aamir Zuberi
- Rare Disease Translational Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Technology Evaluation and Development Research Laboratory, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Cathleen Lutz
- Rare Disease Translational Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Gwénaëlle S. G. Géléoc
- Department of Otolaryngology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Kirby Neurobiology Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-617-919-4061
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17
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Cross-species experiments reveal widespread cochlear neural damage in normal hearing. Commun Biol 2022; 5:733. [PMID: 35869142 PMCID: PMC9307777 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03691-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models suggest that cochlear afferent nerve endings may be more vulnerable than sensory hair cells to damage from acoustic overexposure and aging. Because neural degeneration without hair-cell loss cannot be detected in standard clinical audiometry, whether such damage occurs in humans is hotly debated. Here, we address this debate through co-ordinated experiments in at-risk humans and a wild-type chinchilla model. Cochlear neuropathy leads to large and sustained reductions of the wideband middle-ear muscle reflex in chinchillas. Analogously, human wideband reflex measures revealed distinct damage patterns in middle age, and in young individuals with histories of high acoustic exposure. Analysis of an independent large public dataset and additional measurements using clinical equipment corroborated the patterns revealed by our targeted cross-species experiments. Taken together, our results suggest that cochlear neural damage is widespread even in populations with clinically normal hearing. Cross-species experiments on chinchillas and at-risk humans suggest cochlear synaptopathy from noise exposure and aging are widespread even among individuals with clinically normal hearing status.
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18
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Savitska D, Hess M, Calis D, Marchetta P, Harasztosi C, Fink S, Eckert P, Ruth P, Rüttiger L, Knipper M, Singer W. Stress Affects Central Compensation of Neural Responses to Cochlear Synaptopathy in a cGMP-Dependent Way. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:864706. [PMID: 35968392 PMCID: PMC9372611 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.864706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In light of the increasing evidence supporting a link between hearing loss and dementia, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the nature of this relationship. We have previously observed that following cochlear synaptopathy, the temporal auditory processing (e.g., auditory steady state responses, ASSRs), is sustained when reduced auditory input is centrally compensated. This central compensation process was linked to elevated hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). We further observed that, independently of age, central responsiveness to cochlear synaptopathy can differ, resulting in either a low or high capacity to compensate for the reduced auditory input. Lower central compensation resulted in poorer temporal auditory processing, reduced hippocampal LTP, and decreased recruitment of activity-dependent brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in hippocampal regions (low compensators). Higher central compensation capacity resulted in better temporal auditory processing, higher LTP responses, and increased activity-dependent BDNF expression in hippocampal regions. Here, we aimed to identify modifying factors that are potentially responsible for these different central responses. Strikingly, a poorer central compensation capacity was linked to lower corticosterone levels in comparison to those of high compensators. High compensators responded to repeated placebo injections with elevated blood corticosterone levels, reduced auditory brainstem response (ABR) wave I amplitude, reduced inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon number, diminished temporal processing, reduced LTP responses, and decreased activity-dependent hippocampal BDNF expression. In contrast, the same stress exposure through injection did not elevate blood corticosterone levels in low compensators, nor did it reduce IHC ribbons, ABR wave I amplitude, ASSR, LTP, or BDNF expression as seen in high compensators. Interestingly, in high compensators, the stress-induced responses, such as a decline in ABR wave I amplitude, ASSR, LTP, and BDNF could be restored through the “memory-enhancing” drug phosphodiesterase 9A inhibitor (PDE9i). In contrast, the same treatment did not improve these aspects in low compensators. Thus, central compensation of age-dependent cochlear synaptopathy is a glucocorticoid and cyclic guanosine-monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent neuronal mechanism that fails upon a blunted stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Savitska
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Morgan Hess
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dila Calis
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philine Marchetta
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Csaba Harasztosi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Fink
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Eckert
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Ruth
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marlies Knipper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Marlies Knipper
| | - Wibke Singer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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19
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Rumschlag JA, McClaskey CM, Dias JW, Kerouac LB, Noble KV, Panganiban C, Lang H, Harris KC. Age-related central gain with degraded neural synchrony in the auditory brainstem of mice and humans. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 115:50-59. [PMID: 35468552 PMCID: PMC9153923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Aging is associated with auditory nerve (AN) functional deficits and decreased inhibition in the central auditory system, amplifying central responses in a process referred to here as central gain. Although central gain increases response amplitudes, central gain may not restore disrupted response timing. In this translational study, we measured responses putatively generated by the AN and auditory midbrain in younger and older mice and humans. We hypothesized that older mice and humans exhibit increased central gain without an improvement in inter-trial synchrony in the midbrain. Our data demonstrated greater age-related deficits in AN response amplitudes than auditory midbrain response amplitudes, as shown by significant interactions between inferred neural generator and age group, indicating increased central gain in auditory midbrain. However, synchrony decreases with age in both the AN and midbrain responses. These results reveal age-related increases in central gain without concomitant improvements in synchrony, consistent with those predictions based on decreases in inhibition. Persistent decreases in synchrony may contribute to auditory processing deficits in older mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey A Rumschlag
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Carolyn M McClaskey
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - James W Dias
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Lilyana B Kerouac
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Kenyaria V Noble
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Hainan Lang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Kelly C Harris
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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20
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Zhang Y, Chen J, Zhang Y, Sun B, Liu Y. Using Auditory Characteristics to Select Hearing Aid Compression Speeds for Presbycusic Patients. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:869338. [PMID: 35847672 PMCID: PMC9285002 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.869338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study aimed to select the optimal hearing aid compression speeds (fast-acting and slow-acting) for presbycusic patients by using auditory characteristics including temporal modulation and speech-in-noise performance. Methods In total, 24 patients with unilateral or bilateral moderate sensorineural hearing loss who scored higher than 21 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test participated in this study. The electrocochleogram (ECochG) results, including summating potentials (SP) and action potentials (AP), were recorded. Subjects' temporal modulation thresholds and speech recognition at 4 individualized signal-to-noise ratios were measured under three conditions, namely, unaided, aided with fast-acting compression (FAC), and aided with slow-acting compression (SAC). Results The results of this study showed that modulation discrimination thresholds in the unaided (−8.14 dB) and aided SAC (−8.19 dB) conditions were better than the modulation thresholds in the FAC (−4.67 dB) conditions. The speech recognition threshold (SRT75%) for FAC (5.21 dB) did not differ significantly from SAC (3.39 dB) (p = 0.12). A decision tree analysis showed that the inclusion of the AP, unaided modulation thresholds, and unaided SRT75% may correctly identify the optimal compression speeds (FAC vs. SAC) for individual presbycusic patients with up to 90% accuracy. Conclusion Both modes of compression speeds improved a presbycusic patient's speech recognition ability in noise. The SAC hearing aids may better preserve the modulation thresholds than the FAC hearing aids. The measurement of AP, along with the unaided modulation thresholds and unaided SRT75%, may help guide the selection of optimal compression speeds for individual presbycusic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Chen
- School of Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanmei Zhang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Baoxuan Sun
- Widex Hearing Aid (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhe Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yuhe Liu
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21
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Shehabi AM, Prendergast G, Plack CJ. The Relative and Combined Effects of Noise Exposure and Aging on Auditory Peripheral Neural Deafferentation: A Narrative Review. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:877588. [PMID: 35813954 PMCID: PMC9260498 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.877588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal studies have shown that noise exposure and aging cause a reduction in the number of synapses between low and medium spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers and inner hair cells before outer hair cell deterioration. This noise-induced and age-related cochlear synaptopathy (CS) is hypothesized to compromise speech recognition at moderate-to-high suprathreshold levels in humans. This paper evaluates the evidence on the relative and combined effects of noise exposure and aging on CS, in both animals and humans, using histopathological and proxy measures. In animal studies, noise exposure seems to result in a higher proportion of CS (up to 70% synapse loss) compared to aging (up to 48% synapse loss). Following noise exposure, older animals, depending on their species, seem to either exhibit significant or little further synapse loss compared to their younger counterparts. In humans, temporal bone studies suggest a possible age- and noise-related auditory nerve fiber loss. Based on the animal data obtained from different species, we predict that noise exposure may accelerate age-related CS to at least some extent in humans. In animals, noise-induced and age-related CS in separation have been consistently associated with a decreased amplitude of wave 1 of the auditory brainstem response, reduced middle ear muscle reflex strength, and degraded temporal processing as demonstrated by lower amplitudes of the envelope following response. In humans, the individual effects of noise exposure and aging do not seem to translate clearly into deficits in electrophysiological, middle ear muscle reflex, and behavioral measures of CS. Moreover, the evidence on the combined effects of noise exposure and aging on peripheral neural deafferentation in humans using electrophysiological and behavioral measures is even more sparse and inconclusive. Further research is necessary to establish the individual and combined effects of CS in humans using temporal bone, objective, and behavioral measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan M. Shehabi
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Audiology and Speech Therapy, Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestine
| | - Garreth Prendergast
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Plack
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
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22
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Shehabi AM, Prendergast G, Guest H, Plack CJ. The Effect of Lifetime Noise Exposure and Aging on Speech-Perception-in-Noise Ability and Self-Reported Hearing Symptoms: An Online Study. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:890010. [PMID: 35711902 PMCID: PMC9195834 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.890010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal research shows that aging and excessive noise exposure damage cochlear outer hair cells, inner hair cells, and the synapses connecting inner hair cells with the auditory nerve. This may translate into auditory symptoms such as difficulty understanding speech in noise, tinnitus, and hyperacusis. The current study, using a novel online approach, assessed and quantified the effects of lifetime noise exposure and aging on (i) speech-perception-in-noise (SPiN) thresholds, (ii) self-reported hearing ability, and (iii) the presence of tinnitus. Secondary aims involved documenting the effects of lifetime noise exposure and aging on tinnitus handicap and the severity of hyperacusis. Two hundred and ninety-four adults with no past diagnosis of hearing or memory impairments were recruited online. Participants were assigned into two groups: 217 "young" (age range: 18-35 years, females: 151) and 77 "older" (age range: 50-70 years, females: 50). Participants completed a set of online instruments including an otologic health and demographic questionnaire, a dementia screening tool, forward and backward digit span tests, a noise exposure questionnaire, the Khalfa hyperacusis questionnaire, the short-form of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing scale, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, a digits-in-noise test, and a Coordinate Response Measure speech-perception test. Analyses controlled for sex and cognitive function as reflected by the digit span. A detailed protocol was pre-registered, to guard against "p-hacking" of this extensive dataset. Lifetime noise exposure did not predict SPiN thresholds, self-reported hearing ability, or the presence of tinnitus in either age group. Exploratory analyses showed that worse hyperacusis scores, and a greater prevalence of tinnitus, were associated significantly with high lifetime noise exposure in the young, but not in the older group. Age was a significant predictor of SPiN thresholds and the presence of tinnitus, but not of self-reported hearing ability, tinnitus handicap, or severity of hyperacusis. Consistent with several lab studies, our online-derived data suggest that older adults with no diagnosis of hearing impairment have a poorer SPiN ability and a higher risk of tinnitus than their younger counterparts. Moreover, lifetime noise exposure may increase the risk of tinnitus and the severity of hyperacusis in young adults with no diagnosis of hearing impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan M. Shehabi
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Audiology and Speech Therapy, Birzeit University, Birzeit, Palestine
| | - Garreth Prendergast
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah Guest
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Plack
- Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
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23
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Marchetta P, Eckert P, Lukowski R, Ruth P, Singer W, Rüttiger L, Knipper M. Loss of central mineralocorticoid or glucocorticoid receptors impacts auditory nerve processing in the cochlea. iScience 2022; 25:103981. [PMID: 35281733 PMCID: PMC8914323 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The key auditory signature that may associate peripheral hearing with central auditory cognitive defects remains elusive. Suggesting the involvement of stress receptors, we here deleted the mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors (MR and GR) using a CaMKIIα-based tamoxifen-inducible CreERT2/loxP approach to generate mice with single or double deletion of central but not cochlear MR and GR. Hearing thresholds of MRGRCaMKIIαCreERT2 conditional knockouts (cKO) were unchanged, whereas auditory nerve fiber (ANF) responses were larger and faster and auditory steady state responses were improved. Subsequent analysis of single MR or GR cKO revealed discrete roles for both, central MR and GR on cochlear functions. Limbic MR deletion reduced inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon numbers and ANF responses. In contrast, GR deletion shortened the latency and improved the synchronization to amplitude-modulated tones without affecting IHC ribbon numbers. These findings imply that stress hormone-dependent functions of central MR/GR contribute to “precognitive” sound processing in the cochlea. Top-down MR/GR signaling differentially contributes to cochlear sound processing Limbic MR stimulates auditory nerve fiber discharge rates Central GR deteriorates auditory nerve fiber synchrony
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Affiliation(s)
- Philine Marchetta
- University of Tübingen, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Philipp Eckert
- University of Tübingen, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Robert Lukowski
- University of Tübingen, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacy, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Ruth
- University of Tübingen, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacy, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Wibke Singer
- University of Tübingen, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- University of Tübingen, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marlies Knipper
- University of Tübingen, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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24
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Guthrie OW, Wong BA, McInturf SM, Mattie DR. Degenerate brainstem circuitry after combined physiochemical exposure to jet fuel and noise. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2022; 85:175-183. [PMID: 34913848 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2021.1980166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Degenerate neural circuits exhibit "different" circuit properties yet produce similar circuit outcomes (many-to-one) which ensures circuit robustness and complexity. However, neuropathies may hijack degeneracy to yield robust and complex pathological circuits. The aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that physiochemical exposure to combined jet fuel and noise might induce degeneracy in the brainstem. The auditory brainstem of pigmented rats was used as a model system. The animals were randomized into the following experimental groups: Fuel+Noise, fuel-only, noise-only, and control. Ascending volume conductance from various auditory brainstem regions were evaluated simultaneously with peripheral nervous system (PNS) input to brainstem circuitry. Data demonstrated normal PNS inputs for all groups. However, the Fuel+Noise exposure group produced different caudal brainstem circuit properties while rostral brainstem circuitry initiated outputs that were similar to that of control. This degenerative effect was specific to Fuel+Noise exposure, since neither noise-alone or fuel-alone produced the same result. Degeneracy in the auditory brainstem is consistent with perceptual abnormalities, such as poor speech discrimination (hear but not understand), tinnitus (ringing in the ear), hyperacusis (hypersensitivity to even low-level sound), and loudness intolerance. Therefore, a potential consequence of Fuel+Noise exposure among military and civilian populations may be evidenced as increased rates of super-threshold auditory perceptual abnormalities. This is particularly important because to date, the ototoxic profile of Fuel+Noise exposure has remained unresolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- O'neil W Guthrie
- Cell & Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Brian A Wong
- Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (Orise), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Shawn M McInturf
- Naval Medical Research Unit Dayton, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, USA
| | - David R Mattie
- 711 Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, USA
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25
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Fetoni AR, Pisani A, Rolesi R, Paciello F, Viziano A, Moleti A, Sisto R, Troiani D, Paludetti G, Grassi C. Early Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Accelerates Presbycusis Altering Aging Processes in the Cochlea. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:803973. [PMID: 35197842 PMCID: PMC8860087 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.803973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies identified hearing loss as a risk factor for aging-related processes, including neurodegenerative diseases, as dementia and age-related hearing loss (ARHL). Although the association between hearing impairment in midlife and ARHL has been widely documented by epidemiological and experimental studies, the molecular mechanisms underlying this association are not fully understood. In this study, we used an established animal model of ARHL (C57BL/6 mice) to evaluate if early noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) could affect the onset or progression of age-related cochlear dysfunction. We found that hearing loss can exacerbate ARHL, damaging sensory-neural cochlear epithelium and causing synaptopathy. Moreover, we studied common pathological markers shared between hearing loss and ARHL, demonstrating that noise exposure can worsen/accelerate redox status imbalance [increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation, and dysregulation of endogenous antioxidant response] and vascular dysfunction [increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGFC)] in the cochlea. Unveiling the molecular mechanisms underlying the link between hearing loss and aging processes could be valuable to identify effective therapeutic strategies to limit the effect of environmental risk factors on age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rita Fetoni
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Pisani
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Rolando Rolesi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabiola Paciello
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Fabiola Paciello,
| | - Andrea Viziano
- Department of Physics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Arturo Moleti
- Department of Physics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Renata Sisto
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Rome, Italy
| | - Diana Troiani
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Gaetano Paludetti
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Grassi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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26
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Knipper M, Singer W, Schwabe K, Hagberg GE, Li Hegner Y, Rüttiger L, Braun C, Land R. Disturbed Balance of Inhibitory Signaling Links Hearing Loss and Cognition. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 15:785603. [PMID: 35069123 PMCID: PMC8770933 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.785603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal hyperexcitability in the central auditory pathway linked to reduced inhibitory activity is associated with numerous forms of hearing loss, including noise damage, age-dependent hearing loss, and deafness, as well as tinnitus or auditory processing deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In most cases, the reduced central inhibitory activity and the accompanying hyperexcitability are interpreted as an active compensatory response to the absence of synaptic activity, linked to increased central neural gain control (increased output activity relative to reduced input). We here suggest that hyperexcitability also could be related to an immaturity or impairment of tonic inhibitory strength that typically develops in an activity-dependent process in the ascending auditory pathway with auditory experience. In these cases, high-SR auditory nerve fibers, which are critical for the shortest latencies and lowest sound thresholds, may have either not matured (possibly in congenital deafness or autism) or are dysfunctional (possibly after sudden, stressful auditory trauma or age-dependent hearing loss linked with cognitive decline). Fast auditory processing deficits can occur despite maintained basal hearing. In that case, tonic inhibitory strength is reduced in ascending auditory nuclei, and fast inhibitory parvalbumin positive interneuron (PV-IN) dendrites are diminished in auditory and frontal brain regions. This leads to deficits in central neural gain control linked to hippocampal LTP/LTD deficiencies, cognitive deficits, and unbalanced extra-hypothalamic stress control. Under these conditions, a diminished inhibitory strength may weaken local neuronal coupling to homeostatic vascular responses required for the metabolic support of auditory adjustment processes. We emphasize the need to distinguish these two states of excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in hearing disorders: (i) Under conditions of preserved fast auditory processing and sustained tonic inhibitory strength, an excitatory/inhibitory imbalance following auditory deprivation can maintain precise hearing through a memory linked, transient disinhibition that leads to enhanced spiking fidelity (central neural gain⇑) (ii) Under conditions of critically diminished fast auditory processing and reduced tonic inhibitory strength, hyperexcitability can be part of an increased synchronization over a broader frequency range, linked to reduced spiking reliability (central neural gain⇓). This latter stage mutually reinforces diminished metabolic support for auditory adjustment processes, increasing the risks for canonical dementia syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Knipper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Center (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Marlies Knipper,
| | - Wibke Singer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Center (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schwabe
- Experimental Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Gisela E. Hagberg
- Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, University Hospital Tübingen (UKT), Tübingen, Germany
- High-Field Magnetic Resonance, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yiwen Li Hegner
- MEG Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Center of Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Center (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Braun
- MEG Center, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Center of Neurology, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Land
- Department of Experimental Otology, Institute for Audioneurotechnology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
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27
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Chen F, Zhao F, Mahafza N, Lu W. Detecting Noise-Induced Cochlear Synaptopathy by Auditory Brainstem Response in Tinnitus Patients With Normal Hearing Thresholds: A Meta-Analysis. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:778197. [PMID: 34987358 PMCID: PMC8721093 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.778197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy (CS) is defined as a permanent loss of synapses in the auditory nerve pathway following noise exposure. Several studies using auditory brainstem response (ABR) have indicated the presence of CS and increased central gain in tinnitus patients with normal hearing thresholds (TNHT), but the results were inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to review the evidence of CS and its pathological changes in the central auditory system in TNHT. Published studies using ABR to study TNHT were reviewed. PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were selected to search for relevant literature. Studies (489) were retrieved, and 11 were included for meta-analysis. The results supported significantly reduced wave I amplitude in TNHT, whereas the alternations in wave V amplitude were inconsistent among the studies. Consistently increased V/I ratio indicated noise-induced central gain enhancement. The results indicated the evidence of noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy in tinnitus patients with normal hearing. However, inconsistent changes in wave V amplitude may be explained by that the failure of central gain that triggers the pathological neural changes in the central auditory system and/or that increased central gain may be necessary to generate tinnitus but not to maintain tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifan Chen
- Centre for Speech and Language Therapy and Hearing Science, Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Fei Zhao
- Centre for Speech and Language Therapy and Hearing Science, Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
- Department of Hearing and Speech Science, Guangzhou Xinhua College, Guangzhou, China
| | - Nadeem Mahafza
- Centre for Speech and Language Therapy and Hearing Science, Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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28
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Maele TV, Keshishzadeh S, Poortere ND, Dhooge I, Keppler H, Verhulst S. The Variability in Potential Biomarkers for Cochlear Synaptopathy After Recreational Noise Exposure. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:4964-4981. [PMID: 34670099 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-21-00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Speech-in-noise tests and suprathreshold auditory evoked potentials are promising biomarkers to diagnose cochlear synaptopathy (CS) in humans. This study investigated whether these biomarkers changed after recreational noise exposure. METHOD The baseline auditory status of 19 normal-hearing young adults was analyzed using questionnaires, pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and auditory evoked potentials. Nineteen subjects attended a music festival and completed the same tests again at Day 1, Day 3, and Day 5 after the music festival. RESULTS No significant relations were found between lifetime noise-exposure history and the hearing tests. Changes in biomarkers from the first session to the follow-up sessions were nonsignificant, except for speech audiometry, which showed a significant learning effect (performance improvement). CONCLUSIONS Despite the individual variability in prefestival biomarkers, we did not observe changes related to the noise-exposure dose caused by the attended event. This can indicate the absence of noise exposure-driven CS in the study cohort, or reflect that biomarkers were not sensitive enough to detect mild CS. Future research should include a more diverse study cohort, dosimetry, and results from test-retest reliability studies to provide more insight into the relationship between recreational noise exposure and CS. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.16821283.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tine Vande Maele
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Sarineh Keshishzadeh
- Hearing Technology, WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Nele De Poortere
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Ingeborg Dhooge
- Department of Head and Skin, Ghent University, Belgium
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium
| | - Hannah Keppler
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
- Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium
| | - Sarah Verhulst
- Hearing Technology, WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Belgium
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Current topics in hearing research: Deafferentation and threshold independent hearing loss. Hear Res 2021; 419:108408. [PMID: 34955321 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hearing research findings in recent years have begun to change how we think about hearing loss and how we consider the risk of auditory damage from noise exposure. These findings include evidence of noise-induced cochlear damage in the absence of corresponding permanent threshold elevation or evidence of hair cell loss. Animal studies in several species have shown that noise exposures that produce robust but only temporary threshold shifts can permanently damage inner hair cell synaptic ribbons. This type of synaptic degeneration has also been shown to occur as a result of aging in animals and humans. The emergence of these data has motivated a number of clinical studies aimed at identifying the perceptual correlates associated with synaptopathy. The deficits believed to arise from synaptopathy include poorer hearing in background noise, tinnitus and hyperacusis (loudness intolerance). However, the findings from human studies have been mixed. Key questions remain as to whether synaptopathy reliably produces suprathreshold perceptual deficits or whether it serves as an early indicator of auditory damage with suprathreshold deficits emerging later as a function of further cochlear damage. Here, we provide an overview of both human and animal studies that explore the relationship among inner hair cell damage, including loss of afferent synapses, auditory thresholds, and suprathreshold measures of hearing.
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Suthakar K, Liberman MC. Auditory-nerve responses in mice with noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:2027-2038. [PMID: 34788179 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00342.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cochlear synaptopathy is the noise-induced or age-related loss of ribbon synapses between inner hair cells (IHCs) and auditory-nerve fibers (ANFs), first reported in CBA/CaJ mice. Recordings from single ANFs in anesthetized, noise-exposed guinea pigs suggested that neurons with low spontaneous rates (SRs) and high thresholds are more vulnerable than low-threshold, high-SR fibers. However, there is extensive postexposure regeneration of ANFs in guinea pigs but not in mice. Here, we exposed CBA/CaJ mice to octave-band noise and recorded sound-evoked and spontaneous activity from single ANFs at least 2 wk later. Confocal analysis of cochleae immunostained for pre- and postsynaptic markers confirmed the expected loss of 40%-50% of ANF synapses in the basal half of the cochlea; however, our data were not consistent with a selective loss of low-SR fibers. Rather they suggested a loss of both SR groups in synaptopathic regions. Single-fiber thresholds and frequency tuning recovered to pre-exposure levels; however, response to tone bursts showed increased peak and steady-state firing rates, as well as decreased jitter in first-spike latencies. This apparent gain-of-function increased the robustness of tone-burst responses in the presence of continuous masking noise. This study suggests that the nature of noise-induced synaptic damage varies between different species and that, in mouse, the noise-induced hyperexcitability seen in central auditory circuits is also observed at the level of the auditory nerve.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Noise-induced damage to synapses between inner hair cells and auditory-nerve fibers (ANFs) can occur without permanent hair cell damage, resulting in pathophysiology that "hides" behind normal thresholds. Prior single-fiber neurophysiology in guinea pig suggested that noise selectively targets high-threshold ANFs. Here, we show that the lingering pathophysiology differs in mouse, with both ANF groups affected and a paradoxical gain-of-function in surviving low-threshold fibers, including increased onset rate, decreased onset jitter, and reduced maskability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirupa Suthakar
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - M Charles Liberman
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Salvi R, Radziwon K, Manohar S, Auerbach B, Ding D, Liu X, Lau C, Chen YC, Chen GD. Review: Neural Mechanisms of Tinnitus and Hyperacusis in Acute Drug-Induced Ototoxicity. Am J Audiol 2021; 30:901-915. [PMID: 33465315 DOI: 10.1044/2020_aja-20-00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Tinnitus and hyperacusis are debilitating conditions often associated with age-, noise-, and drug-induced hearing loss. Because of their subjective nature, the neural mechanisms that give rise to tinnitus and hyperacusis are poorly understood. Over the past few decades, considerable progress has been made in deciphering the biological bases for these disorders using animal models. Method Important advances in understanding the biological bases of tinnitus and hyperacusis have come from studies in which tinnitus and hyperacusis are consistently induced with a high dose of salicylate, the active ingredient in aspirin. Results Salicylate induced a transient hearing loss characterized by a reduction in otoacoustic emissions, a moderate cochlear threshold shift, and a large reduction in the neural output of the cochlea. As the weak cochlear neural signals were relayed up the auditory pathway, they were progressively amplified so that the suprathreshold neural responses in the auditory cortex were much larger than normal. Excessive central gain (neural amplification), presumably resulting from diminished inhibition, is believed to contribute to hyperacusis and tinnitus. Salicylate also increased corticosterone stress hormone levels. Functional imaging studies indicated that salicylate increased spontaneous activity and enhanced functional connectivity between structures in the central auditory pathway and regions of the brain associated with arousal (reticular formation), emotion (amygdala), memory/spatial navigation (hippocampus), motor planning (cerebellum), and motor control (caudate/putamen). Conclusion These results suggest that tinnitus and hyperacusis arise from aberrant neural signaling in a complex neural network that includes both auditory and nonauditory structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Salvi
- Center for Hearing & Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo
| | - Kelly Radziwon
- Center for Hearing & Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo
| | - Senthilvelan Manohar
- Center for Hearing & Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo
| | - Ben Auerbach
- Center for Hearing & Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo
| | - Dalian Ding
- Center for Hearing & Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo
| | - Xiaopeng Liu
- Center for Hearing & Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo
| | - Condon Lau
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong
| | - Yu-Chen Chen
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, China
| | - Guang-Di Chen
- Center for Hearing & Deafness, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences, The State University of New York at Buffalo
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32
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Age-related decline in cochlear ribbon synapses and its relation to different metrics of auditory-nerve activity. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 108:133-145. [PMID: 34601244 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Loss of inner hair cell-auditory nerve fiber synapses is considered to be an important early stage of neural presbyacusis. Mass potentials, recorded at the cochlear round window, can be used to derive the neural index (NI), a sensitive measure for pharmacologically-induced synapse loss. Here, we investigate the applicability of the NI for measuring age-related auditory synapse loss in young-adult, middle-aged, and old Mongolian gerbils. Synapse loss, which was progressively evident in the 2 aged groups, correlated weakly with NI when measured at a fixed sound level of 60 dB SPL. However, the NI was confounded by decreases in single-unit firing rates at 60 dB SPL. NI at 30 dB above threshold, when firing rates were similar between age groups, did not correlate with synapse loss. Our results show that synapse loss is poorly reflected in the NI of aged gerbils, particularly if further peripheral pathologies are present. The NI may therefore not be a reliable clinical tool to assess synapse loss in aged humans with peripheral hearing loss.
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Patro C, Kreft HA, Wojtczak M. The search for correlates of age-related cochlear synaptopathy: Measures of temporal envelope processing and spatial release from speech-on-speech masking. Hear Res 2021; 409:108333. [PMID: 34425347 PMCID: PMC8424701 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Older adults often experience difficulties understanding speech in adverse listening conditions. It has been suggested that for listeners with normal and near-normal audiograms, these difficulties may, at least in part, arise from age-related cochlear synaptopathy. The aim of this study was to assess if performance on auditory tasks relying on temporal envelope processing reveal age-related deficits consistent with those expected from cochlear synaptopathy. Listeners aged 20 to 66 years were tested using a series of psychophysical, electrophysiological, and speech-perception measures using stimulus configurations that promote coding by medium- and low-spontaneous-rate auditory-nerve fibers. Cognitive measures of executive function were obtained to control for age-related cognitive decline. Results from the different tests were not significantly correlated with each other despite a presumed reliance on common mechanisms involved in temporal envelope processing. Only gap-detection thresholds for a tone in noise and spatial release from speech-on-speech masking were significantly correlated with age. Increasing age was related to impaired cognitive executive function. Multivariate regression analyses showed that individual differences in hearing sensitivity, envelope-based measures, and scores from nonauditory cognitive tests did not significantly contribute to the variability in spatial release from speech-on-speech masking for small target/masker spatial separation, while age was a significant contributor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chhayakanta Patro
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, N640 Elliott Hall, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Heather A Kreft
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, N640 Elliott Hall, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Magdalena Wojtczak
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, N640 Elliott Hall, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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Herrmann B, Butler BE. Hearing loss and brain plasticity: the hyperactivity phenomenon. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:2019-2039. [PMID: 34100151 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02313-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Many aging adults experience some form of hearing problems that may arise from auditory peripheral damage. However, it has been increasingly acknowledged that hearing loss is not only a dysfunction of the auditory periphery but also results from changes within the entire auditory system, from periphery to cortex. Damage to the auditory periphery is associated with an increase in neural activity at various stages throughout the auditory pathway. Here, we review neurophysiological evidence of hyperactivity, auditory perceptual difficulties that may result from hyperactivity, and outline open conceptual and methodological questions related to the study of hyperactivity. We suggest that hyperactivity alters all aspects of hearing-including spectral, temporal, spatial hearing-and, in turn, impairs speech comprehension when background sound is present. By focusing on the perceptual consequences of hyperactivity and the potential challenges of investigating hyperactivity in humans, we hope to bring animal and human electrophysiologists closer together to better understand hearing problems in older adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Herrmann
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada. .,Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Blake E Butler
- Department of Psychology & The Brain and Mind Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,National Centre for Audiology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Johannesen PT, Lopez-Poveda EA. Age-related central gain compensation for reduced auditory nerve output for people with normal audiograms, with and without tinnitus. iScience 2021; 24:102658. [PMID: 34151241 PMCID: PMC8192693 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Central gain compensation for reduced auditory nerve output has been hypothesized as a mechanism for tinnitus with a normal audiogram. Here, we investigate if gain compensation occurs with aging. For 94 people (aged 12-68 years, 64 women, 7 tinnitus) with normal or close-to-normal audiograms, the amplitude of wave I of the auditory brainstem response decreased with increasing age but was not correlated with wave V amplitude after accounting for age-related subclinical hearing loss and cochlear damage, a result indicative of age-related gain compensation. The correlations between age and wave I/III or III/V amplitude ratios suggested that compensation occurs at the wave III generator site. For each one of the seven participants with non-pulsatile tinnitus, the amplitude of wave I, wave V, and the wave I/V amplitude ratio were well within the confidence limits of the non-tinnitus participants. We conclude that increased central gain occurs with aging and is not specific to tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter T Johannesen
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Calle Pintor Fernando Gallego 1, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Enrique A Lopez-Poveda
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Calle Pintor Fernando Gallego 1, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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36
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Jeng JY, Harasztosi C, Carlton A, Corns L, Marchetta P, Johnson SL, Goodyear RJ, Legan KP, Rüttiger L, Richardson GP, Marcotti W. MET currents and otoacoustic emissions from mice with a detached tectorial membrane indicate the extracellular matrix regulates Ca 2+ near stereocilia. J Physiol 2021; 599:2015-2036. [PMID: 33559882 PMCID: PMC7612128 DOI: 10.1113/jp280905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS The aim was to determine whether detachment of the tectorial membrane (TM) from the organ of Corti in Tecta/Tectb-/- mice affects the biophysical properties of cochlear outer hair cells (OHCs). Tecta/Tectb-/- mice have highly elevated hearing thresholds, but OHCs mature normally. Mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channel resting open probability (Po ) in mature OHC is ∼50% in endolymphatic [Ca2+ ], resulting in a large standing depolarizing MET current that would allow OHCs to act optimally as electromotile cochlear amplifiers. MET channel resting Po in vivo is also high in Tecta/Tectb-/- mice, indicating that the TM is unlikely to statically bias the hair bundles of OHCs. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), a readout of active, MET-dependent, non-linear cochlear amplification in OHCs, fail to exhibit long-lasting adaptation to repetitive stimulation in Tecta/Tectb-/- mice. We conclude that during prolonged, sound-induced stimulation of the cochlea the TM may determine the extracellular Ca2+ concentration near the OHC's MET channels. ABSTRACT The tectorial membrane (TM) is an acellular structure of the cochlea that is attached to the stereociliary bundles of the outer hair cells (OHCs), electromotile cells that amplify motion of the cochlear partition and sharpen its frequency selectivity. Although the TM is essential for hearing, its role is still not fully understood. In Tecta/Tectb-/- double knockout mice, in which the TM is not coupled to the OHC stereocilia, hearing sensitivity is considerably reduced compared with that of wild-type animals. In vivo, the OHC receptor potentials, assessed using cochlear microphonics, are symmetrical in both wild-type and Tecta/Tectb-/- mice, indicating that the TM does not bias the hair bundle resting position. The functional maturation of hair cells is also unaffected in Tecta/Tectb-/- mice, and the resting open probability of the mechanoelectrical transducer (MET) channel reaches values of ∼50% when the hair bundles of mature OHCs are bathed in an endolymphatic-like Ca2+ concentration (40 μM) in vitro. The resultant large MET current depolarizes OHCs to near -40 mV, a value that would allow optimal activation of the motor protein prestin and normal cochlear amplification. Although the set point of the OHC receptor potential transfer function in vivo may therefore be determined primarily by endolymphatic Ca2+ concentration, repetitive acoustic stimulation fails to produce adaptation of MET-dependent otoacoustic emissions in vivo in the Tecta/Tectb-/- mice. Therefore, the TM is likely to contribute to the regulation of Ca2+ levels around the stereocilia, and thus adaptation of the OHC MET channel during prolonged sound stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Yi Jeng
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Csaba Harasztosi
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, THRC, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Adam Carlton
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Laura Corns
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Philine Marchetta
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, THRC, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stuart L. Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | | | - Kevin P. Legan
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, THRC, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Guy P. Richardson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Walter Marcotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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Budak M, Grosh K, Sasmal A, Corfas G, Zochowski M, Booth V. Contrasting mechanisms for hidden hearing loss: Synaptopathy vs myelin defects. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008499. [PMID: 33481777 PMCID: PMC7857583 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hidden hearing loss (HHL) is an auditory neuropathy characterized by normal hearing thresholds but reduced amplitudes of the sound-evoked auditory nerve compound action potential (CAP). In animal models, HHL can be caused by moderate noise exposure or aging, which induces loss of inner hair cell (IHC) synapses. In contrast, recent evidence has shown that transient loss of cochlear Schwann cells also causes permanent auditory deficits in mice with similarities to HHL. Histological analysis of the cochlea after auditory nerve remyelination showed a permanent disruption of the myelination patterns at the heminode of type I spiral ganglion neuron (SGN) peripheral terminals, suggesting that this defect could be contributing to HHL. To shed light on the mechanisms of different HHL scenarios observed in animals and to test their impact on type I SGN activity, we constructed a reduced biophysical model for a population of SGN peripheral axons whose activity is driven by a well-accepted model of cochlear sound processing. We found that the amplitudes of simulated sound-evoked SGN CAPs are lower and have greater latencies when heminodes are disorganized, i.e. they occur at different distances from the hair cell rather than at the same distance as in the normal cochlea. These results confirm that disruption of heminode positions causes desynchronization of SGN spikes leading to a loss of temporal resolution and reduction of the sound-evoked SGN CAP. Another mechanism resulting in HHL is loss of IHC synapses, i.e., synaptopathy. For comparison, we simulated synaptopathy by removing high threshold IHC-SGN synapses and found that the amplitude of simulated sound-evoked SGN CAPs decreases while latencies remain unchanged, as has been observed in noise exposed animals. Thus, model results illuminate diverse disruptions caused by synaptopathy and demyelination on neural activity in auditory processing that contribute to HHL as observed in animal models and that can contribute to perceptual deficits induced by nerve damage in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maral Budak
- Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Karl Grosh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Aritra Sasmal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Gabriel Corfas
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GC); (MZ); (VB)
| | - Michal Zochowski
- Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GC); (MZ); (VB)
| | - Victoria Booth
- Departments of Mathematics & Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GC); (MZ); (VB)
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Lattenkamp EZ, Nagy M, Drexl M, Vernes SC, Wiegrebe L, Knörnschild M. Hearing sensitivity and amplitude coding in bats are differentially shaped by echolocation calls and social calls. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202600. [PMID: 33402076 PMCID: PMC7892409 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in auditory perception between species are influenced by phylogenetic origin and the perceptual challenges imposed by the natural environment, such as detecting prey- or predator-generated sounds and communication signals. Bats are well suited for comparative studies on auditory perception since they predominantly rely on echolocation to perceive the world, while their social calls and most environmental sounds have low frequencies. We tested if hearing sensitivity and stimulus level coding in bats differ between high and low-frequency ranges by measuring auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) of 86 bats belonging to 11 species. In most species, auditory sensitivity was equally good at both high- and low-frequency ranges, while amplitude was more finely coded for higher frequency ranges. Additionally, we conducted a phylogenetic comparative analysis by combining our ABR data with published data on 27 species. Species-specific peaks in hearing sensitivity correlated with peak frequencies of echolocation calls and pup isolation calls, suggesting that changes in hearing sensitivity evolved in response to frequency changes of echolocation and social calls. Overall, our study provides the most comprehensive comparative assessment of bat hearing capacities to date and highlights the evolutionary pressures acting on their sensory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Z Lattenkamp
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany.,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus Drexl
- German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (IFB), Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany.,Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
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Keshishzadeh S, Garrett M, Verhulst S. Towards Personalized Auditory Models: Predicting Individual Sensorineural Hearing-Loss Profiles From Recorded Human Auditory Physiology. Trends Hear 2021; 25:2331216520988406. [PMID: 33526004 PMCID: PMC7871356 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520988406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, different types of auditory models have been developed to study the functioning of normal and impaired auditory processing. Several models can simulate frequency-dependent sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and can in this way be used to develop personalized audio-signal processing for hearing aids. However, to determine individualized SNHL profiles, we rely on indirect and noninvasive markers of cochlear and auditory-nerve (AN) damage. Our progressive knowledge of the functional aspects of different SNHL subtypes stresses the importance of incorporating them into the simulated SNHL profile, but has at the same time complicated the task of accomplishing this on the basis of noninvasive markers. In particular, different auditory-evoked potential (AEP) types can show a different sensitivity to outer-hair-cell (OHC), inner-hair-cell (IHC), or AN damage, but it is not clear which AEP-derived metric is best suited to develop personalized auditory models. This study investigates how simulated and recorded AEPs can be used to derive individual AN- or OHC-damage patterns and personalize auditory processing models. First, we individualized the cochlear model parameters using common methods of frequency-specific OHC-damage quantification, after which we simulated AEPs for different degrees of AN damage. Using a classification technique, we determined the recorded AEP metric that best predicted the simulated individualized cochlear synaptopathy profiles. We cross-validated our method using the data set at hand, but also applied the trained classifier to recorded AEPs from a new cohort to illustrate the generalizability of the method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarineh Keshishzadeh
- Hearing Technology @ WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Markus Garrett
- Medizinische Physik and Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Verhulst
- Hearing Technology @ WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Belgium
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40
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Age-related hearing loss pertaining to potassium ion channels in the cochlea and auditory pathway. Pflugers Arch 2020; 473:823-840. [PMID: 33336302 PMCID: PMC8076138 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-020-02496-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most prevalent sensory deficit in the elderly and constitutes the third highest risk factor for dementia. Lifetime noise exposure, genetic predispositions for degeneration, and metabolic stress are assumed to be the major causes of ARHL. Both noise-induced and hereditary progressive hearing have been linked to decreased cell surface expression and impaired conductance of the potassium ion channel KV7.4 (KCNQ4) in outer hair cells, inspiring future therapies to maintain or prevent the decline of potassium ion channel surface expression to reduce ARHL. In concert with KV7.4 in outer hair cells, KV7.1 (KCNQ1) in the stria vascularis, calcium-activated potassium channels BK (KCNMA1) and SK2 (KCNN2) in hair cells and efferent fiber synapses, and KV3.1 (KCNC1) in the spiral ganglia and ascending auditory circuits share an upregulated expression or subcellular targeting during final differentiation at hearing onset. They also share a distinctive fragility for noise exposure and age-dependent shortfalls in energy supply required for sustained surface expression. Here, we review and discuss the possible contribution of select potassium ion channels in the cochlea and auditory pathway to ARHL. We postulate genes, proteins, or modulators that contribute to sustained ion currents or proper surface expressions of potassium channels under challenging conditions as key for future therapies of ARHL.
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Enhancing the sensitivity of the envelope-following response for cochlear synaptopathy screening in humans: The role of stimulus envelope. Hear Res 2020; 400:108132. [PMID: 33333426 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Auditory de-afferentation, a permanent reduction in the number of inner-hair-cells and auditory-nerve synapses due to cochlear damage or synaptopathy, can reliably be quantified using temporal bone histology and immunostaining. However, there is an urgent need for non-invasive markers of synaptopathy to study its perceptual consequences in live humans and to develop effective therapeutic interventions. While animal studies have identified candidate auditory-evoked-potential (AEP) markers for synaptopathy, their interpretation in humans has suffered from translational issues related to neural generator differences, unknown hearing-damage histopathologies or lack of measurement sensitivity. To render AEP-based markers of synaptopathy more sensitive and differential to the synaptopathy aspect of sensorineural hearing loss, we followed a combined computational and experimental approach. Starting from the known characteristics of auditory-nerve physiology, we optimized the stimulus envelope to stimulate the available auditory-nerve population optimally and synchronously to generate strong envelope-following-responses (EFRs). We further used model simulations to explore which stimuli evoked a response that was sensitive to synaptopathy, while being maximally insensitive to possible co-existing outer-hair-cell pathologies. We compared the model-predicted trends to AEPs recorded in younger and older listeners (N=44, 24f) who had normal or impaired audiograms with suspected age-related synaptopathy in the older cohort. We conclude that optimal stimulation paradigms for EFR-based quantification of synaptopathy should have sharply rising envelope shapes, a minimal plateau duration of 1.7-2.1 ms for a 120-Hz modulation rate, and inter-peak intervals which contain near-zero amplitudes. From our recordings, the optimal EFR-evoking stimulus had a rectangular envelope shape with a 25% duty cycle and a 95% modulation depth. Older listeners with normal or impaired audiometric thresholds showed significantly reduced EFRs, which were consistent with how (age-induced) synaptopathy affected these responses in the model.
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Carcagno S, Plack CJ. Effects of age on psychophysical measures of auditory temporal processing and speech reception at low and high levels. Hear Res 2020; 400:108117. [PMID: 33253994 PMCID: PMC7812372 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 10/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We found little evidence of greater age-related hearing declines at high sound levels. There are age-related temporal-processing declines independent of hearing loss. No evidence of age-related speech-reception deficits independent of hearing loss.
Age-related cochlear synaptopathy (CS) has been shown to occur in rodents with minimal noise exposure, and has been hypothesized to play a crucial role in age-related hearing declines in humans. It is not known to what extent age-related CS occurs in humans, and how it affects the coding of supra-threshold sounds and speech in noise. Because in rodents CS affects mainly low- and medium-spontaneous rate (L/M-SR) auditory-nerve fibers with rate-level functions covering medium-high levels, it should lead to greater deficits in the processing of sounds at high than at low stimulus levels. In this cross-sectional study the performance of 102 listeners across the age range (34 young, 34 middle-aged, 34 older) was assessed in a set of psychophysical temporal processing and speech reception in noise tests at both low, and high stimulus levels. Mixed-effect multiple regression models were used to estimate the effects of age while partialing out effects of audiometric thresholds, lifetime noise exposure, cognitive abilities (assessed with additional tests), and musical experience. Age was independently associated with performance deficits on several tests. However, only for one out of 13 tests were age effects credibly larger at the high compared to the low stimulus level. Overall these results do not provide much evidence that age-related CS, to the extent to which it may occur in humans according to the rodent model of greater L/M-SR synaptic loss, has substantial effects on psychophysical measures of auditory temporal processing or on speech reception in noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Carcagno
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YF, United Kingdom.
| | - Christopher J Plack
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YF, United Kingdom; Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Academic Health Science Centre, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
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Within-Subject Comparisons of the Auditory Brainstem Response and Uncomfortable Loudness Levels in Ears With and Without Tinnitus in Unilateral Tinnitus Subjects With Normal Audiograms. Otol Neurotol 2020; 42:10-17. [PMID: 33177407 DOI: 10.1097/mao.0000000000002867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether cochlear synaptopathy is a common pathophysiologic cause of tinnitus in individuals with normal audiograms. STUDY DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Tertiary referral center. METHODS We enrolled 27 subjects with unilateral tinnitus and normal symmetric hearing thresholds, and 27 age- and sex-matched control subjects with normal symmetric hearing thresholds. We measured 1) the amplitudes of waves I and V with 90 dB nHL click stimuli in quiet conditions; 2) the latency shift of wave V with 80 dB nHL click stimuli in background noise, varying from 40 dB HL to 70 dB HL; and 3) uncomfortable loudness levels (UCLs) at 500 Hz and 3000 Hz pure tones. RESULTS There were no significant differences in the wave V/I amplitude ratio or the latency shift in wave V with increasing noise levels among the tinnitus ears (TEs), nontinnitus ears (NTEs), and control ears. There were no significant differences in UCLs at 500 Hz or 3000 Hz between TEs and NTEs, but the UCLs were lower in TEs (mean 111.3 dB or 104.1 dB) and NTEs (mean 109.4 dB or 100.6 dB) than in control ears (mean 117.9 dB or 114.1 dB, p < 0.017). No subject met our criteria for cochlear synaptopathy or increased central gain in terms of all three parameters. CONCLUSION Based on these results for UCL, increased central gain is a major mechanism of tinnitus in humans with normal audiograms. However, this compensatory mechanism for reduced auditory input may originate from other pathophysiologic factors rather than from cochlear synaptopathy.
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Marchetta P, Savitska D, Kübler A, Asola G, Manthey M, Möhrle D, Schimmang T, Rüttiger L, Knipper M, Singer W. Age-Dependent Auditory Processing Deficits after Cochlear Synaptopathy Depend on Auditory Nerve Latency and the Ability of the Brain to Recruit LTP/BDNF. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100710. [PMID: 33036168 PMCID: PMC7601375 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Age-related decoupling of auditory nerve fibers from hair cells (cochlear synaptopathy) has been linked to temporal processing deficits and impaired speech recognition performance. The link between both is elusive. We have previously demonstrated that cochlear synaptopathy, if centrally compensated through enhanced input/output function (neural gain), can prevent age-dependent temporal discrimination loss. It was also found that central neural gain after acoustic trauma was linked to hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Using middle-aged and old BDNF-live-exon-visualization (BLEV) reporter mice we analyzed the specific recruitment of LTP and the activity-dependent usage of Bdnf exon-IV and -VI promoters relative to cochlear synaptopathy and central (temporal) processing. For both groups, specimens with higher or lower ability to centrally compensate diminished auditory nerve activity were found. Strikingly, low compensating mouse groups differed from high compensators by prolonged auditory nerve latency. Moreover, low compensators exhibited attenuated responses to amplitude-modulated tones, and a reduction of hippocampal LTP and Bdnf transcript levels in comparison to high compensators. These results suggest that latency of auditory nerve processing, recruitment of hippocampal LTP, and Bdnf transcription, are key factors for age-dependent auditory processing deficits, rather than cochlear synaptopathy or aging per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philine Marchetta
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
| | - Daria Savitska
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
| | - Angelika Kübler
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
| | - Giulia Asola
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
| | - Marie Manthey
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
| | - Dorit Möhrle
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
| | - Thomas Schimmang
- Instituto de Biologíay Genética Molecular, Universidad de Valladolid y Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, E-47003 Valladolid, Spain;
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
| | - Marlies Knipper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)7071-2988194; Fax: +49-(0)7071-294950
| | - Wibke Singer
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Molecular Physiology of Hearing, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; (P.M.); (D.S.); (A.K.); (G.A.); (M.M.); (D.M.); (L.R.); (W.S.)
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Carcagno S, Plack CJ. Effects of age on electrophysiological measures of cochlear synaptopathy in humans. Hear Res 2020; 396:108068. [PMID: 32979760 PMCID: PMC7593961 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Age-related cochlear synaptopathy (CS) has been shown to occur in rodents with minimal noise exposure, and has been hypothesized to play a crucial role in age-related hearing declines in humans. Because CS affects mainly low-spontaneous rate auditory nerve fibers, differential electrophysiological measures such as the ratio of the amplitude of wave I of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) at high to low click levels (WIH/WIL), and the difference between frequency following response (FFR) levels to shallow and deep amplitude modulated tones (FFRS-FFRD), have been proposed as CS markers. However, age-related audiometric threshold shifts, particularly prominent at high frequencies, may confound the interpretation of these measures in cross-sectional studies of age-related CS. To address this issue, we measured WIH/WIL and FFRS-FFRD using highpass masking (HP) noise to eliminate the contribution of high-frequency cochlear regions to the responses in a cross-sectional sample of 102 subjects (34 young, 34 middle-aged, 34 older). WIH/WIL in the presence of the HP noise did not decrease as a function of age. However, in the absence of HP noise, WIH/WIL showed credible age-related decreases even after partialing out the effects of audiometric threshold shifts. No credible age-related decreases of FFRS-FFRD were found. Overall, the results do not provide evidence of age-related CS in the low-frequency region where the responses were restricted by the HP noise, but are consistent with the presence of age-related CS in higher frequency regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Carcagno
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YF, United Kingdom.
| | - Christopher J Plack
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YF, United Kingdom; Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
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Kobrina A, Schrode KM, Screven LA, Javaid H, Weinberg MM, Brown G, Board R, Villavisanis DF, Dent ML, Lauer AM. Linking anatomical and physiological markers of auditory system degeneration with behavioral hearing assessments in a mouse (Mus musculus) model of age-related hearing loss. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 96:87-103. [PMID: 32950782 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss is a very common sensory disability, affecting one in three older adults. Establishing a link between anatomical, physiological, and behavioral markers of presbycusis in a mouse model can improve the understanding of this disorder in humans. We measured age-related hearing loss for a variety of acoustic signals in quiet and noisy environments using an operant conditioning procedure and investigated the status of peripheral structures in CBA/CaJ mice. Mice showed the greatest degree of hearing loss in the last third of their lifespan, with higher thresholds in noisy than in quiet conditions. Changes in auditory brainstem response thresholds and waveform morphology preceded behavioral hearing loss onset. Loss of hair cells, auditory nerve fibers, and signs of stria vascularis degeneration were observed in old mice. The present work underscores the difficulty in ascribing the primary cause of age-related hearing loss to any particular type of cellular degeneration. Revealing these complex structure-function relationships is critical for establishing successful intervention strategies to restore hearing or prevent presbycusis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katrina M Schrode
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Laurel A Screven
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hamad Javaid
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Madison M Weinberg
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Garrett Brown
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ryleigh Board
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dillan F Villavisanis
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Micheal L Dent
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo SUNY, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Amanda M Lauer
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Center for Hearing and Balance, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Search for Electrophysiological Indices of Hidden Hearing Loss in Humans: Click Auditory Brainstem Response Across Sound Levels and in Background Noise. Ear Hear 2020; 42:53-67. [PMID: 32675590 DOI: 10.1097/aud.0000000000000905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Recent studies in animals indicate that even moderate levels of exposure to noise can damage synaptic ribbons between the inner hair cells and auditory nerve fibers without affecting audiometric thresholds, giving rise to the use of the term "hidden hearing loss" (HHL). Despite evidence across several animal species, there is little consistent evidence for HHL in humans. The aim of the study is to evaluate potential electrophysiological changes specific to individuals at risk for HHL. DESIGN Participants forming the high-risk experimental group consisted of 28 young normal-hearing adults who participated in marching band for at least 5 years. Twenty-eight age-matched normal-hearing adults who were not part of the marching band and had little or no history of recreational or occupational exposure to loud sounds formed the low-risk control group. Measurements included pure tone audiometry of conventional and high frequencies, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and electrophysiological measures of auditory nerve and brainstem function as reflected in the click-evoked auditory brainstem response (ABR). In experiment 1, ABRs were recorded in a quiet background across stimulus levels (30-90 dB nHL) presented in 10 dB steps. In experiment 2, the ABR was elicited by a 70 dB nHL click stimulus presented in a quiet background, and in the presence of simultaneous ipsilateral continuous broadband noise presented at 50, 60, and 70 dB SPL using an insert earphone (Etymotic, ER2). RESULTS There were no differences between the low- and high-risk groups in audiometric thresholds or distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitude. Experiment 1 demonstrated smaller wave-I amplitudes at moderate and high sound levels for high-risk compared to low-risk group with similar wave III and wave V amplitude. Enhanced amplitude ratio V/I, particularly at moderate sound level (60 dB nHL), suggesting central compensation for reduced input from the periphery for high-risk group. The results of experiment 2 show that the decrease in wave I amplitude with increasing background noise level was relatively smaller for the high-risk compared to the low-risk group. However, wave V amplitude reduction was essentially similar for both groups. These results suggest that masking induced wave I amplitude reduction is smaller in individuals at high risk for cochlear synaptopathy. Unlike previous studies, we did not observe a difference in the noise-induced wave V latency shift between low- and high-risk groups. CONCLUSIONS Results of experiment 1 are consistent with findings in both animal studies (that suggest cochlear synaptopathy involving selective damage of low-spontaneous rate and medium-spontaneous rate fibers), and in several human studies that show changes in a range of ABR metrics that suggest the presence of cochlear synaptopathy. However, without postmortem examination by harvesting human temporal bone (the gold standard for identifying synaptopathy) with different noise exposure background, no direct inferences can be derived for the presence/extent of cochlear synaptopathy in high-risk group with high sound over-exposure history. Results of experiment 2 demonstrate that to the extent response amplitude reflects both the number of neural elements responding and the neural synchrony of the responding elements, the relatively smaller change in response amplitude for the high-risk group would suggest a reduced susceptibility to masking. One plausible mechanism would be that suppressive effects that kick in at moderate to high levels are different in these two groups, particularly at moderate levels of the masking noise. Altogether, a larger scale dataset with different noise exposure background, longitudinal measurements (changes due to recreational over-exposure by studying middle-school to high-school students enrolled in marching band) with an array of behavioral and electrophysiological tests are needed to understand the complex pathogenesis of sound over-exposure damage in normal-hearing individuals.
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Marchetta P, Möhrle D, Eckert P, Reimann K, Wolter S, Tolone A, Lang I, Wolters M, Feil R, Engel J, Paquet-Durand F, Kuhn M, Knipper M, Rüttiger L. Guanylyl Cyclase A/cGMP Signaling Slows Hidden, Age- and Acoustic Trauma-Induced Hearing Loss. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:83. [PMID: 32327991 PMCID: PMC7160671 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the inner ear, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling has been described as facilitating otoprotection, which was previously observed through elevated cGMP levels achieved by phosphodiesterase 5 inhibition. However, to date, the upstream guanylyl cyclase (GC) subtype eliciting cGMP production is unknown. Here, we show that mice with a genetic disruption of the gene encoding the cGMP generator GC-A, the receptor for atrial and B-type natriuretic peptides, display a greater vulnerability of hair cells to hidden hearing loss and noise- and age-dependent hearing loss. This vulnerability was associated with GC-A expression in spiral ganglia and outer hair cells (OHCs) but not in inner hair cells (IHCs). GC-A knockout mice exhibited elevated hearing thresholds, most pronounced for the detection of high-frequency tones. Deficits in OHC input–output functions in high-frequency regions were already present in young GC-A-deficient mice, with no signs of an accelerated progression of age-related hearing loss or higher vulnerability to acoustic trauma. OHCs in these frequency regions in young GC-A knockout mice exhibited diminished levels of KCNQ4 expression, which is the dominant K+ channel in OHCs, and decreased activation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1, an enzyme involved in DNA repair. Further, GC-A knockout mice had IHC synapse impairments and reduced amplitudes of auditory brainstem responses that progressed with age and with acoustic trauma, in contrast to OHCs, when compared to GC-A wild-type littermates. We conclude that GC-A/cGMP-dependent signaling pathways have otoprotective functions and GC-A gene disruption differentially contributes to hair-cell damage in a healthy, aged, or injured system. Thus, augmentation of natriuretic peptide GC-A signaling likely has potential to overcome hidden and noise-induced hearing loss, as well as presbycusis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philine Marchetta
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dorit Möhrle
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Philipp Eckert
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Reimann
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Steffen Wolter
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Arianna Tolone
- Cell Death Mechanisms Group, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Isabelle Lang
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Hearing Research, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Markus Wolters
- Signal Transduction and Transgenic Models, Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Robert Feil
- Signal Transduction and Transgenic Models, Interfaculty Institute of Biochemistry, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jutta Engel
- Department of Biophysics, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Hearing Research, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - François Paquet-Durand
- Cell Death Mechanisms Group, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michaela Kuhn
- Institute of Physiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marlies Knipper
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lukas Rüttiger
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Oosterloo BC, Homans NC, Baatenburg de Jong RJ, Ikram MA, Nagtegaal AP, Goedegebure A. Assessing hearing loss in older adults with a single question and person characteristics; Comparison with pure tone audiometry in the Rotterdam Study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228349. [PMID: 31986178 PMCID: PMC6984733 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hearing loss (HL) is a frequent problem among the elderly and has been studied in many cohort studies. However, pure tone audiometry—the gold standard—is rather time-consuming and costly for large population-based studies. We have investigated if self-reported hearing loss, using a multiple choice question, can be used to assess HL in absence of pure tone audiometry. Methods This study was performed within 4,906 participants of the Rotterdam Study. The question (in Dutch) that was investigated was: ‘Do you have any difficulty with your hearing (without hearing aids)?’. The answer options were: 'never', 'sometimes', 'often' and 'daily'. Mild hearing loss or worse was defined as PTA0.5-4(Pure Tone Average 0.5, 1, 2 & 4 kHz) ≥20dBHL and moderate HL or worse as ≥35dBHL. A univariable linear regression model was fitted with the PTA0.5–4 and the answer to the question. Subsequently, sex, age and education were added in a multivariable linear regression model. The ability of the question to classify HL, accounting for sex, age and education, was explored through logistic regression models creating prediction estimates, which were plotted in ROC curves. Results The variance explained (R2) by the univariable regression was 0.37, which increased substantially after adding age (R2 = 0.60). The addition of sex and educational level, however, did not alter the R2 (0.61). The ability of the question to classify hearing loss, reflected in the area under the curve (AUC), was 0.70 (95% CI 0.68, 0.71) for mild hearing loss or worse and 0.86 (95% CI 0.85, 0.87) for moderate hearing loss or worse. The AUC increased substantially when sex, education and age were taken into account (AUC mild HL: 0.73 (95%CI 0.71, 0.75); moderate HL 0.90 (95%CI 0.89, 0.91)). Conclusion Self-reported hearing loss using a single question has a good ability to detect hearing loss in older adults, especially when age is accounted for. A single question cannot substitute audiometry, but it can assess hearing loss on a population level with reasonable accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berthe C. Oosterloo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Nienke C. Homans
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - A. Paul Nagtegaal
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
| | - André Goedegebure
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, The Netherlands
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Parthasarathy A, Hancock KE, Bennett K, DeGruttola V, Polley DB. Bottom-up and top-down neural signatures of disordered multi-talker speech perception in adults with normal hearing. eLife 2020; 9:e51419. [PMID: 31961322 PMCID: PMC6974362 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In social settings, speech waveforms from nearby speakers mix together in our ear canals. Normally, the brain unmixes the attended speech stream from the chorus of background speakers using a combination of fast temporal processing and cognitive active listening mechanisms. Of >100,000 patient records,~10% of adults visited our clinic because of reduced hearing, only to learn that their hearing was clinically normal and should not cause communication difficulties. We found that multi-talker speech intelligibility thresholds varied widely in normal hearing adults, but could be predicted from neural phase-locking to frequency modulation (FM) cues measured with ear canal EEG recordings. Combining neural temporal fine structure processing, pupil-indexed listening effort, and behavioral FM thresholds accounted for 78% of the variability in multi-talker speech intelligibility. The disordered bottom-up and top-down markers of poor multi-talker speech perception identified here could inform the design of next-generation clinical tests for hidden hearing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravindakshan Parthasarathy
- Eaton-Peabody LaboratoriesMassachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck SurgeryHarvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Kenneth E Hancock
- Eaton-Peabody LaboratoriesMassachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck SurgeryHarvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Kara Bennett
- Bennett Statistical Consulting IncBallstonUnited States
| | - Victor DeGruttola
- Department of BiostatisticsHarvard TH Chan School of Public HealthBostonUnited States
| | - Daniel B Polley
- Eaton-Peabody LaboratoriesMassachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonUnited States
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck SurgeryHarvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
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