Abstract

The investigator advances the hypothesis that because octopus cells of the cochlear nuclei detect synchronous firing of groups of auditory nerve fibers, that they may mediate natural sound detection. The proposed studies will investigate the nature and modulation of the conductances that have been identified in the octopus cells to learn how gain of coincidence detection is regulated. The four specific aims are as follows: 1 Test whether the inwardly rectifying conductance of octopus cells is modulated through second messenger systems. 2 Determine whether the surgical and genetic removal of auditory nerve input affects the excitability of octopus cells. 3 Describe the potassium and inwardly rectifying conductances with whole-cell voltage clamping. 4 Test the hypothesis that the tonotopic arrangement of inputs on the dendrites of octopus cells compensates for the traveling wave delay in the cochlea and enhances coincidence detection.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC000176-22
Application #
6624786
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-IFCN-6 (01))
Program Officer
Freeman, Nancy
Project Start
1981-07-01
Project End
2004-11-30
Budget Start
2002-12-01
Budget End
2003-11-30
Support Year
22
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$332,041
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715

  Publications

Cao, Xiao-Jie; Oertel, Donata (2017) Genetic perturbations suggest a role of the resting potential in regulating the expression of the ion channels of the KCNA and HCN families in octopus cells of the ventral cochlear nucleus. Hear Res 345:57-68
Ison, James R; Allen, Paul D; Oertel, Donata (2017) Deleting the HCN1 Subunit of Hyperpolarization-Activated Ion Channels in Mice Impairs Acoustic Startle Reflexes, Gap Detection, and Spatial Localization. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 18:427-440
Oertel, Donata; Cao, Xiao-Jie; Ison, James R et al. (2017) Cellular Computations Underlying Detection of Gaps in Sounds and Lateralizing Sound Sources. Trends Neurosci 40:613-624
Wright, Samantha; Hwang, Youngdeok; Oertel, Donata (2014) Synaptic transmission between end bulbs of Held and bushy cells in the cochlear nucleus of mice with a mutation in Otoferlin. J Neurophysiol 112:3173-88
McGinley, Matthew J; Liberman, M Charles; Bal, Ramazan et al. (2012) Generating synchrony from the asynchronous: compensation for cochlear traveling wave delays by the dendrites of individual brainstem neurons. J Neurosci 32:9301-11
Golding, Nace L; Oertel, Donata (2012) Synaptic integration in dendrites: exceptional need for speed. J Physiol 590:5563-9
Oertel, Donata; Wright, Samantha; Cao, Xiao-Jie et al. (2011) The multiple functions of T stellate/multipolar/chopper cells in the ventral cochlear nucleus. Hear Res 276:61-9
Oertel, Donata (2011) GluA4 sustains sensing of sounds through stable, speedy, sumptuous, spineless synapses. J Physiol 589:4089-90
Cao, Xiao-Jie; Oertel, Donata (2011) The magnitudes of hyperpolarization-activated and low-voltage-activated potassium currents co-vary in neurons of the ventral cochlear nucleus. J Neurophysiol 106:630-40
Cao, Xiao-Jie; Oertel, Donata (2010) Auditory nerve fibers excite targets through synapses that vary in convergence, strength, and short-term plasticity. J Neurophysiol 104:2308-20

Showing the most recent 10 out of 24 publications