Much work over the past decade has implicated hyperactivity in the auditory system as an important neural correlate of tinnitus. For some forms of tinnitus, this hyperactivity is first observed in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), where it is triggered by loss of normal input from the auditory nerve. The ability to develop effective treatments for tinnitus is likely to be enhanced by a better understanding of a) the cellular origins and underlying mechanisms of tinnitus-related hyperactivity in the DCN b) how this activity is controlled by descending inputs from higher order auditory centers, and c) how DCN hyperactivity influences the emergence of hyperactivity at higher levels of the auditory system. The proposed research will take major steps toward the fulfillment of all three needs.
Aims 1 and 2 will apply a combination of electrophysiological and pharmacological approaches to determine the relative importance of receptor-mediated plasticity and ion channel alterations as underlying mechanisms of hyperactivity.
Aim 3 will investigate the influence of descending pathways from other brainstem auditory nuclei on the level of hyperactivity in the DCN. We will focus on two different centrifugal pathways, one from the inferior colliculus and the other from the superior olivary complex. The influence of these pathways on DCN hyperactivity will be investigated by selective lesioning, as well as by electrical and acoustic stimulation of their structures of origin.
Aim 4 will examine the long-term consequences of noise exposure on the chemistry of auditory centers at brainstem levels of the auditory system.
Aim 5 will focus on the inferior colliculus as a possible generator site of tinnitus related hyperactivity. We will use electrophysiological recording methods to demonstrate that hyperactivity develops in the inferior colliculus as a result of intense noise exposure. The DCN will then be ablated to determine whether IC hyperactivity persists or disappears. The results will enable us to establish whether the IC is an independent site of tinnitus generation or instead, simply receives this hyperactivity from the DCN level. The deeper understanding of tinnitus mechanisms to be obtained from this study will provide a basis for translational research oriented toward the development of anti-tinnitus therapies. Relevance: The ability to develop effective treatments for tinnitus is likely to be enhanced by a) a better understanding of the cellular origins and underlying mechanisms of tinnitus- related hyperactivity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus, and b) how this activity might be controlled by descending inputs from higher order auditory centers. The proposed research will take major steps toward the fulfillment of both needs. The deeper understanding of tinnitus mechanisms to be obtained from this study will provide a basis for translational research oriented toward the development of anti-tinnitus therapies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01DC009097-01A1
Application #
7514974
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDC1-SRB-R (32))
Program Officer
Miller, Roger
Project Start
2009-02-01
Project End
2014-01-31
Budget Start
2009-02-01
Budget End
2010-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$387,711
Indirect Cost
Name
Cleveland Clinic Lerner
Department
Other Basic Sciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
135781701
City
Cleveland
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
44195
Criddle, M W; Godfrey, D A; Kaltenbach, J A (2018) Attenuation of noise-induced hyperactivity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus by pre-treatment with MK-801. Brain Res 1682:71-77
Gao, Y; Manzoor, N; Kaltenbach, J A (2016) Evidence of activity-dependent plasticity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus, in vivo, induced by brief sound exposure. Hear Res 341:31-42
Salloum, R H; Sandridge, S; Patton, D J et al. (2016) Untangling the effects of tinnitus and hypersensitivity to sound (hyperacusis) in the gap detection test. Hear Res 331:92-100
Salloum, Rony H; Yurosko, Christopher; Santiago, Lia et al. (2014) Induction of enhanced acoustic startle response by noise exposure: dependence on exposure conditions and testing parameters and possible relevance to hyperacusis. PLoS One 9:e111747
Manzoor, N F; Chen, G; Kaltenbach, J A (2013) Suppression of noise-induced hyperactivity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus following application of the cholinergic agonist, carbachol. Brain Res 1523:28-36
Godfrey, Donald A; Kaltenbach, James A; Chen, Kejian et al. (2013) Choline acetyltransferase activity in the hamster central auditory system and long-term effects of intense tone exposure. J Neurosci Res 91:987-96
Chen, G; Lee, C; Sandridge, S A et al. (2013) Behavioral evidence for possible simultaneous induction of hyperacusis and tinnitus following intense sound exposure. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 14:413-24
Park, Hyun-Joo; Bonmassar, Giorgio; Kaltenbach, James A et al. (2013) Activation of the central nervous system induced by micro-magnetic stimulation. Nat Commun 4:2463
Manzoor, N F; Gao, Y; Licari, F et al. (2013) Comparison and contrast of noise-induced hyperactivity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus and inferior colliculus. Hear Res 295:114-23
Godfrey, Donald A; Kaltenbach, James A; Chen, Kejian et al. (2012) Amino acid concentrations in the hamster central auditory system and long-term effects of intense tone exposure. J Neurosci Res 90:2214-24

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