The path from student to researcher is not set in stone. Most take the more traditional route where they choose a field during their undergraduate years and keep with it through master’s and doctoral degrees. Others happen upon the field and, unsuspectingly, fall in love with it. Jennifer Stone, Ph.D., falls into the latter category.
Study: For better research results, let mice be mice
A new study from the University at Buffalo suggests that the established practice of socially isolating mice for such purposes might actually make them poor research models for humans, and a simple shift to a more realistic social environment could greatly improve the utility of the future studies.
Pinpointing How the Temporal Processing of Nerve Cell Signals Is Important in Hearing
In our study published in the Journal of Neurophysiology, we examined the temporal processing of knockout mice whose cholinergic signaling is disrupted compared with wild-type mouse controls. Findings underscore the importance of cholinergic signaling in types of neurodevelopmental and auditory processing disorders.
The Latest Research on Hair Cell Regeneration to Restore Hearing
The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) hosted “Hearing Restoration and Hair Cell Regeneration” to connect internationally recognized hearing loss experts from academia, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) scientists spoke and presented.
Children’s Working Memory and Phonological Awareness Benefit From Hearing Earlier
In Frontiers in Psychology, Christina Reuterskiöld, Ph.D., and team detail their study of the relationship among rhyme awareness (the first phonological skill children develop), vocabulary size, working memory and linguistic characteristics of words in children with typical hearing and children with cochlear implants.
Size Control of the Inner Ear Through Fluid Pressure
In our paper published in the journal eLife on Oct. 1, 2019, we examined how this balloon grows into the more complex ear. Our work helped us formulate a new mathematical theory on how ear growth in animals is controlled.
ERG Applications Open Monday, October 14
Hearing Health Foundation (HHF)’s next Emerging Research Grants (ERG) grant cycle is approaching its start. HHF is especially pleased to announce a significant increase in funding available for our future ERG grantees.
Estrogen’s Role in Hearing and Protecting Against Hearing Loss
Differences in hearing and hearing loss in men and women are well documented. A recent review of these appeared in the June 2019 issue of the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.
A Newly Identified Neuron in a Brain Region Tied to Hearing
My lab at the University of Michigan identified a novel neuron type called VIP neurons. VIP neurons make a small protein called vasoactive intestinal peptide. Despite its name, previous studies have shown that VIP is made by specific types of neurons in several other brain regions.
CT Imaging as a Diagnostic Tool for Ménière’s Disease
Comparing the angle measurements of the ATVA, we confirmed the results of the cadaveric study. There was a strong correlation between late onset Ménière’s with a typical “adult” course of the vestibular aqueduct, while early onset Ménière’s was associated with a more straight, “fetal” course of the vestibular aqueduct.