As of this year, our general hearing health grants have been renamed Elizabeth M. Keithley, Ph.D. Early Stage Investigator Awards in recognition of Keithley’s impact on the field and long service to HHF, and the awards’ focus on supporting the next generation.
Impact 2023
Insights Into Sound Processing in the Brain
The central auditory system is classically thought of as an ascending system, where acoustic information is processed across a step-by-step hierarchy of increasingly complex circuits. However, this model is simplistic because we know that higher order brain regions such as the auditory cortex also send descending projections back to “lower” circuits.
In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Brain Connections Vary When Processing Speech
These findings suggest that in ASD, the mechanisms involved in processing speech, which encompass both the cerebrum and cerebellum, are influenced by atypical attention patterns, possibly stemming from differences in how the cerebellum manages timing and predicts auditory events.
A Historical Review of Ménière’s Disease Treatments
Despite lacking evidence for sympathetic overactivation in Ménière's disease, surgeons eagerly adopted sympathectomies, and later betahistine, and the latter is still commonly used outside the U.S. as treatment.
Understanding Inner Ear Fluid Buildup in Ménière’s Disease
Fluid buildup in the saccule and cochlear duct might be due to increased pressure, while the utricle might be better protected due to its thicker walls and functioning valve. This points to an inverse relationship between membrane thickness and fluid buildup, helping us better understand how fluid buildup occurs in Ménière's disease.
Activación de Canales TRPA1 en la Cóclea: ¿Tapones de Oído Propios Después de la Exposición al Ruido?
Our researcher translated her paper’s summary into Spanish: ¿Alguna vez te has sentido sordo o con los oídos tapados después de estar en un lugar con mucho ruido? Junto a mi equipo de investigadores en la Universidad de Kentucky encontramos que los canales TRPA1 contribuyen a este fenómeno.
Activation of TRPA1 Channels in the Cochlea: Built-in ‘Earplugs’ After Noise Exposure?
The activation of TRPA1 channels in the cochlea seems to be a protective mechanism—like wearing earplugs—that minimizes the exposure to sound.
Mouse Studies Tune Into Hearing Regeneration
In the non-sensory supporting cells of the inner ear, key genes required for conversion to sensory cells are shut off through a process known as epigenetic silencing. By studying how the genes are shut off, we begin to understand how we might turn them back on to regenerate hearing.
Brain Targets for Hearing Recovery After Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
Our results hold the promise to advance understanding of the cortical mechanisms underlying disorders associated with maladaptive cortical plasticity after peripheral damage, such as tinnitus, hyperacusis, and difficulty hearing in noisy environments.