|
||
|
Laboratory of Cochlear Mechanics and Hearing Loss | |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
Laboratory Home Page | |||||||||||
| Laboratory of Cochlear Mechanics and Hearing Loss Home Page | |
|
This laboratory is dedicated towards understanding mechanisms within the cochlea that underlie progressive sensorineural hearing loss and towards developing techniques to improve human hearing. Research objectives: To better understand the relationship between the passive and active mechanical properties within the the cochlea and to develop techniques that can be used to modulate the function of the cochlear amplifier. The ultimate goals of these efforts are to develop therapeutic interventions for noise-induced and age-related hearing loss (sensorineural hearing loss). Significance: Sensorineural hearing loss is a common disease and there are no effective treatments. Outer hair cell loss is one of the first problems found in the cochleae of patients with senorineural hearing loss. This loss is important because outer hair cells function to actively amplify low-intensity sounds, a process called the cochlear amplifier. Clinically, it is heartbreakingly common to see a small elevation in high-frequency thresholds lead to a dramatic worsening of a patient’s speech discrimination ability, particularly in the presence of background noise. This occurs because frequencies >2 kHz contain the formants of consonants. Also, a significant amount of information regarding sound source directionality is contained within these higher frequencies. While hearing aid technology continues to improve, they function basically to compress and amplify incoming sounds. A hearing aid cannot make up for loss of the cochlear amplifier because it cannot improve frequency discrimination. Research methodology: The primary research techniques involve the study of normal and transgenic mice. Basilar membrane motion is measured using a laser doppler vibrometer. Cochlear function is monitored with measurements of the compound action potential, the auditory evoked brainstem response, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, the cochlear microphonic, and the olivocochlear reflex. Additionally, post-experimental histologic study of the inner ear is performed using immunohistochemistry. Other techniques that are used include the patch-clamp technique with isolated hair cells, intracochlear gene and protein delivery using lipid and viral vectors, and the creation of mutant mouse models of genetic hearing loss. Also, we are in the process of developing optical techniques for in vivo imaging and stimulation. For more information please contact: John S. Oghalai, M.D. Patient Information
Links: Tympanic Membrane, Middle Ear and Mastoid Disease Laboratory of Cochlear Mechanics and Hearing Loss
|
|
BCM Public | BCM Intranet | Privacy Notices | Contact BCM | BCM Site Map | ©2001-2008 Baylor College of Medicine |