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The postsynaptic function of type II cochlear afferents

Author

Listed:
  • Catherine Weisz

    (The Department of Neuroscience,)

  • Elisabeth Glowatzki

    (The Department of Neuroscience,
    The Center for Hearing and Balance and the Center for Sensory Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA)

  • Paul Fuchs

    (The Department of Neuroscience,
    The Center for Hearing and Balance and the Center for Sensory Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA)

Abstract

A pathway for traumatic sound It is something of a paradox that partial hearing loss can be associated with hyperacusis, heightened sensitivity to loud, or even moderate sound. The underlying mechanism is unknown, as indeed it is for 'acoustic pain' evoked by traumatic sound among normal hearers. Experiments using gigaohm-seal intra-fibre recording and dye-labelling in isolated rat cochleas now establish the long-mysterious type II cochlear afferent neurons as a potential pathway to signal traumatic sound. These receive synaptic inputs from cochlear outer hair cells, and in an analogy to somatic C-fibres, are activated by ATP, known to be released during tissue damage. During traumatically loud sound, hair cell activity combined with released ATP may provide the adequate 'stimulus' for these anatomically unique type II cochlear afferents.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Weisz & Elisabeth Glowatzki & Paul Fuchs, 2009. "The postsynaptic function of type II cochlear afferents," Nature, Nature, vol. 461(7267), pages 1126-1129, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:461:y:2009:i:7267:d:10.1038_nature08487
    DOI: 10.1038/nature08487
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