Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics

Sex differences, cross-ancestry generalizability, and noise-smoking interactions in the polygenic architecture of hearing loss in adults

This study identifies 54 risk loci for hearing loss in adults across multiple cohorts, revealing sex differences, ancestry-specific polygenic risks, and interactions with environmental factors like noise and smoking.

In silico transcriptomics identifies FDA-approved drugs and biological pathways for protection against cisplatin-induced hearing loss

The paper uses in silico transcriptomics to identify FDA-approved drugs and pathways that protect against cisplatin-induced hearing loss, validating niclosamide as a potential otoprotectant.

Mechano-signaling feedback underlies precise inner hair cell patterning in the organ of Corti

This study identifies a mechano-signaling feedback mechanism that drives precise inner hair cell patterning in the organ of Corti through coordinated cellular movements and adhesion.

Dogma and belief: the primary lesion in age-related hearing loss is old news

A survey of experts challenges the belief that stria vascularis damage is the primary cause of presbycusis, showing most favor OHC damage instead.

Single particle cryo-EM structure of the outer hair cell motor protein prestin

This paper presents the single particle cryo-EM structure of prestin from gerbil at 4.0 Å resolution, revealing its dimeric architecture and structural features that challenge the extrinsic voltage sensor hypothesis.

Distorted tonotopy severely degrades neural representations of natural speech in noise following acoustic trauma

This study shows that distorted tonotopy, not reduced temporal precision or broader tuning, severely impairs neural representation of natural speech in noise after acoustic trauma.

Direct cochlear recordings in humans show a theta rhythmic modulation of the auditory nerve by selective attention

This study shows that selective attention modulates theta-range auditory nerve activity in humans, with a classifier decoding attended modality from single-trial data.

A Xenopus neuromast bioassay for chemical ototoxicity

The paper introduces a Xenopus neuromast bioassay to evaluate ototoxicity using scanning electron microscopy, showing antibiotic exposure reduces hair cell bundles.

Two distinct types of nodes of Ranvier support auditory nerve function in the mouse cochlea

The paper identifies two distinct types of nodes of Ranvier in the mouse auditory nerve and shows their functional roles and changes across development and aging.

Molecular structure and conformation of stereocilia tip-links elucidated by cryo-electron tomography

This study uses cryo-electron tomography to visualize the molecular structure and conformation of tip-links in mouse stereocilia, revealing their stoichiometry and clustering.

The variability in potential biomarkers for cochlear synaptopathy after recreational noise exposure

This study examines if recreational noise exposure alters biomarkers of cochlear synaptopathy, finding no significant changes except for a learning effect in speech audiometry.

Programmed cell death recruits macrophages into the developing mouse cochlea

This study investigates the relationship between programmed cell death in the cochlea and macrophage recruitment during development, finding that macrophages are not essential for tissue remodeling.

Tinnitus-like "hallucinations" elicited by sensory deprivation in an entropy maximization recurrent neural network

This paper models tinnitus-like hallucinations in an entropy maximization recurrent neural network by simulating sensory deprivation and showing how it drives the network into a tinnitus-like state.

Anti-inflammatory therapy protects spiral ganglion neurons after aminoglycoside antibiotic-induced hair cell loss

This study shows that anti-inflammatory therapies protect spiral ganglion neurons after aminoglycoside-induced hair cell loss by reducing macrophage activation and neuroinflammation.

Mammalian octopus cells are direction selective to frequency sweeps by synaptic sequence detection

This study shows that mammalian octopus cells detect frequency sweep direction through synaptic sequence detection, not cross-channel coincidence, using in vivo recordings and a biophysical model.

Cochlear nucleus small cells use olivocochlear collaterals to encode sounds in noise

The paper shows small cells in the cochlear nucleus use olivocochlear collaterals to encode sound in noise, with superior intensity and envelope coding.

Association of cochlear outer hair cell - type II spiral ganglion afferents with protection from noise-induced hearing loss

This study shows that OHC-type II spiral ganglion afferents are critical for MOC efferent-mediated protection against noise-induced hearing loss in mice.

The chromatin remodelling factor Chd7 protects auditory neurons and sensory hair cells from stress-induced degeneration

This study shows that CHD7 protects auditory neurons and hair cells from stress-induced degeneration, with implications for CHARGE syndrome.

Mechanical overstimulation causes acute injury and synapse loss followed by fast recovery in lateral-line neuromasts of larval zebrafish

This study shows mechanical overstimulation causes acute injury and synapse loss in zebrafish neuromasts, but recovery occurs rapidly.

Inner hair cell dysfunction in Klhl18 mutant mice leads to low frequency progressive hearing loss

This paper identifies Klhl18 mutant mice with low-frequency progressive hearing loss due to inner hair cell dysfunction, showing abnormal stereocilia and normal outer hair cell function.

Optimizing parameters for using the parallel auditory brainstem response (pABR) to quickly estimate hearing thresholds

This study determines the optimal parameters for the parallel auditory brainstem response (pABR) to estimate hearing thresholds efficiently in clinical settings.

Chicken Auditory Supporting Cells Express Interferon Response Genes during Regeneration towards Nascent Sensory Hair Cells In Vivo

This study identifies interferon response gene upregulation in chicken supporting cells during sensory hair cell regeneration, linked to JAK/STAT signaling and the emergence of nascent hair cells.

Spatial and temporal expression of PORCN is highly dynamic in the developing mouse cochlea.

The paper examines the spatial and temporal expression of PORCN in the developing mouse cochlea, showing its dynamic role in Wnt-mediated medial compartment specification.

Development of spontaneous firing of fusiform neurons from the dorsal cochlear nucleus of mice occurs after hearing onset.

This study shows that fusiform neurons in the mouse dorsal cochlear nucleus transition from a quiet to an active firing state after hearing onset, linked to increased persistent sodium current.

Dual expression of Atoh1 and Ikzf2 promotes transformation of adult cochlear supporting cells into outer hair cells

This study shows that expressing Atoh1 and Ikzf2 in adult cochlear supporting cells converts them into Prestin+ outer hair cell-like cells, advancing OHC regeneration.

Longitudinal Auditory Pathophysiology Following Mild Blast Induced Trauma

This study examines auditory system recovery after mild blast trauma in rats over two months, finding multiphasic recovery with persistent central deficits.

Vestibular and auditory hair cell regeneration following targeted ablation of hair cells with diphtheria toxin in zebrafish

This study develops a method to induce hair cell ablation in zebrafish and shows that these cells regenerate in vivo.

Genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity in PNPT1, MYO15A, PTPRQ and SLC12A2 variants detected among hearing impaired assortative mating families in Southern India

The paper identifies six variants in four genes associated with hearing loss in four South Indian families, highlighting genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity.

Cryo-EM Structures of Prestin and the Molecular Basis of Outer Hair Cell Electromotility

This study determines the cryo-EM structures of Prestin in multiple states, revealing its mechanism of area expansion and anion-binding site competition with salicylate.

Influence of Mpv17 on hair-cell mitochondrial homeostasis, synapse integrity, and vulnerability to damage in the zebrafish lateral line

This study investigates how Mpv17 affects mitochondrial function and synapse integrity in zebrafish hair cells under stress, finding impaired mitochondrial activity leads to increased vulnerability and altered synaptic morphology.