NEURONS AND CIRCUITS OF PERIOLIVARY NUCLEI

哺乳动物上级橄榄复合体（SOC）由三个明确的 细胞群中，内侧上级橄榄、外侧上级橄榄和内侧橄榄 小斜方体的核，它们在声音中起着确定的作用 本地化 这些主要的核被一个球体包围着， 辅助细胞群，统称为橄榄周核（PON）。 到 PON在很大程度上参与下行听觉通路， 参与SOC的自反和反馈功能。 本申请集中在一个特定的橄榄周区域称为 啮齿类动物的上级橄榄旁核（SPON）（背内侧橄榄旁核 核DMPO，在非啮齿类动物中）。 这个小区群是PON中最大的 在许多物种中，接近主核的大小，但 受到的关注相对较少。 从各方面来看，SPON似乎 是一个非常复杂的结构，无论是在其形态和 神经化学特征及其参与 听觉通路的各个方面。 凭借其关系 与SOC中的其他核团一起，SPON可能在双耳 处理. SPON也是一个提升和 下行听觉投射，并可能发挥重要作用， 调节下行系统的活动。 长期目标是 研究的目的是更好地了解 这个细胞群。 这项研究结合了经典的神经解剖学准备， 免疫细胞化学，电子显微镜，一个路径跟踪执行 迄今为止对大鼠SPON的最全面研究。 一个系统 战略，包括越来越详细的分析水平，将指导 该项目的目标是提供一个精确的，定量的， 核及其连通性的表征。 实验将 也揭示了细胞核的拓扑结构。 这项研究将有助于更好地全面了解 听觉脑干 从长远来看，这些信息将对 设计假肢装置，可以取代无功能的部分， 中央听觉系统

The mammalian superior olivary complex (SOC) consists of three well defined cell groups, the medical superior olive, lateral superior olive and medical nucleus of the trapezoid body, which have identified roles in sound localization. These principal nuclei are surrounded by a sphere of accessory cell groups, collectively known as periolivary nuclei (PON). To a large extent, the PON are involved in the descending auditory pathway and participate in reflexive and feedback functions of the SOC. This application focuses on a specific periolivary region known as the superior paraolivary nucleus (SPON) in rodents (the dorsomedial periolivary nucleus DMPO, in non-rodents). This cell group is the largest of the PON in many species, approaching the size of the principal nuclei, but has received relatively little attention. By all accounts, the SPON appears to be a very complex structure, both in terms of its morphological and neurochemical characteristics and in terms of its participation with various aspects of the auditory pathway. By virtue of its relationship with other nuclei in the SOC, the SPON may play a role in binaural processing. The SPON is also a site of convergence of ascending and descending auditory projections, and may serve an important role in modulating the activity of descending systems. The long term aim of this research is to provide a better understanding of the functional role of this cell group. The proposed study combines classical neuroanatomical preparations with immunocytochemistry, electron microscopy an pathway tracing to perform the most comprehensive study to date of the SPON of the rat. A systematic strategy, involving increasingly detailed levels of analysis, will guide the project to its goal of providing a precise, quantitative characterization of the nucleus and its connectivity. The experiments will also uncover the topographic organization of the nucleus. This research will contribute to a better overall understanding of the auditory brainstem. in the long term, such information will be critical to the design of prosthetic devices that may replace non-functioning parts of the central auditory system.