EXPERIMENTAL/THEORETICAL STUDIES OF COCHLEAR MECHANISMS

拟议研究的总体目标是了解内耳如何 机制决定了将声音与神经信息联系起来的神经代码 进入大脑。 了解这些机制对于 原因如下：（1）确定代码的基础本质上是 一个有趣的科学问题， 器官的机械、电、生物和化学过程， 细胞，膜和分子水平都集中在理解 内耳在听觉中的作用。(2)结果应该有意义 一般来说，对于感觉接收，特别是对于机械接收， 特别是为了理解听觉-外侧系统， 在鱼类和两栖动物中发现的侧线器官以及前庭器官 以及所有脊椎动物的听觉器官(3)的实际惠益 这些知识还应该包括更精确的内部描述， 耳部疾病，治疗建议，假体的发展 设备，并将内耳处理的知识纳入 语音处理系统的设计。 建议拨款期的具体目标是了解 耳蜗中的机械过程，将声音引起的耳蜗运动 受体器官对其组成结构的运动，包括 顶盖膜，毛细胞的毛束，以及个体 构成毛束静纤毛。 材料特性 （包括渗透，机械和电气性能）的 将在两个分离的覆膜中测量覆膜 准备工作（在小鼠，小鸡，和鳄鱼蜥蜴）和在一个 鳄蜥耳蜗的体外制备。 之间的关系 声诱导感受器、顶盖膜、毛发的运动 毛细胞束，以及毛束中的单个静纤毛将被 研究使用视频显微镜的体外制备的 鳄蜥耳蜗

The overall goal of the proposed research is to understand how inner ear mechanisms determine the neural code that relates sounds to nerve messages that enter the brain. Knowledge of these mechanisms is important for several reasons: (1) Determining the bases of the code is an intrinsically interesting scientific problem involving integrated knowledge of mechanical, electrical, biological and chemical processes at organ, cellular, membrane, and molecular levels all focussed on understanding the role of the inner ear in hearing. (2) The results should have significance for sensory reception, in general, for mechanoreception in particular, and especially for understanding the acoustico-lateralis systems which include the lateral-line organs found in fish and amphibia as well as vestibular and auditory organs found in all vertebrates. (3) The practical benefits of this knowledge should also include more precise delineation of inner ear disorders, suggestions for treatment, development of prosthetic devices, and incorporation of knowledge of inner-ear processing into the design of systems for processing speech. The specific objective for the proposed grant period is to understand the mechanical processes in the cochlea that link sound-induced motion of the receptor organ to motion of its constituent structures, including the tectorial membrane, the hair bundles of hair cells, and the individual stereocilia that make up a hair bundle. The material properties (including osmotic, mechanical, and electrical properties) of the tectorial membrane will be measured in both isolated tectorial membrane preparations (in the mouse, chick, and the alligator lizard) and in an in vitro preparation of the alligator lizard cochlea. The relations among the sound-induced motion of the receptor organ, tectorial membrane, hair bundles of hair cells, and individual stereocilia in a hair bundle will be investigated using video microscopy of an in vitro preparation of the alligator lizard cochlea.