RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTER IN HEARING AND BALANCE

这个听力和平衡研究和培训中心的重点是 从毛细胞机制的生物物理学到 单侧听力损失患者的康复。研究 我们建议集中在三个密切相关的领域： 细胞损伤;检测和康复患者的单侧 前庭病变;脑干听觉信号处理 系统 一组三个项目重点关注体外和体内 这些药理学和环境作用机制的研究 耳毒素和减轻这些影响的方法。一组四个项目 试图设计更好的方法来评估耳石功能，以了解更多 关于前庭眼适应与设计的影响， 物理治疗，检查抗运动病的效果 药物，并测试物理治疗对改善的疗效 单侧病变患者的前庭功能。 最后一组 四个项目的重点是对和其他感官输入的作用， 耳蜗核的信号处理。 我们的培训计划 将整合听力和平衡训练， 基础科学和临床实习生和教师之间的互动。 该计划利用了霍普金斯在基础和临床方面的优势 科学 在一个已经建立在一个新的功能， 既定的培训计划是临床轮换的发展 为基础科学实习生提供综合研究和临床实习 为选定的临床科学家，神经耳科博士后计划 耳鼻喉科医生、神经科医生、听力学家和理疗师， 和一个休假计划，使科学家和临床医生到我们的中心 从研究环境不完善的机构中。 我们提出了一个 听力与平衡健康继续教育系列研讨会 将与公司一起解决重要临床问题的专业人员 在基础研究中扎根。 我们将提供继续学习课程 这将使目前的信息听力和平衡功能， 当地专业和非专业社区容易患上的疾病。 最后，我们建议制定一个广泛的信息传播计划 接触卫生专业人员、非专业公众、舆论领袖， 患者 该计划将利用广泛的霍普金斯 公共事务机构。

The focus of this Research and Training Center in Hearing and Balance is the study of labyrinthine from the biophysics of hair cell mechanisms to the rehabilitation of patients with unilateral hearing loss. The research we propose is focused on three closely related areas: mechanisms of hair cell damage; testing and rehabilitation of patients with unilateral vestibular lesions; and signal processing in the brainstem auditory system. One group of three projects focuses on in vitro and in vivo studies of these mechanisms of action of pharmacological and environmental ototoxins and on ways to mitigate these effects. A group of four projects attempts to devise better ways to evaluate otolith function, to learn more about vestibula-ocular adaptation with implications for the design of physical therapies, to examine effects of anti-motion sickness medications, and to test the efficacy of physical therapy on improvement of vestibular function in patients with unilateral lesions. A final group of four projects focuses on the role of on and of other sensory inputs on signal processing in the cochlear nucleus. Our proposed training program will integrate training in hearing and balance and will provide for strong interactions between basic science and clinical trainees and faculty. This program takes advantage of the Hopkins strength in basic and clinical science. Among a number of novel features that build on an already established training program are the development of a clinical rotation for basic science trainees, an integrated research and clinical residency for selected clinician scientists, a neuro-otology postdoctoral program for otolaryngologists, neurologists, audiologists and physical therapists, and a sabbatical plan to bring scientists and clinicians to our Center from institutions with inadequate research environments. We propose a series of continuing education symposia in hearing and balance for health professionals that will address important clinical issues with a firm grounding in basic research. We will offer a continuing studies course that will make current information on hearing and balance function and disorders accessible to the local professional and lay communities. Finally, we propose to develop a broad information dissemination program to reach health professionals, the lay public, opinion leaders and patients. This program will take advantage of the extensive Hopkins Public Affairs machinery.