STRUCTURAL BASIS FOR STIMULUS CODING IN THE COCHLEAR NUCLEUS

我们的长期目标是了解作为基础的神经机制 哺乳动物的听力。在听觉神经系统中，都是声学的 来自环境的信息通过从大脑传递到大脑 听神经和耳蜗核内的突触。在人工耳蜗里 核团，传入听神经的相对同质反应 纤维通过以下方式转变为各种不同的响应模式 不同类别的驻留神经元，以及由此产生的信号 然后传输到更高的中心。这些反应的光谱是 假设依赖于听神经的突触组织 输入、内在神经元和下行输入；类型和 受体、离子通道和G蛋白的分布；第二 信使，所有这些信使都形成了每个细胞的信令能力 班级。为了理解声音是如何在这个键上被处理的 听觉核团，有必要研究已识别的细胞群，以 分析它们的突触连接，并揭示它们的信号特征 处理能力。 本提议将适用顺行和逆行追踪 鉴定神经元及其环路的方法和免疫细胞化学 染色程序以揭示这些不同神经元的化学成分 人口。此外，我们将在体内和体外细胞内应用 揭示结构-功能的记录和染色方法 单细胞水平上的耳蜗核之间的联系。数据 这些项目将提供对神经元和它们的 电路塑造了中枢听觉系统的编码过程，并且 有助于聋人耳蜗核植入物的设计 不能从人工耳蜗术中受益的个人。

Our long-term goals are to understand neuronal mechanisms that underlie hearing in mammals. In the auditory nervous system, all acoustic information from the environment enters the brain by passing from the auditory nerve and synapsing in the cochlear nucleus. In the cochlear nucleus, the relatively homogeneous responses of incoming auditory nerve fibers are transformed into a variety of different response patterns by the different classes of resident neurons, and the resultant signals are in turn transmitted to higher centers. The spectrum of these responses is hypothesized to depend upon the synaptic organization of auditory nerve input, intrinsic neurons, and descending inputs; the types and distribution of receptors, ion channels, and G proteins; and second messengers, all of which form the signaling capabilities in each cell class. In order to understand the how sound is processed at this key auditory nucleus, there is a need to study identified cell populations, to analyze their synaptic connections, and to reveal features of their signal processing capabilities. The present proposal will apply anterograde and retrograde tract tracing methods to identify neurons and their circuits, and immunocytochemical staining procedures to reveal the chemistry of these different neuron populations. In addition, we will apply in vivo and in vitro intracellular recording and staining methods in order to reveal structure-function relationships in the cochlear nucleus at the single cell level. The data from these projects will provide insights into how neurons and their circuits shape the coding process in the central auditory system, and could help in the design of a cochlear nucleus implant for deaf individuals who cannot benefit from a cochlear prothesis.