Development of Translational Research to Improve Outcomes for Cochlear Implants

描述(申请人提供)：虽然人工耳蜗(CI)可以显著改善许多患者在安静环境中的语音识别，但CI的表现和结果因个人而异；噪音中的语音识别往往较差，音乐感知也没有改善。这项申请的目的是招聘一名年轻的研究人员，具有公认的天赋和潜力，以开发一个学术耳鼻喉科的翻译研究计划，具有大量的临床人工耳蜗术计划和强大的神经耳科基础科学研究的历史。这项计划的最终目标是改善人工耳蜗术后患者的预后。本申请中概述的研究目标有三个。第一个项目将集中于确定影响CI患者随着时间的推移音调感知变化的机制，以及这些变化如何影响CI的表现。第二个项目是改善有听力残留的脑梗塞患者的言语知觉，优化听觉和电听之间的相互作用。第三个项目将解决人工耳蜗术中保留残余听力的问题。随着听力保护机制在动物模型中得到识别和测试，这些方法将被开发并转化为人类研究。Lina Reiss博士为这一项目提供了独特的多学科合作机会，因为她在CI技术的临床和工程方面都接受过培训，而且她在听觉脑干电路处理方面的背景也很丰富。因此，她会说几种“语言”，并在研究界的不同方面之间提供了关键的联系。Reiss博士的加入将为核心中心增加一个新的维度，具有强大的平移成分，专注于优化人工耳蜗植入；因此，为合作打开了以前没有实现的大门。 公共卫生相关性：人工耳蜗(CI)是最成功的神经假体，在美国有超过35,000名儿童和成人被植入。虽然CI可以显著改善语音识别，但对许多患者来说，结果是可变的，在某些情况下可能会更糟。该计划的主要目标是制定策略，以改善CI患者的这些结果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Although cochlear implants (CI) can dramatically improve speech recognition for many patients in quiet surroundings, CI performance and outcome is variable across individuals; speech recognition in noise is often worse, and music perception is not improved. The purpose for this application is to recruit a young investigator with recognized talent and potential to develop a translational research program in an academic otolaryngology department with a large clinical cochlear implant program and strong history for neuro-otologic basic science research. The ultimate goal of this program is to improve outcomes in cochlear implant patients. The research goals outlined in this application are threefold. The first project will focus on identifying the mechanisms affecting change in pitch perception over time in CI patients, and how the changes affect CI performance. The second project is to improve speech perception and optimize the interaction between the acoustic and electric hearing in CI patients with residual hearing. The third project will address preservation of residual hearing with cochlear implantation. As mechanisms for preservation of hearing are identified and tested in animal models, these methodologies will be developed and translated to human studies. The individual identified for this program, Lina Reiss, Ph.D. provides a unique opportunity for multidisciplinary collaboration because of her training in both clinical and engineering aspects of CI technology, and her background in processing within auditory brainstem circuits. As a result, she speaks several "languages", and provides a key link between different aspects of the research community. The addition of Dr. Reiss will add a new dimension to the core center with a strong translational component focusing on optimizing cochlear implantation; thus, opening doors for collaboration not previously realized. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The cochlear implant (CI) is the most successful neural prosthesis with over 35,000 children and adults implanted in the United States. Although CIs can dramatically improve speech recognition, for many patients the outcome is variable, and under certain conditions may be worse. The primary goal of this program is to develop strategies to improve these outcomes in CI patients.