The effect of developmental HL on cellular properties in the auditory striatum

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 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Developmental hearing loss is associated with perceptual deficits and delayed language acquisition. Although perceptual sensory deficits are of primary importance, an emerging literature suggests that developmental HL also has an impact on cognitive processes. If so, then brain structures connected to auditory cortex may be altered by a period of deprivation. One brain region implicated in vocal learning, auditory related behavioral deficits, and language impairments is the striatum. Moreover, the projections between the auditory cortex and regions of the striatum receiving auditory inputs can drive behavioral responses. Given the fundamental role that the striatum plays during learning, developmental hearing loss may play a causative role in behavioral deficits. The core hypothesis of this proposal is that cellular properties in the striatum are persistently altered following developmental hearing loss that lead to behavioral deficits. Aim 1 will investigate whether developmental hearing loss induces cellular deficits in the striatum. Aim 2 will determine whether changes to cellular properties in the striatum are correlated with behavioral deficits. Together, this proposal will reveal whether cellular properties in the auditory-recipient striatum are vulnerable to transient HL during development, and offer an animal model on auditory-based learning deficits as seen in children with Otitis Media.