EXPERIMENTAL/THEORETICAL STUDIES OF COCHLEAR MECHANISMS

这项拟议研究的总体目标是了解内耳是如何 机制决定了将声音与神经信息联系起来的神经编码 进入大脑的物质。对这些机制的了解对于 几个原因：(1)确定代码的基础本质上是一种 涉及综合知识的有趣的科学问题 器官的机械、电气、生物和化学过程， 细胞、膜和分子水平都集中在理解 内耳在听力中的作用。(2)结果应具有重要意义 感官接受，通常，特别是机械接受，以及 尤其是为了了解声学侧支系统，包括 鱼、两栖动物和前庭的侧线器官 所有脊椎动物都有听觉器官。(三)实际效益 这一知识还应该包括更精确地描绘内部 耳疾，治疗建议，假体的发展 设备，并将内耳处理的知识结合到 语音处理系统的设计。 建议的授权期的具体目标是了解 耳蜗中的机械过程将声音诱导的运动联系起来 感受器对其组成结构的运动，包括 覆盖膜、毛细胞的发束和个体 组成发束的立体纤毛。材料属性 (包括渗透、机械和电学特性) 将在两个分离的覆盖膜中测量覆盖膜 制剂(在老鼠、雏鸟和鳄鱼身上)和在 扬子鳄蜥蜴耳蜗的体外制备。三者之间的关系 感受器、被膜、毛发的声音诱导运动 毛细胞束和发束中的单个立体纤毛 用视频显微镜研究了一种体外制剂 鳄鱼、蜥蜴、耳蜗鱼。

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.