The effects of repeated low-level blast exposure on hearing in marines

Lina R Kubli, Robin L Pinto, Holly L Burrows, Philip D Littlefield, Douglas S Brungart

Noise and Health 2017 19(90):227-238

Background: The study evaluates a group of Military Service Members specialized in blast explosive training called “Breachers” who are routinely exposed to multiple low-level blasts while teaching breaching at the U.S. Marine Corps in Quantico Virginia. The objective of this study was to determine if there are any acute or long-term auditory changes due to repeated low-level blast exposures used in training. The performance of the instructor group “Breachers” was compared to a control group, “Engineers”. Methods: A total of 11 Breachers and four engineers were evaluated in the study. The participants received comprehensive auditory tests, including pure-tone testing, speech-in-noise (SIN) measures, and central auditory behavioral and objective tests using early and late (P300) auditory evoked potentials over a period of 17 months. They also received shorter assessments immediately following the blast-exposure onsite at Quantico. Results: No acute or longitudinal effects were identified. However, there were some interesting baseline effects found in both groups. Contrary to the expected, the onsite hearing thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emissions were slightly better at a few frequencies immediately after blast-exposure than measurements obtained with the same equipment weeks to months after each blast-exposure. Conclusions: To date, the current study is the most comprehensive study that evaluates the long-term effects of blast-exposure on hearing. Despite extensive testing to assess changes, the findings of this study suggest that the levels of current exposures used in this military training environment do not seem to have an obvious deleterious effect on hearing.

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Chronic noise exposure in the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Anne T.M Konkle, Stephen E Keith, James P McNamee, David Michaud

Noise and Health 2017 19(90):213-221

Introduction: Epidemiological studies have suggested an association between the relative risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and long-term exposure to elevated levels of transportation noise. The contention is that this association is largely owing to an increase in stress-related biomarkers that are thought to be associated with CVD. Animal models have demonstrated that acute noise exposure is capable of triggering a stress response; however, similar studies using chronic noise models are less common. Materials and Methods: The current study assessed the effects of intermittent daily exposure to broadband 80 kHz bandwidth noise of 87.3 dBA for a period of 21 consecutive days in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Results: Twenty-one days of exposure to noise significantly reduced body weight relative to the sham and unhandled control groups; however, noise had no statistically significant impact on plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (or adrenal gland weights). Noise was associated with a significant, albeit modest, increase in both corticosterone and aldosterone concentrations following the 21 days of exposure. Interleukin 1 and interleukin 6 levels were unchanged in the noise group, whereas both tumour necrosis factor alpha and C-reactive protein were significantly reduced in noise exposed rats. Tail blood sampling for corticosterone throughout the exposure period showed no appreciable difference between the noise and sham exposed animals, largely due to the sizeable variation for each group as well as the observed fluctuations over time. Discussion: The current pilot study provides only modest support that chronic noise may promote stress-related biological and/or developmental effects. More research is required to verify the current findings and resolve some of the unexpected observations.

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Sex bias in basic and preclinical noise-induced hearing loss research

Amanda Marie Lauer, Katrina Marie Schrode

Noise and Health 2017 19(90):207-212

Introduction: Sex differences in brain biochemistry, physiology, structure, and function have been gaining increasing attention in the scientific community. Males and females can have different responses to medications, diseases, and environmental variables. A small number of the approximately 7500 studies of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) have identified sex differences, but the mechanisms and characterization of these differences have not been thoroughly studied. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a mandate in 2015 to include sex as a biological variable in all NIH-funded research beginning in January 2016. Materials and Methods: In the present study, the representation of sex as a biological variable in preclinical and basic studies of NIHL was quantified for a 5-year period from January 2011 to December 2015 prior to the implementation of the NIH mandate. Results: The analysis of 210 basic and preclinical studies showed that when sex is specified, experiments are predominantly performed on male animals. Discussion: This bias is present in studies completed in the United States and foreign institutions, and the proportion of studies using only male participants has actually increased over the 5-year period examined. Conclusion: These results underscore the need to invest resources in studying NIHL in both sexes to better understand how sex shapes the outcomes and to optimize treatment and prevention strategies.

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Impact of usage of personal music systems on oto-acoustic emissions among medical students

Prasanth G Narahari, Jayashree Bhat, Arivudai Nambi, Anshul Arora

Noise and Health 2017 19(90):222-226

Background: Intact hearing is essential for medical students and physicians for communicating with patients and appreciating internal sounds with a stethoscope. With the increased use of (PMSs), they are exposed to high sound levels and are at a risk of developing hearing loss. The effect of long term personal music system (PMS) usage on auditory sensitivity has been well established. Our study has reported the immediate and short term effect of PMS usage on hearing especially among medical professionals. Objective: To assess the effect of short term PMS usage on distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) among medical professionals. Materials and Method: 34 medical students within the age range of 17–22 years who were regular users of PMS participated in the study. All participants had hearing thresholds <15 dBHL at audiometric octave frequencies. Baseline DPOAEs were measured in all participants after 18 h of non-usage of PMS. One week later DPOAEs were again measured after two hours of continuous listening to PMS. DPOAEs were measured within the frequency range of 2 to 12 kHz with a resolution of 12 points per octave. Output sound pressure level of the PMS of each participant was measured in HA-1 coupler and it was converted to free field SPL using the transformations of RECD and REUG. Results: Paired sample t test was used to investigate the main effect of short term music listening on DPOAE amplitudes. Analysis revealed no significant main effect of music listening on DPOAE amplitudes at the octave frequencies between 2 to 4 KHz (t67 = −1.02, P = 0.31) and 4 to 8 KHz (t67 = 0.24, P = 0.81). However, there was a small but statistically significant reduction in DPOAE amplitude (t67 = 2.10, P = 0.04) in the frequency range of 9 to 12 kHz following short term usage of PMS. The mean output sound pressure level of the PMS was 98.29. Conclusion: Short term exposure to music affects the DPOAE amplitude at high frequencies and this serves as an early indicator for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Analysis of output sound pressure level suggests that the PMSs of the participants have the capability to induce hearing loss if the individual listened to it at the maximum volume setting. Hence, the medical professionals need to be cautious while using PMS.

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Environmental noise exposure modifies astrocyte morphology in hippocampus of young male rats

Odelie Huet-Bello, Yaveth Ruvalcaba-Delgadillo, Alfredo Feria-Velasco, Rocío E González-Castañeda, Joaquín Garcia-Estrada, Miguel A Macias-Islas, Fernando Jauregui-Huerta, Sonia Luquin

Noise and Health 2017 19(90):239-244

Background: Chronic exposure to noise induces changes on the central nervous system of exposed animals. Those changes affect not only the auditory system but also other structures indirectly related to audition. The hippocampus of young animals represents a potential target for these effects because of its essential role in individuals’ adaptation to environmental challenges. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate hippocampus vulnerability, assessing astrocytic morphology in an experimental model of environmental noise (EN) applied to rats in pre-pubescent stage. Materials and Methods: Weaned Wistar male rats were subjected to EN adapted to the rats’ audiogram for 15 days, 24 h daily. Once completed, plasmatic corticosterone (CORT) concentration was quantified, and immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein was taken in hippocampal DG, CA3, and CA1 subareas. Immunopositive cells and astrocyte arborizations were counted and compared between groups. Results: The rats subjected to noise exhibited enlarged length of astrocytes arborizations in all hippocampal subareas. Those changes were accompanied by a marked rise in serum CORT levels. Conclusions: These findings confirm hippocampal vulnerability to EN and suggest that glial cells may play an important role in the adaptation of developing the participants to noise exposure.

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The Oral Narrative Comprehension and Production Abilities of Verbal Preschoolers on the Autism Spectrum

Purpose

This study described the oral narrative comprehension and production skills of verbal preschool-age children on the autism spectrum and investigated correlations between oral narrative ability and norm-referenced language test performance.

Method

Twenty-nine preschool-age children (aged 4;0–5;9 years;months) with autism, who obtained an age-equivalent score of at least 36 months on the expressive communication subscale of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition (Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Balla, 2005), participated. Children listened to an unfamiliar fictional narrative and answered comprehension questions afterward. After listening to the narrative a second time, children were asked to retell the narrative without picture support. Narratives were transcribed and analyzed for length, semantic diversity, grammatical complexity and accuracy, intelligibility, inclusion of critical events, and narrative stage.

Results

All children participated in the comprehension task, and 19 children produced an analyzable narrative retell. Compared with published data on typically developing children, significant difficulties were observed in narrative comprehension, intelligibility, and grammatical accuracy. Most of the children told descriptive or action sequences, with only 1 child producing an abbreviated episode. Significant positive correlations were found (a) between performance on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Fourth Edition (Dunn & Dunn, 2007) and semantic diversity and narrative comprehension and (b) between parent-reported receptive communication competence (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition) and narrative comprehension.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary evidence of specific difficulties in oral narrative comprehension and production skills in verbal preschoolers on the autism spectrum.

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The Oral Narrative Comprehension and Production Abilities of Verbal Preschoolers on the Autism Spectrum

Purpose

This study described the oral narrative comprehension and production skills of verbal preschool-age children on the autism spectrum and investigated correlations between oral narrative ability and norm-referenced language test performance.

Method

Twenty-nine preschool-age children (aged 4;0–5;9 years;months) with autism, who obtained an age-equivalent score of at least 36 months on the expressive communication subscale of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition (Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Balla, 2005), participated. Children listened to an unfamiliar fictional narrative and answered comprehension questions afterward. After listening to the narrative a second time, children were asked to retell the narrative without picture support. Narratives were transcribed and analyzed for length, semantic diversity, grammatical complexity and accuracy, intelligibility, inclusion of critical events, and narrative stage.

Results

All children participated in the comprehension task, and 19 children produced an analyzable narrative retell. Compared with published data on typically developing children, significant difficulties were observed in narrative comprehension, intelligibility, and grammatical accuracy. Most of the children told descriptive or action sequences, with only 1 child producing an abbreviated episode. Significant positive correlations were found (a) between performance on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Fourth Edition (Dunn & Dunn, 2007) and semantic diversity and narrative comprehension and (b) between parent-reported receptive communication competence (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition) and narrative comprehension.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary evidence of specific difficulties in oral narrative comprehension and production skills in verbal preschoolers on the autism spectrum.

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The Oral Narrative Comprehension and Production Abilities of Verbal Preschoolers on the Autism Spectrum

Purpose

This study described the oral narrative comprehension and production skills of verbal preschool-age children on the autism spectrum and investigated correlations between oral narrative ability and norm-referenced language test performance.

Method

Twenty-nine preschool-age children (aged 4;0–5;9 years;months) with autism, who obtained an age-equivalent score of at least 36 months on the expressive communication subscale of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition (Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Balla, 2005), participated. Children listened to an unfamiliar fictional narrative and answered comprehension questions afterward. After listening to the narrative a second time, children were asked to retell the narrative without picture support. Narratives were transcribed and analyzed for length, semantic diversity, grammatical complexity and accuracy, intelligibility, inclusion of critical events, and narrative stage.

Results

All children participated in the comprehension task, and 19 children produced an analyzable narrative retell. Compared with published data on typically developing children, significant difficulties were observed in narrative comprehension, intelligibility, and grammatical accuracy. Most of the children told descriptive or action sequences, with only 1 child producing an abbreviated episode. Significant positive correlations were found (a) between performance on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–Fourth Edition (Dunn & Dunn, 2007) and semantic diversity and narrative comprehension and (b) between parent-reported receptive communication competence (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition) and narrative comprehension.

Conclusions

This study provides preliminary evidence of specific difficulties in oral narrative comprehension and production skills in verbal preschoolers on the autism spectrum.

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Ordinary Interactions Challenge Proposals That Maternal Verbal Responses Shape Infant Vocal Development

Purpose

This study tested proposals that maternal verbal responses shape infant vocal development, proposals based in part on evidence that infants modified their vocalizations to match mothers' experimentally manipulated vowel or consonant–vowel responses to most (i.e., 70%–80%) infant vocalizations. We tested the proposal in ordinary rather than experimentally manipulated interactions.

Method

Response-based proposals were tested in a cross-sectional study of 35 infants, ages 4 to 14 months, engaged in everyday interactions in their homes with their mothers using a standard set of toys and picture books.

Results

Mothers responded to 30% of infant vocalizations with vocal behaviors of their own, far fewer than experimentally manipulated response rates. Moreover, mothers produced comparatively few vowel and consonant–vowel models and responded to infants' vowel and consonant–vowel vocalizations in similar numbers. Infants showed little evidence of systematically modifying their vocal forms to match maternal responses in these interactions. Instead, consonant–vowel vocalizations increased significantly with infant age.

Conclusions

Results obtained in ordinary interactions, rather than response manipulation, did not provide substantial support for response-based mechanisms of infant vocal development. Consistent with other research, however, consonant–vowel productions increased with infant age.

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Architecture of the Suprahyoid Muscles: A Volumetric Musculoaponeurotic Analysis

Purpose

Suprahyoid muscles play a critical role in swallowing. The arrangement of the fiber bundles and aponeuroses has not been investigated volumetrically, even though muscle architecture is an important determinant of function. Thus, the purpose was to digitize, model in three dimensions, and quantify the architectural parameters of the suprahyoid muscles to determine and compare their relative functional capabilities.

Method

Fiber bundles and aponeuroses from 11 formalin-embalmed specimens were serially dissected and digitized in situ. Data were reconstructed in three dimensions using Autodesk Maya. Architectural parameters were quantified, and data were compared using independent samples t-tests and analyses of variance.

Results

Based on architecture and attachment sites, suprahyoid muscles were divided into 3 groups: anteromedial, superolateral, and superoposterior. Architectural parameters differed significantly (p < .05) across muscles and across the 3 groups, suggesting differential roles in hyoid movement during swallowing. When activated simultaneously, anteromedial and superoposterior muscle groups could work together to elevate the hyoid.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the suprahyoid muscles can have individualized roles in hyoid excursion during swallowing. Muscle balance may be important for identifying and treating hyolaryngeal dysfunction in patients with dysphagia.

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Ordinary Interactions Challenge Proposals That Maternal Verbal Responses Shape Infant Vocal Development

Purpose

This study tested proposals that maternal verbal responses shape infant vocal development, proposals based in part on evidence that infants modified their vocalizations to match mothers' experimentally manipulated vowel or consonant–vowel responses to most (i.e., 70%–80%) infant vocalizations. We tested the proposal in ordinary rather than experimentally manipulated interactions.

Method

Response-based proposals were tested in a cross-sectional study of 35 infants, ages 4 to 14 months, engaged in everyday interactions in their homes with their mothers using a standard set of toys and picture books.

Results

Mothers responded to 30% of infant vocalizations with vocal behaviors of their own, far fewer than experimentally manipulated response rates. Moreover, mothers produced comparatively few vowel and consonant–vowel models and responded to infants' vowel and consonant–vowel vocalizations in similar numbers. Infants showed little evidence of systematically modifying their vocal forms to match maternal responses in these interactions. Instead, consonant–vowel vocalizations increased significantly with infant age.

Conclusions

Results obtained in ordinary interactions, rather than response manipulation, did not provide substantial support for response-based mechanisms of infant vocal development. Consistent with other research, however, consonant–vowel productions increased with infant age.

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Architecture of the Suprahyoid Muscles: A Volumetric Musculoaponeurotic Analysis

Purpose

Suprahyoid muscles play a critical role in swallowing. The arrangement of the fiber bundles and aponeuroses has not been investigated volumetrically, even though muscle architecture is an important determinant of function. Thus, the purpose was to digitize, model in three dimensions, and quantify the architectural parameters of the suprahyoid muscles to determine and compare their relative functional capabilities.

Method

Fiber bundles and aponeuroses from 11 formalin-embalmed specimens were serially dissected and digitized in situ. Data were reconstructed in three dimensions using Autodesk Maya. Architectural parameters were quantified, and data were compared using independent samples t-tests and analyses of variance.

Results

Based on architecture and attachment sites, suprahyoid muscles were divided into 3 groups: anteromedial, superolateral, and superoposterior. Architectural parameters differed significantly (p < .05) across muscles and across the 3 groups, suggesting differential roles in hyoid movement during swallowing. When activated simultaneously, anteromedial and superoposterior muscle groups could work together to elevate the hyoid.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the suprahyoid muscles can have individualized roles in hyoid excursion during swallowing. Muscle balance may be important for identifying and treating hyolaryngeal dysfunction in patients with dysphagia.

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Ordinary Interactions Challenge Proposals That Maternal Verbal Responses Shape Infant Vocal Development

Purpose

This study tested proposals that maternal verbal responses shape infant vocal development, proposals based in part on evidence that infants modified their vocalizations to match mothers' experimentally manipulated vowel or consonant–vowel responses to most (i.e., 70%–80%) infant vocalizations. We tested the proposal in ordinary rather than experimentally manipulated interactions.

Method

Response-based proposals were tested in a cross-sectional study of 35 infants, ages 4 to 14 months, engaged in everyday interactions in their homes with their mothers using a standard set of toys and picture books.

Results

Mothers responded to 30% of infant vocalizations with vocal behaviors of their own, far fewer than experimentally manipulated response rates. Moreover, mothers produced comparatively few vowel and consonant–vowel models and responded to infants' vowel and consonant–vowel vocalizations in similar numbers. Infants showed little evidence of systematically modifying their vocal forms to match maternal responses in these interactions. Instead, consonant–vowel vocalizations increased significantly with infant age.

Conclusions

Results obtained in ordinary interactions, rather than response manipulation, did not provide substantial support for response-based mechanisms of infant vocal development. Consistent with other research, however, consonant–vowel productions increased with infant age.

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Architecture of the Suprahyoid Muscles: A Volumetric Musculoaponeurotic Analysis

Purpose

Suprahyoid muscles play a critical role in swallowing. The arrangement of the fiber bundles and aponeuroses has not been investigated volumetrically, even though muscle architecture is an important determinant of function. Thus, the purpose was to digitize, model in three dimensions, and quantify the architectural parameters of the suprahyoid muscles to determine and compare their relative functional capabilities.

Method

Fiber bundles and aponeuroses from 11 formalin-embalmed specimens were serially dissected and digitized in situ. Data were reconstructed in three dimensions using Autodesk Maya. Architectural parameters were quantified, and data were compared using independent samples t-tests and analyses of variance.

Results

Based on architecture and attachment sites, suprahyoid muscles were divided into 3 groups: anteromedial, superolateral, and superoposterior. Architectural parameters differed significantly (p < .05) across muscles and across the 3 groups, suggesting differential roles in hyoid movement during swallowing. When activated simultaneously, anteromedial and superoposterior muscle groups could work together to elevate the hyoid.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the suprahyoid muscles can have individualized roles in hyoid excursion during swallowing. Muscle balance may be important for identifying and treating hyolaryngeal dysfunction in patients with dysphagia.

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Fernando Aguilar – please contact us!

Hello,

Please excuse us for the following announcement. If you’re Fernando Aguilar – please contact us at info@audionotch.com!

You entered your e-mail into our contact form incorrectly and we can’t reach you.

Thanks!

AudioNotch Team

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Modelling firing regularity in the ventral cochlear nucleus: mechanisms, and effects of stimulus level and synaptopathy Changes in firing regularity in the normal and impaired auditory system

Publication date: Available online 20 September 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Dan F.M. Goodman, Ian M. Winter, Agnès C. Léger Alain de Cheveigné, Christian Lorenzi
The auditory system processes temporal information at multiple scales, and disruptions to this temporal processing may lead to deficits in auditory tasks such as detecting and discriminating sounds in a noisy environment. Here, a modelling approach is used to study the temporal regularity of firing by chopper cells in the ventral cochlear nucleus, in both the normal and impaired auditory system. Chopper cells, which have a strikingly regular firing response, divide into two classes, sustained and transient, based on the time course of this regularity. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the behaviour of chopper cells, and the difference between sustained and transient cells in particular. However, there is no conclusive evidence so far. Here, a reduced mathematical model is developed and used to compare and test a wide range of hypotheses with a limited number of parameters. In line with recent work suggesting that there is no clear classification into discrete classes, Simulation results show a continuum of cell types and behaviours: chopper-like behaviour arises for a wide range of parameters, suggesting that multiple mechanisms may underlie this behaviour. The model accounts for systematic trends in regularity as a function of stimulus level that have previously only been reported anecdotally. Finally, the model is used to predict the effects of a reduction in the number of auditory nerve fibres (deafferentation due to, for example, cochlear synaptopathy). An interactive version of this paper in which all the model parameters can be changed is available online.

Graphical abstract

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Modelling firing regularity in the ventral cochlear nucleus: mechanisms, and effects of stimulus level and synaptopathy Changes in firing regularity in the normal and impaired auditory system

Publication date: Available online 20 September 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Dan F.M. Goodman, Ian M. Winter, Agnès C. Léger Alain de Cheveigné, Christian Lorenzi
The auditory system processes temporal information at multiple scales, and disruptions to this temporal processing may lead to deficits in auditory tasks such as detecting and discriminating sounds in a noisy environment. Here, a modelling approach is used to study the temporal regularity of firing by chopper cells in the ventral cochlear nucleus, in both the normal and impaired auditory system. Chopper cells, which have a strikingly regular firing response, divide into two classes, sustained and transient, based on the time course of this regularity. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the behaviour of chopper cells, and the difference between sustained and transient cells in particular. However, there is no conclusive evidence so far. Here, a reduced mathematical model is developed and used to compare and test a wide range of hypotheses with a limited number of parameters. In line with recent work suggesting that there is no clear classification into discrete classes, Simulation results show a continuum of cell types and behaviours: chopper-like behaviour arises for a wide range of parameters, suggesting that multiple mechanisms may underlie this behaviour. The model accounts for systematic trends in regularity as a function of stimulus level that have previously only been reported anecdotally. Finally, the model is used to predict the effects of a reduction in the number of auditory nerve fibres (deafferentation due to, for example, cochlear synaptopathy). An interactive version of this paper in which all the model parameters can be changed is available online.

Graphical abstract

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Modelling firing regularity in the ventral cochlear nucleus: mechanisms, and effects of stimulus level and synaptopathy Changes in firing regularity in the normal and impaired auditory system

Publication date: Available online 20 September 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Dan F.M. Goodman, Ian M. Winter, Agnès C. Léger Alain de Cheveigné, Christian Lorenzi
The auditory system processes temporal information at multiple scales, and disruptions to this temporal processing may lead to deficits in auditory tasks such as detecting and discriminating sounds in a noisy environment. Here, a modelling approach is used to study the temporal regularity of firing by chopper cells in the ventral cochlear nucleus, in both the normal and impaired auditory system. Chopper cells, which have a strikingly regular firing response, divide into two classes, sustained and transient, based on the time course of this regularity. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the behaviour of chopper cells, and the difference between sustained and transient cells in particular. However, there is no conclusive evidence so far. Here, a reduced mathematical model is developed and used to compare and test a wide range of hypotheses with a limited number of parameters. In line with recent work suggesting that there is no clear classification into discrete classes, Simulation results show a continuum of cell types and behaviours: chopper-like behaviour arises for a wide range of parameters, suggesting that multiple mechanisms may underlie this behaviour. The model accounts for systematic trends in regularity as a function of stimulus level that have previously only been reported anecdotally. Finally, the model is used to predict the effects of a reduction in the number of auditory nerve fibres (deafferentation due to, for example, cochlear synaptopathy). An interactive version of this paper in which all the model parameters can be changed is available online.

Graphical abstract

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Homeopathy For Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the extremely annoying experience of spontaneous noise that is heard in one or in both ears. The sound might be a ringing, buzzing, roaring, or hissing. The severity and loudness varies, is quite distracting, and can have an impact on one’s life.

Those people with Tinnitus can try to usually ignore the sound if it is not severe or can possibly learn through cognitive therapy how to be distracted and try to become accustomed to living with it. For example, Tinnitus Masking (TM) uses earphones similar to hearing aids that produce a noise that attempts to cancel out the Tinnitus, but the effectiveness has been modest.

In the study, “Is There a Treatment for Tinnitus?” by Steven Novella, MD, an academic clinical neurologist at the Yale University School of Medicine, he reports that there is no effective treatment and that such a condition or symptom unfortunately provides a market ripe for exploitation.

Novella believes that Tinnitus is a convenient target for proponents of the unconventional therapy of Homeopathy for Tinnitus and that recommended treatments really are not helpful. Studies have not been properly conducted, and placebos given to one group, as opposed to those participants given Homeopathy for Tinnitus, have produced the same results of ineffectiveness.

Most homeopathic preparations are diluted to where there are no active ingredients remaining, and they are not effective. Some products that are only slightly diluted and contain active ingredients could possibly have direct toxicity.

Symptoms that vary naturally over a period of time also present good targets. Patients who seek treatment when the symptoms are maximal, and then finally have a following spontaneous regression, might have an illusion of efficacy and be open to any suggested intervention.

Novella concludes that, since there is no treatment that has been proven to be effective for Tinnitus, those who are afflicted are likely desperate for a helpful treatment and are likely to listen to “snake-oil salesmen” about their products. One common recommendation is the herb Ginkgo biloba because it might increase the blood circulation in the neck and head. However, a study showed that it was no more effective when given to the group’s participants than the placebo given to the other group.

Novella is hopeful that perhaps one theory may eventually prove helpful and that drugs that increase the brain’s GABA activity could be a possible treatment. GABA is the brain’s most common inhibitory neurotransmitter. Decreased activity of GABA in the auditory system is reported to be one of Tinnitus’ components.

Do some serious thinking if you are considering using Homeopathy For Tinnitus.

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