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Learning to encode timing: mechanisms of plasticity in the auditory brainstem
Thanos Tzounopoulos1, Nina Kraus
1Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA. thanos@pitt.edu
Neuron
|May 30, 2009
Summary
The auditory brainstem, once thought to be hard-wired, shows significant plasticity. New research reveals cellular and behavioral mechanisms for learning and memory in this early sensory processing center.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- Traditionally, neural plasticity, the brain's ability to change, was attributed to higher-order areas like the cortex.
- The auditory brainstem was considered a fixed pathway, crucial for rapid auditory signal transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and mechanisms of neural plasticity in the auditory brainstem.
- To challenge the long-held view of the auditory brainstem as a nonplastic structure.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent studies utilizing animal models.
- Analysis of findings from human investigations.
- Examination of cellular and behavioral evidence.
Main Results:
- Groundbreaking evidence demonstrates significant plasticity within the auditory brainstem.
- Cellular-level changes support learning and memory functions.
- Behavioral studies confirm adaptive capabilities in response to auditory experiences.
Conclusions:
- The auditory brainstem is a plastic structure, capable of modification through learning and experience.
- This plasticity challenges traditional models of sensory processing.
- Understanding auditory brainstem plasticity opens new avenues for auditory rehabilitation and treatment.
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When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
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The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
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01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
01:16Anatomy of the Ear
Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...
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Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.