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Molecular aspects of tinnitus
Marlies Knipper1, Ulrike Zimmermann, Marcus Müller
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Tübingen, Hearing Research Centre Tübingen (THRC), Molecular Neurobiology & Cell Biology of the Inner Ear, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 5, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany. marlies.knipper@uni-tuebingen.de <marlies.knipper@uni-tuebingen.de>
Hearing Research
|August 5, 2009
Summary
Sensory trauma can cause molecular changes in the cochlea, leading to central nervous system alterations and potentially generating tinnitus. This review explores the molecular basis of tinnitus, from the inner ear to the auditory cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Science
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Tinnitus generation is often linked to peripheral auditory system damage.
- Molecular changes following sensory trauma are increasingly identified.
- Abnormal neuronal excitability in the central nervous system may underlie tinnitus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review molecular events in the cochlea contributing to tinnitus.
- To explore the progression of molecular changes from the periphery to the central auditory system.
- To highlight the role of molecular alterations in central nervous system network activity.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing studies on molecular changes and tinnitus.
- Tracing molecular events from the inner ear to the auditory cortex.
- Analysis of research on neuronal excitability and structural alterations.
Main Results:
- Sensory trauma and agents like salicylate induce molecular changes in the cochlea.
- These peripheral changes can alter network activity in brain areas, including the limbic system.
- Molecular events in the central auditory system are secondary to peripheral neuronal changes.
Conclusions:
- Molecular changes in the cochlea play a critical role in tinnitus development.
- Understanding these molecular pathways is key to addressing tinnitus.
- Further research into central auditory system changes is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
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.
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.
01:15Auditory Pathway
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
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...
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
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...
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...
01:22Hair Cells
Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.