Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
06:50
The Use of Mouse Splenocytes to Assess Pathogen-associated Molecular Pattern Influence on Clock Gene Expression
Published on: July 24, 2018
6.8K
Hearing damage and deafness: a role for the circadian clock
1Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
Current Biology : CB
|March 22, 2014
Summary
Hearing recovery after noise damage depends on the time of day. This is controlled by the body's internal clock regulating nerve growth factor (BDNF) in the inner ear.
Area of Science:
- Oto-neurology
- Chronobiology
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Severe noise exposure can lead to irreversible hearing impairment.
- The inner ear's susceptibility to damage and its recovery mechanisms are not fully understood.
- Circadian rhythms are known to influence physiological processes throughout the body.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of time of day on the recovery of hearing following noise-induced damage.
- To explore the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in mediating time-dependent hearing recovery.
- To determine the involvement of the circadian clock in regulating inner ear repair mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing animal models exposed to controlled noise stimuli at different times of the day.
- Measuring auditory function and assessing hair cell damage and regeneration.
- Quantifying levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cochlea using molecular assays.
Main Results:
- Significant variations in the capacity for hearing recovery were observed based on the timing of noise exposure.
- Inner ear BDNF levels exhibited a circadian rhythm, correlating with the observed differences in recovery.
- Noise damage sustained during specific circadian phases showed enhanced or impaired repair.
Conclusions:
- The circadian clock plays a critical role in modulating the inner ear's ability to recover from noise-induced hearing damage.
- Time-dependent regulation of BDNF by the circadian system is a key mechanism underlying these recovery differences.
- These findings suggest potential chronotherapeutic strategies for preventing or treating noise-induced hearing loss.
Related Concept Videos
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
3.4K
The biological clock is involved in many aspects of regulating complex physiology in all animals. It was in 1935 when German zoologists, Hans Kalmus and Erwin Bünning, discovered the existence of circadian rhythm in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the internal molecular mechanisms behind the circadian clock remained a mystery until 1984, when Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young discovered the expression of the Per gene oscillating over a 24-hour cycle. In subsequent...
3.4K
02:19Circadian Rhythms and Gene Regulation
2.1K
2.1K
02:45Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses
36.0K
The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.
36.0K
01:31Hearing
48.0K
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.
48.0K
00:50Unrenewable Cells
2.1K
In humans, the photoreceptor cells of the eye and sensory hair cells of the ear lack stem cells. These cells are thus unrenewable and cannot be replaced when they are damaged or destroyed.
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...
2.1K
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
1.4K
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
1.4K