Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

44.5K
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.
44.5K
Auditory Pathway01:15

Auditory Pathway

4.6K
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...
4.6K
Hearing01:31

Hearing

51.8K
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.
51.8K
Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

40.0K
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.
40.0K
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

7.2K
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...
7.2K
Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location01:21

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

191
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...
191

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Molecularly defined auditory neuron subtypes show different vulnerabilities to noise- and age-related synaptopathy in mice.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Impact of scan body splinting on the accuracy of complete-arch digital implant impressions.

Journal of dental sciences·2025
Same author

Molecularly defined auditory neuron subtypes show different vulnerabilities to noise- and age-related synaptopathy in mice.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Molecularly defined auditory neuron subtypes show different vulnerabilities to noise- and age-related synaptopathy in mice.

Research square·2025
Same author

An anatomical and physiological basis for flexible coincidence detection in the auditory system.

eLife·2025
Same author

ERG responses to high-frequency flickers require FAT3 signaling in mouse retinal bipolar cells.

The Journal of general physiology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2025

Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage
07:13

Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage

Published on: February 10, 2023

2.1K

Lateral olivocochlear neurons modulate cochlear responses to noise exposure.

Austen A Sitko1, Michelle M Frank1, Gabriel E Romero1

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|January 24, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Lateral olivocochlear (LOC) neurons modulate hearing by adjusting spiral ganglion neuron (SGN) excitability. After noise exposure, LOCs compensate for auditory deficits, enhancing SGN function during recovery.

Keywords:
LOCauditory functionefferentnoise exposureolivocochlear neurons

More Related Videos

Semi-Automated Analysis of Peak Amplitude and Latency for Auditory Brainstem Response Waveforms Using R
06:01

Semi-Automated Analysis of Peak Amplitude and Latency for Auditory Brainstem Response Waveforms Using R

Published on: December 9, 2022

2.5K
In Vitro Wedge Slice Preparation for Mimicking In Vivo Neuronal Circuit Connectivity
10:31

In Vitro Wedge Slice Preparation for Mimicking In Vivo Neuronal Circuit Connectivity

Published on: August 18, 2020

5.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2025

Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage
07:13

Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage

Published on: February 10, 2023

2.1K
Semi-Automated Analysis of Peak Amplitude and Latency for Auditory Brainstem Response Waveforms Using R
06:01

Semi-Automated Analysis of Peak Amplitude and Latency for Auditory Brainstem Response Waveforms Using R

Published on: December 9, 2022

2.5K
In Vitro Wedge Slice Preparation for Mimicking In Vivo Neuronal Circuit Connectivity
10:31

In Vitro Wedge Slice Preparation for Mimicking In Vivo Neuronal Circuit Connectivity

Published on: August 18, 2020

5.4K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Auditory Physiology
  • Sensory Biology

Background:

  • The cochlea processes sound, but is vulnerable to noise-induced damage.
  • Olivocochlear neurons (OCNs) from the brainstem modulate cochlear function.
  • Lateral olivocochlear (LOC) neurons specifically target spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of LOC neurons in auditory function following noise exposure (NE).
  • To determine if LOC neurons' transmitter expression changes after NE.
  • To assess the impact of LOC neuron function on hearing recovery after NE.

Main Methods:

  • Characterized OCN transcriptional profiles after NE.
  • Generated mouse lines to selectively ablate LOC neurons.
  • Assayed auditory responses in control and LOC-ablated mice before and after NE.

Main Results:

  • Noise exposure induced transient, LOC-specific gene expression changes, including neuropeptide upregulation.
  • Mice with reduced LOC innervation exhibited greater NE-induced hearing deficits.
  • LOC-ablated mice showed poorer auditory function even after a 2-week recovery period.

Conclusions:

  • LOC neurons do not primarily protect against noise damage but rather compensate for it.
  • LOCs enhance SGN function during periods of auditory need after noise exposure.
  • LOC neuron activity is crucial for auditory function recovery.