It has long been known that environmental conditions, particularly during development, affect morphological and functional properties of the brain including sensory systems; manipulating the environment thus represents a viable way to explore experience-dependent plasticity of the brain as well as of sensory systems. In this review, we summarize our experience with the effects of acoustically enriched environment (AEE) consisting of spectrally and temporally modulated complex sounds applied during first weeks of the postnatal development in rats and compare it with the related knowledge from the literature. Compared to controls, rats exposed to AEE showed in neurons of several parts of the auditory system differences in the dendritic length and in number of spines and spine density. The AEE exposure permanently influenced neuronal representation of the sound frequency and intensity resulting in lower excitatory thresholds, increased frequency selectivity and steeper rate-intensity functions. These changes were present both in the neurons of the inferior colliculus and the auditory cortex (AC). In addition, the AEE changed the responsiveness of AC neurons to frequency modulated, and also to a lesser extent, amplitude-modulated stimuli. Rearing rat pups in AEE leads to an increased reliability of acoustical responses of AC neurons, affecting both the rate and the temporal codes. At the level of individual spikes, the discharge patterns of individual neurons show a higher degree of similarity across stimulus repetitions. Behaviorally, rearing pups in AEE resulted in an improvement in the frequency resolution and gap detection ability under conditions with a worsened stimulus clarity. Altogether, the results of experiments show that the exposure to AEE during the critical developmental period influences the frequency and temporal processing in the auditory system, and these changes persist until adulthood. The results may serve for interpretation of the effects of the application of enriched acoustical environment in human neonatal medicine, especially in the case of care for preterm born children.

• MeSH
• akustická stimulace * MeSH
• akustika MeSH
• colliculus inferior růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• neurony fyziologie   MeSH
• neuroplasticita * fyziologie   MeSH
• novorozená zvířata MeSH
• sluchová dráha * růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchová percepce MeSH
• sluchové korové centrum * růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• životní prostředí MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Auditory processing in mammals begins in the peripheral inner ear and extends to the auditory cortex. Sound is transduced from mechanical stimuli into electrochemical signals of hair cells, which relay auditory information via the primary auditory neurons to cochlear nuclei. Information is subsequently processed in the superior olivary complex, lateral lemniscus, and inferior colliculus and projects to the auditory cortex via the medial geniculate body in the thalamus. Recent advances have provided valuable insights into the development and functioning of auditory structures, complementing our understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying auditory processing. This comprehensive review explores the genetic mechanisms required for auditory system development from the peripheral cochlea to the auditory cortex. We highlight transcription factors and other genes with key recurring and interacting roles in guiding auditory system development and organization. Understanding these gene regulatory networks holds promise for developing novel therapeutic strategies for hearing disorders, benefiting millions globally.

• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mozek metabolismus   růst a vývoj   MeSH
• sluch * fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchová dráha * fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchové korové centrum metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

A gene cadre orchestrates the normal development of sensory and non-sensory cells in the inner ear, segregating the cochlea with a distinct tonotopic sound frequency map, similar brain projection, and five vestibular end-organs. However, the role of genes driving the ear development is largely unknown. Here, we show double deletion of the Iroquois homeobox 3 and 5 transcription factors (Irx3/5 DKO) leads to the fusion of the saccule and the cochlear base. The overlying otoconia and tectorial membranes are absent in the Irx3/5 DKO inner ear, and the primary auditory neurons project fibers to both the saccule and cochlear hair cells. The central neuronal projections from the cochlear apex-base contour are not fully segregated into a dorsal and ventral innervation in the Irx3/5 DKO cochlear nucleus, obliterating the characteristic tonotopic auditory map. Additionally, Irx3/5 deletion reveals a pronounced cochlear-apex-vestibular "vestibular-cochlear" nerve (VCN) bilateral connection that is less noticeable in wild-type control mice. Moreover, the incomplete segregation of apex and base projections that expands fibers to connect with vestibular nuclei. The results suggest the mammalian cochlear apex is a derived lagena reminiscent of sarcopterygians. Thus, Irx3 and 5 are potential evolutionary branch-point genes necessary for balance-sound segregation, which fused into a saccule-cochlea organization.

• MeSH
• homeodoménové proteiny * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• kochlea * fyziologie   MeSH
• myši knockoutované * MeSH
• myši MeSH
• sakulus a utrikulus * fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchová dráha fyziologie   MeSH
• transkripční faktory * genetika   metabolismus   nedostatek   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The structure of neurons in the central auditory system is vulnerable to various kinds of acoustic exposures during the critical postnatal developmental period. Here we explored long-term effects of exposure to an acoustically enriched environment (AEE) during the third and fourth weeks of the postnatal period in rat pups. AEE consisted of a spectrally and temporally modulated sound of moderate intensity, reinforced by a behavioral paradigm. At the age of 3-6 months, a Golgi-Cox staining was used to evaluate the morphology of neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC), the medial geniculate body (MGB), and the auditory cortex (AC). Compared to controls, rats exposed to AEE showed an increased mean dendritic length and volume and the soma surface in the external cortex and the central nucleus of the IC. The spine density increased in both the ventral and dorsal divisions of the MGB. In the AC, the total length and volume of the basal dendritic segments of pyramidal neurons and the number and density of spines on these dendrites increased significantly. No differences were found on apical dendrites. We also found an elevated number of spines and spine density in non-pyramidal neurons. These results show that exposure to AEE during the critical developmental period can induce permanent changes in the structure of neurons in the central auditory system. These changes represent morphological correlates of the functional plasticity, such as an improvement in frequency tuning and synchronization with temporal parameters of acoustical stimuli.

• MeSH
• akustická stimulace MeSH
• colliculus inferior cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• dendritické trny fyziologie   MeSH
• dendrity fyziologie   MeSH
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• metathalamus cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• neurony cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• neuroplasticita fyziologie   MeSH
• novorozená zvířata MeSH
• potkani Long-Evans MeSH
• sluchová dráha cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchové korové centrum cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• tvar buňky fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Acoustical environment plays an important role during the maturation of the auditory system. It has been shown that the sensory inputs to the developing centres influence the development of the structure of projections, neuronal responsiveness, excitatory-inhibitory balance, or tonotopical arrangement, throughout the auditory pathway. Our previous study (Bures et al., 2014) showed that rats reared in a complex acoustic environment (spectrally and temporally modulated sound reinforced by an active behavioural paradigm with a positive feedback) exhibit permanently improved response characteristics of the inferior colliculus (IC) neurons. Extending these results, the current work provides evidence that the changes occur also at the level of auditory cortex (AC). In particular, the enriched animals have lower excitatory thresholds, sharper frequency selectivity, and a lower proportion of non-monotonic rate-intensity functions. In contrast to the changes observed in the IC, the cortical neurons of enriched animals have lower response magnitudes. In addition, the enrichment changed the AC responsiveness to frequency-modulated and also to a lesser extent, amplitude-modulated stimuli. Significantly, the alterations span the entire hearing range and may be regarded as general and not directly linked to the characteristics of the acoustical stimulation. Furthermore, these developmentally induced changes are permanent and detectable in adulthood. The findings indicate that an acoustically enriched environment during the critical period of postnatal development influences basic properties of neuronal receptive fields in the AC, which may have implications for the ability to detect and discriminate sounds.

• MeSH
• akustická stimulace MeSH
• bydlení zvířat MeSH
• membránové potenciály fyziologie   MeSH
• neurony fyziologie   MeSH
• potkani Long-Evans MeSH
• sluchová dráha růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchová percepce fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchové kmenové evokované potenciály MeSH
• sluchové korové centrum růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• životní prostředí MeSH
• zpětná vazba MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

This paper discusses ergodic properties and circular statistical characteristics in neuronal spike trains. Ergodicity means that the average taken over a long time period and over smaller population should equal the average in less time and larger population. The objectives are to show simple examples of design and validation of a neuronal model, where the ergodicity assumption helps find correspondence between variables and parameters. The methods used are analytical and numerical computations, numerical models of phenomenological spiking neurons and neuronal circuits. Results obtained using these methods are the following. They are: a formula to calculate vector strength of neural spike timing dependent on the spike train parameters, description of parameters of spike train variability and model of output spiking density based on assumption of the computation realized by sound localization neural circuit. Theoretical results are illustrated by references to experimental data. Examples of neurons where spike trains have and do not have the ergodic property are then discussed.

• MeSH
• akční potenciály fyziologie   MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• modely neurologické * MeSH
• nervová síť fyziologie   MeSH
• neurony fyziologie   MeSH
• počítačová simulace MeSH
• pravděpodobnost * MeSH
• sluch fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchová dráha fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchová percepce fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

• MeSH
• diagnostické techniky otologické přístrojové vybavení   MeSH
• evokované potenciály MeSH
• hluchota etiologie   klasifikace   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory ucha diagnóza   patologie   terapie   MeSH
• nedoslýchavost etiologie   klasifikace   MeSH
• nemoci ucha diagnóza   klasifikace   terapie   MeSH
• otologické chirurgické výkony MeSH
• sluch MeSH
• sluchová dráha anatomie a histologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• ucho * anatomie a histologie   fyziologie   patofyziologie   patologie   zranění   MeSH
• vestibulární aparát anatomie a histologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH

Localization of sound source azimuth within horizontal plane uses interaural time differences (ITDs) between sounds arriving through the left and right ear. In mammals, ITDs are processed primarily in the medial superior olive (MSO) neurons. These are the first binaural neurons in the auditory pathway. The MSO neurons are notable because they possess high time precision in the range of tens of microseconds. Several theories and experimental studies explain how neurons are able to achieve such precision. In most theories, neuronal coincidence detection processes the ITDs and encodes azimuth in ascending neurons of the auditory pathway using modalities that are more tractable than the ITD. These modalities have been described as firing rate codes, place codes (labeled line codes) and similarly. In this theoretical model it is described how the ITD is processed by coincidence detection and converted into spikes by summing the postsynaptic potentials. Particular postsynaptic conductance functions are used in order to obtain an analytical solution in a closed form. Specifically, postsynaptic response functions are derived from the exponential decay of postsynaptic conductances and the MSO neuron is modeled as a simplified version of the Spike Response Model (SRM0) which uses linear summations of the membrane responses to synaptic inputs. For plausible ratios of time constants, an analytical solution used to describe properties of coincidence detection window is obtained. The parameter space is then explored in the vicinity of the analytical solution. The variation of parameters does not change the solution qualitatively.

• MeSH
• akční potenciály fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lokalizace zvuku fyziologie   MeSH
• modely neurologické * MeSH
• nervová síť fyziologie   MeSH
• nervové receptory fyziologie   MeSH
• nervový přenos fyziologie   MeSH
• počítačová simulace MeSH
• sluchová dráha fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Cíl studie: Cílem studie bylo zjištění vztahů mezi manifestací tinnitu, nálezem na sluchových evokovaných potenciálech a genetickým pozadím u receptoru pro gamaaminomáselnou kyselinu typu A (GABA(A) receptor), podporující desinhibiční hypotézu vzniku tinnitu. Soubor a metodika: Bylo vyšetřeno 131 pacientů z hlediska sluchové ztráty, provedena kvantifikace tinnitu, sluchové evokované potenciály střední latence (MLR) a kmenové sluchové evokované potenciály (BAEP) a dále stanovení genotypu (CA)n repetitivní sekvence pro beta‑3 podjednotku GABA(A) receptoru. Následně byly hledány vztahy mezi jednotlivými výsledky a manifestací tinnitu. Výsledky: Byla nalezena korelace tinnitus skóre s amplitudovým poměrem vln V/III v BAEP (R = 0,22, p < 0,001) a s průměrným sluchovým prahem (R = 0,22, p = 0,17). Rovněž byla nalezena korelace tinnitus skóre s amplitudou vlny PA v MLR (R = 0,31–0,37; p < 0,001). Výsledky MLR neukázaly žádný vztah k průměrnému sluchovému prahu. U skupiny s kratší anamnézou tinnitu (méně než devět měsíců) byl prokázán rozdíl v manifestaci tinnitu na genotypu pro (CA)n repetitivní sekvenci genu pro beta‑3 podjednotku GABA(A) receptoru (p = 0,002). Tento výsledek byl rovněž konzistentní s rozložením amplitudy vlny PA v dané subpopulaci. Závěr: Tyto výsledky svědčí o existenci dvou hlavních regulačních mechanizmů vzniku tinnitu: první, který je závislý na velikosti sluchové ztráty, je na úrovni mozkového kmene, zatímco druhý je na úrovni korové s možnou souvislostí s genotypem (CA)n repetitivní sekvence pro beta‑3 podjednotku GABA(A) receptoru.

Study aim:Study objective was to explore associations between manifestation of tinnitus, auditory evoked potentials and genetic background of gamma‑aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A) receptors) to support the disinhibited feedback hypothesis of tinnitus generation. Materials and methods: A population of 131 patients was assessed for severity of hearing loss, quantification of tinnitus, mid‑latency responses (MLR) and brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), and (CA)n tandem repeat polymorphism in GABA(A) Beta‑3 subunit gene to establish any correlation with manifestation of tinnitus. Results: It was observed that tinnitus score correlates with V/III amplitude ratio in BAEP (R = 0.22, p < 0.001) and with mean pure tone audiometry (PTA) threshold (R = 0.22, p = 0.017). Analysis of the MLR results showed a significant correlation between the PA wave amplitude and the tinnitus score (R = 0.31–0.37; p < 0.001). MLR result analysis showed no statistically significant correlation between the wave amplitudes and the mean auditory threshold. An analysis of a subgroup with shorter clinical history (less than nine months) revealed a statistically significant difference in the tinnitus score in relation to the genotype of (CA)n tandem repeat of the GABRß3 receptor subunit gene (p = 0.002). This result was also consistent with the distribution of the PA wave amplitude in the given subpopulation. Conclusion: Our findings indicate existence of two main regulatory mechanisms of tinnitus generation: first, the brainstem mechanism is dependent on the severity of the hearing loss; second, the cortical mechanism is likely to be dependent on the genotype of (CA)n tandem repeat in GABA(A) beta‑3 subunit gene.

• MeSH
• akustická stimulace metody   MeSH
• audiometrie čistými tóny * využití   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus genetika   MeSH
• koncové repetice genetika   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mozkový kmen fyziologie   MeSH
• receptory GABA-A * fyziologie   genetika   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• sluchová dráha fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchové evokované potenciály * fyziologie   genetika   MeSH
• sluchový práh * fyziologie   MeSH
• tinnitus * diagnóza   genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Tone at moderate levels presented to young rats at a stage (postnatal week-4) presumably that has passed the cortical critical period still can enlarge neurons in the auditory cortex. It remains unclear whether this delayed plastic change occurs only in the cortex, or reflects a change taking place in the auditory brainstem. Here we compared sound-exposure effects on neuronal size in the auditory cortex and the midbrain. Starting from postnatal day 22, young rats were exposed to a low-frequency tone (4 kHz at 65 dB SPL) for a period of 3 (postnatal day 22-25) or 7 (postnatal day 22-29) days before sacrifice. Neurons were analyzed morphometrically from 7 μm-thick histological sections. A marked increase in neuronal size (32%) was found at the cortex in the high-frequency region distant from the exposing tone. The increase in the midbrain was even larger (67%) and was found in both the low and high frequency regions. While cell enlargements were clear at day 29, only in the high frequency region of the cortex a slight enlargement was found at day 22, suggesting that the cortical and subcortical changes are synchronized, if not slightly preceded by the cortex. In contrast, no changes in neuronal size were found in the cochlear nucleus or the visual midbrain. Such differential effects of sound-exposure at the auditory centers across cortical and subcortical levels cannot be explained by a simple activity-driven change occurring earlier in the brainstem, and might involve function of other structures as for example the descending auditory system.

• MeSH
• akustická stimulace MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• kosti a kostní tkáň MeSH
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• mezencefalon fyziologie   MeSH
• mozkový kmen fyziologie   MeSH
• neurony metabolismus   fyziologie   MeSH
• neuroplasticita MeSH
• nucleus cochlearis metabolismus   MeSH
• potkani Sprague-Dawley MeSH
• sluch MeSH
• sluchová dráha fyziologie   MeSH
• sluchové korové centrum fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• zvuk * MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu rattus MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH