The Studies
Hearing disorders of many types begin in the inner ear, but they have long-term effects in the brain. The Hearing Research Group at NEOMED is a diverse group of scientists interested in how the central nervous system functions in association with hearing and vocal communication, how it is affected by hearing disorders, and how interventions of the peripheral and central nervous systems may ameliorate hearing disorders.
NEOMED researchers study several hearing & communication health issues
- Age-related hearing loss
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Hearing loss during development
- Auditory processing disorder
- Tinnitus
- Emotional disorders in speech communication
- Organization of the normal hearing brain
The Statistics
15%
Of American adults (37.5 million) report some trouble with hearing.
1 in 12
Nearly 1 in 12 U.S. children ages 3-17 have had a disorder related to voice, speech, language or swallowing in the past 12 months.
50M+
Over 50 million Americans experience some form of tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
The Successes
Bao lab
Potential molecular targets for noise-induced hearing loss in spiral ganglion neurons
Lu lab
Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neuromodulation by metabotropic glutamate receptors in sound localization circuits
Schofield lab
We discovered circuits (red fibers contacting the blue and green nerve cell) that may allow us to tune in to sounds that are interesting and tune out sounds that are distracting. Dysfunction in these circuits may relate to the difficulties in hearing that often accompany aging.
Mellott Lab
We discovered that auditory midbrain cells (arrows) heavily upregulate specific receptors (magenta) during middle-age and the subsequently downregulate the receptor during old age. The loss of these receptors in old age may underlie aspects of age-related hearing loss
Rosen lab
Early childhood hearing loss can result in long-lasting problems with speech perception. We discovered a novel method of remediating perceptual problems that also improved neural sensitivity in the auditory cortex.
Wenstrup Lab
In response to emotional vocalizations, the neuromodulators acetylcholine and dopamine are released into the basolateral amygdala with context-dependent and estrous-stage dependent patterns. These patterns, revealed in studies using microdialysis combined with LC/MS chemical detection, likely provide the basis for context-dependent processing of social vocalizations by the amygdala.
Huyck Lab
This research is focused on the mechanisms underlying maturational changes in performance on basic auditory and speech perception tasks during adolescence in normal-hearing listeners. It will yield experimental protocols that will be applicable for the development of diagnostic tests regarding auditory processing in adolescents and young adults and provide insights for the development of rehabilitation strategies to treat disorders affecting auditory processing in adolescents and young adults.
The Scientists
Drug and gene therapies for hearing loss and tinnitus
Neural mechanisms underlying tinnitus, and potential therapies
Mechanisms of neurotransmission underlying auditory processing
Auditory perception and learning during adolescence
Age-related circuit changes that occur before hearing loss
Bruna Mussoi, Au.D., Ph.D.
Age-related factors that impact speech perception
Effects of stress and hearing loss on auditory perception and neural circuits
Neuroanatomical and neurochemical analysis of auditory circuitry
Neural circuits underlying emotional vocal communication
Cellular properties of neurons that support sound localization
The Stories
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Read the StoryMerri Rosen, Ph.D., director of Hearing Research at Northeast Ohio Medical University, has been awarded a 5-year, $2.3 million grant […]
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Read the StoryThis summer, doctoral degrees were awarded to several candidates who successfully defended their dissertations resulting from research conducted at Northeast […]
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Read the StoryWhile face coverings are one way to combat COVID-19, they can pose communication problems. Merri Rosen, Ph.D., director of Northeast […]
Contact
Merri Rosen, Ph.D.
Director, Hearing Research Group
Phone: 330.325.6516
Email: mrosen@neomed.edu
Hearing Research
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