Biased auditory nerve central synaptopathy is associated with age-related hearing loss.

ABSTRACT:

Key points

Sound information is transmitted by different subtypes of spiral ganglion neurons (SGN) from the ear to the brain. Selective damage of SGN peripheral synapses (cochlear synaptopathy) is widely recognized as one of the primary mechanisms of hearing loss, whereas the mechanisms at the SGN central synapses remain unclear. We report that different subtypes of SGN central synapses converge at different ratios onto individual target cochlear nucleus neurons with distinct physiological properties, and show biased morphological and physiological changes during age-related hearing loss (ARHL). The results reveal a new dimension in cochlear nucleus neural circuitry that systematically reassembles and processes auditory information from different SGN subtypes, which is altered duri

SUBMITTER: Wang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8197675 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature