Decreasing dorsal cochlear nucleus activity ameliorates noise-induced tinnitus perception in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is a region known to integrate somatosensory and auditory inputs and is identified as a potential key structure in the generation of phantom sound perception, especially noise-induced tinnitus. Yet, how altered homeostatic plasticity of the DCN induces and maintains the sensation of tinnitus is not clear. Here, we chemogenetically decrease activity of a subgroup of DCN neurons, Ca²⁺/Calmodulin kinase 2 α (CaMKII α)-positive DCN neurons, using Gi-coupled human M4 Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (hM4Di DREADDs), to investigate their role in noise-induced tinnitus.

Results

Mice were exposed to loud noise (9-11kHz, 90dBSPL, 1h, followed by 2h of silence), and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) an

SUBMITTER: Malfatti T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9097071 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature