The diversified form and function of cochlear afferents

Paul Albert Fuchs

doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190849061.013.2

The diversified form and function of cochlear afferents

Paul Albert Fuchs

School of Medicine

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

Cochlear afferents differ in form and function. The great majority are type I, large diameter, myelinated neurons that contact a single inner hair cell to transmit acoustic information. Each inner hair cell is presynaptic to a pool of 10-30 type I afferents, among which spontaneous activity and acoustic threshold vary widely. Variation in the number, voltage-gating, and density of L-type calcium channels at each presynaptic active zone (ribbon) may dictate this functional diversity. Despite contacting large numbers of outer hair cells, the scarce, unmyelinated type II afferents are acoustically insensitive, and only weakly depolarized by outer hair cell transmitter release. However, type II afferents respond strongly to adenosine triphosphate released by cochlear tissue damage, providing a biological basis for painful hearing (noxacusis).

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	The Oxford Handbook of the Auditory Brainstem
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Pages	37-58
Number of pages	22
ISBN (Print)	9780190849061
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190849061.013.2
State	Published - Apr 5 2018

Keywords

Acoustic threshold
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
Cochlea
Hyperacusis
Inner hair cell
Noxacusis
Outer hair cell
Ribbon synapse
Type I afferent
Type II afferent

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Neuroscience(all)

Access to Document

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190849061.013.2

Cite this

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title = "The diversified form and function of cochlear afferents",

abstract = "Cochlear afferents differ in form and function. The great majority are type I, large diameter, myelinated neurons that contact a single inner hair cell to transmit acoustic information. Each inner hair cell is presynaptic to a pool of 10-30 type I afferents, among which spontaneous activity and acoustic threshold vary widely. Variation in the number, voltage-gating, and density of L-type calcium channels at each presynaptic active zone (ribbon) may dictate this functional diversity. Despite contacting large numbers of outer hair cells, the scarce, unmyelinated type II afferents are acoustically insensitive, and only weakly depolarized by outer hair cell transmitter release. However, type II afferents respond strongly to adenosine triphosphate released by cochlear tissue damage, providing a biological basis for painful hearing (noxacusis).",

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AB - Cochlear afferents differ in form and function. The great majority are type I, large diameter, myelinated neurons that contact a single inner hair cell to transmit acoustic information. Each inner hair cell is presynaptic to a pool of 10-30 type I afferents, among which spontaneous activity and acoustic threshold vary widely. Variation in the number, voltage-gating, and density of L-type calcium channels at each presynaptic active zone (ribbon) may dictate this functional diversity. Despite contacting large numbers of outer hair cells, the scarce, unmyelinated type II afferents are acoustically insensitive, and only weakly depolarized by outer hair cell transmitter release. However, type II afferents respond strongly to adenosine triphosphate released by cochlear tissue damage, providing a biological basis for painful hearing (noxacusis).

KW - Acoustic threshold

KW - Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

KW - Cochlea

KW - Hyperacusis

KW - Inner hair cell

KW - Noxacusis

KW - Outer hair cell

KW - Ribbon synapse

KW - Type I afferent

KW - Type II afferent

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PB - Oxford University Press

ER -

The diversified form and function of cochlear afferents

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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