Within the superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels, cholinergic nicotinic
receptors (nAChRs) were classically identified to mediate synaptic transmission in the …

Sensory systems experience a period of intrinsically generated neural activity before
maturation is complete and sensory transduction occurs. Here we review evidence …

Cochlear synaptopathy produced by exposure to noise levels that cause only transient
auditory threshold elevations is a condition that affects many people and is believed to …

Spontaneous bursts of electrical activity in the develo** auditory system arise within the
cochlea before hearing onset and propagate through future sound-processing circuits of the …

Abstract α-Conotoxins are disulfide-rich and well-structured peptides, most of which can
block nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) with exquisite selectivity and potency …

Introduction Hearing loss is a major health problem, impacting education, communication,
interpersonal relationships, and mental health. Drugs that prevent or restore hearing are …

Efferent brain-stem neurons release acetylcholine to desensitize cochlear hair cells and can
protect the inner ear from acoustic trauma. That protection is absent from knockout mice …

Presbycusis or age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is one of the most prevalent chronic health
problems facing aging populations. Along the auditory pathway, the stations involved in …

The auditory system in many mammals is immature at birth but precisely organized in adults.
Spontaneous activity in the inner ear plays a critical role in guiding this maturation process …

Outer hair cells (OHC) are key to the mammalian cochlear amplifier, powered by the lateral
membrane protein Prestin. In this study, we explored age-related OHC changes and how the …