Journal article
Spread of activation and interaction between channels with multi-channel optogenetic stimulation in the mouse cochlea
AA Azees, AC Thompson, R Thomas, J Zhou, P Ruther, AK Wise, EA Ajay, DJ Garrett, A Quigley, JB Fallon, RT Richardson
Hearing Research | Published : 2023
Abstract
For individuals with severe to profound hearing loss resulting from irreversibly damaged hair cells, cochlear implants can be used to restore hearing by delivering electrical stimulation directly to the spiral ganglion neurons. However, current spread lowers the spatial resolution of neural activation. Since light can be easily confined, optogenetics is a technique that has the potential to improve the precision of neural activation, whereby visible light is used to stimulate neurons that are modified with light-sensitive opsins. This study compares the spread of neural activity across the inferior colliculus of the auditory midbrain during electrical and optical stimulation in the cochlea o..
View full abstractGrants
Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
The research in this publication was supported with funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) GNT#2002523. Ajmal A. Azees is supported by RMIT University and the Bionics Institute PhD scholarship. The Bionics Institute acknowledges the support they receive from the Victorian Government through its Operational Infrastructural Support Program.