Cochlear implants stimulate activity-dependent CREB pathway in the deaf auditory cortex: Implications for molecular plasticity induced by neural prosthetic devices

Abstract

Neural activity modulates the maturation of synapses and their organization into functional circuits by regulating activity-dependent signaling pathways. Phosphorylation of cyclic AMP/Ca2+-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) is widely accepted as a stimulus-inducible event driven by calcium influx into depolarized neurons. In turn, phosphorylated CREB (pCREB) activates the transcription of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is needed for synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation. We examined how these molecular events are influenced by sensorineural hearing loss and long-term reactivation via cochlear implants. Sensorineural hearing loss reduced the expression of pC..