Mouse Auditory Testing Core Facility

National Institute On Deafness And Other Communication Disorders

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Mouse Auditory Testing (MAT) Core assists investigators at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and their collaborators with tests of auditory and vestibular function in mice. Two physiological measures of auditory function are employed in the MAT Core: the auditory brainstem response (ABR) and distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). The ABR is an evoked potential that can be used to estimate hearing thresholds. DPOAEs are soft sounds that are recorded in the ear canal using a small microphone. DPOAEs can be used to screen for hearing loss and to evaluate inner ear function; specifically, the presence of DPOAEs indicates normal function of outer hair cells in the inner ear. Vestibular sensory evoked potentials (VsEPs) are measured to assess vestibular function. VsEPs are generated by the vestibular nervous system in response to linear movements of the head and provide information about function of the otolith organs (utricle and saccule). Dr. Fitzgerald trained five NIDCD investigators in auditory function testing. Ten NIDCD investigators conducted auditory function testing independently with support from the MAT Core. Dr. Fitzgerald trained two post-doctoral fellows from Dr. Aruns lab in the Blast Induced Neurotrauma Branch (BINT), Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience (CMPN) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) in DPOAE and ABR data analyses and interpretation and provided on-going consultation on auditory testing and data analyses. In July 2023, the MAT Core participated in the annual Earssentials workshop, a week-long course designed to expose new trainees and interested scientists to auditory research at the NIDCD through lectures and laboratory exercises. Twelve students participated in a laboratory training exercise on auditory and vestibular testing in mice given by Dr. Fitzgerald, Dr. Wafa, Elizabeth Wilson Bernhard, and Dr. Katharine Fernandez. MAT Core staff collaborated with Vivek Kamath and Taek Oh from the Information Systems Management Branch, Data Management Section (NIDCD), on creation of a Filemaker Pro database that will be used to record auditory and vestibular test data collected in the Core. Dr. Fitzgerald continued a collaboration with John Kakareka (Electronics Engineer, Instrumentation Development and Engineering Application Solutions (IDEAS), National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and BioEngineering (NIBIB)) to develop a custom probe for DPOAE measurements. Dr. Fitzgerald, Dr. Wafa, and Ms. Krasnopolsky collaborated on and/or supported projects conducted in six NIDCD labs. Information on collaborations with specific laboratories is listed below. Inner Ear Gene Therapy Program (PI: Wade Chien, M.D.) Dr. Fitzgerald trained Zeynep Ozgur (Medical Research Scholars Program) and Zarek Fasoranti (Post-Baccalaureate Fellow) in auditory testing. Dr. Fitzgerald provided support to Kevin Isgrig (Biologist), Dr. Yasuko Ishibashi (Post-Doctoral Fellow), and Jianliang Zhu (Biologist) for multiple projects investigating the use of gene therapy to remediate hearing loss or vestibular dysfunction. Drs. Fitzgerald and Wafa collaborated with Kevin Isgrig, Dr. Mhamed Grati (Staff Scientist), and Dr. Chien on a project investigating the use of gene therapy to remediate vestibular dysfunction in mutant mice. A manuscript for this project was accepted for publication in Molecular Therapy Methods & Clinical Development in August 2023. Section on Sensory Cell Biology (PI: Lisa Cunningham, Ph.D.) Dr. Fitzgerald supported auditory testing by Dr. Cathy Sung (Post-Doctoral Fellow), Dr. John Lee (Post-Doctoral Fellow), and Dr. Katharine Fernandez (Staff Scientist) for projects investigating the mechanisms behind and prevention of hearing loss caused by ototoxic medications. Dr. Wafa also provided support for vestibular testing by Dr. Lee for his project. Laboratory of Molecular Genetics (PI: Thomas Friedman, Ph.D.) Dr. Fitzgerald collaborated on multiple projects examining auditory function in various mutant mouse strains, including projects with Dr. Inna Belyantseva (Staff Scientist), Dr. Sayaka Inagaki (Staff Scientist), Dr. Rabia Faridi (Post-Doctoral Fellow), and Elizabeth Wilson Bernhard (Biologist), and on a collaboration between the Chien lab and Dr. Belyantseva. Drs. Fitzgerald and Wafa collaborated with Ms. Kerstin Valente (Biologist) and Dr. Isabelle Roux (Staff Scientist) on projects that included auditory and vestibular function testing in several mouse lines segregating alleles of Slc26a4 with missense mutations identified in patients with hearing loss and enlarged vestibular aqueduct. Auditory Development and Restoration Program (PI: Michael Hoa, M.D.) Dr. Fitzgerald supported auditory testing by Rafal Olszewski (Biologist) on a mouse model of fluctuating hearing loss. Laboratory of Cochlear Development (PI: Matthew Kelley, Ph.D.) Dr. Fitzgerald trained Drs. Beatrice Mao and Susumu Sakamoto (Post-Doctoral Fellows) in auditory test procedures. Dr. Fitzgerald supported auditory function testing of mutant mice by Dr. Braulio Peguero (Post-Doctoral Fellow). Drs. Fitzgerald and Wafa continued a collaboration with Dr. Beatrice Mao (Post-Doctoral Fellow) on a project to characterize auditory and vestibular function in mutant mice. Section on Sensory Cell Regeneration and Development (PI: Doris Wu, Ph.D.) Drs. Wafa and Fitzgerald collaborated with Post-Doctoral Fellows Drs. Youngrae Ji, So Young Kim, Hyunjae Lee, and Dr. Wu on projects examining vestibular function in multiple mutant mouse strains.