Brain plasticity and mechanisms of auditory perception disorders (tinnitus and hyperacusis).

Arnaud NORENA, deputy team leader - SyDyD Sensory system, Decision and cerebral dynamics

When: May 5th – 11 am – 12 am
Where: Salle des Voûtes 

Abstract : I am interested in the “coding” and representation of acoustic information in auditory centres, as well as the plasticity of these representations after hearing loss, for example. These plastic changes in the centres can have collateral perceptual effects such as the generation of aberrant auditory perceptions, such as tinnitus and hyperacusis. I will present recent work by my team on these issues. In particular, I will present animal data showing the regulation of central inhibition after hearing loss, and in particular the mechanisms involving KCC2 co-transporters which “regulate” the effects of GABA on the membrane potential.  In addition (if I have time), I will present a model and data in humans suggesting that tinnitus and hyperacusis may result from multimodal plasticity, and in particular from upward excitatory modulation of inputs from the head-neck region (including the middle ear).

Last publication: “Did Kant Suffer from misophonia?”  Frontiers in Psychology here