Modulation of gene expression in guinea pig paraflocculus after induction of hearing loss

Abstract

Hearing loss often results in plastic changes in the central auditory pathways, which may be involved in the generation of tinnitus, a phantom auditory sensation. However, although animal studies have consistently shown increased neural activity in auditory structures after hearing loss, tinnitus does not always develop. It has therefore been suggested that non-auditory structures perform a gating or regulatory role that determines whether the increased activity in auditory structures leads to conscious perception. Recent evidence points to the paraflocculus of the cerebellum as having such a role. Therefore, we investigated the early effects of hearing loss on gene expression in guinea pig paraflocculus. Gene expression was investigated after two weeks recovery from either acoustic or mechanical cochlear trauma. The genes investigated in our study were associated with inhibitory neurotransmission (GABA-A receptor subunit alpha 1; glutamate decarboxylase 1), excitatory neurotransmission (glutamate receptor NMDA subunit 1), and regulation of transmitter release (member of RAB family of small GTPase). Our results show increased mRNA levels of glutamate decarboxylase 1 in ipsilateral paraflocculus with no difference between the different methods of cochlear trauma. Early modulation of gene expression in the paraflocculus suggests that an early effect of hearing loss may affect the influence of this structure on auditory processing.