ABSTRACT
El sistema eferente auditivo está constituido por el sistema olivococlear y por vías descendentes que provienen de la corteza auditiva y se dirigen a la cóclea. El sistema olivococlear se divide en una porción medial y una lateral, con neuronas que inervan a las células ciliadas externas y a fibras del nervio auditivo respectivamente. El principal neurotransmisor de las sinapsis olivococleares es acetilcolina, y tanto las células ciliadas externas como las fibras del nervio auditivo poseen receptores para esta molécula. El sistema eferente córtico-coclear se origina en la capa V y VI de la corteza auditiva y proyecta a los colículos inferiores y complejo olivar superior, donde a través del sistema olivococlear se conecta con el órgano receptor auditivo. En este artículo se revisan importantes hallazgos obtenidos en los últimos años que involucran (i) nuevos neurotransmisores y receptores del sistema eferente auditivo; (ii) vías descendentes de la corteza auditiva y su rol fisiológico sobre las respuestas cocleares y (iii) rol del sistema eferente auditivo en patologías audiológicas y neuropsiquiátricas.
The auditory efferent system is composed by the olivocochlear fibers and descending projections that originate in the auditory cortex and end in the cochlea. The olivocochlear system is divided into a medial and lateral division, with fibers directed to the outer hair cells and to the auditory nerve fibers respectively. It is known that acetylcholine is the main neurotransmitter of the olivocochlear synapses and that outer hair cells and auditory nerve fibers have receptors to this molecule. The cortico-cochlear efferent system originates in layers V and VI of the auditory cortex. These descending projections are directed to the inferior colliculus and superior olivary complex, a site in which the olivocochlear fibers emerge and connect the brain with the cochlear receptor. In this article recent discoveries obtained in the last years are reviewed: (i) new neurotransmitters and receptors of the olivocochlear system; (ii) anatomy and physiology of descending pathways from the auditory cortex to the cochlea and, (iii) clinical role of auditory efferents in audiological and neuropsychiatric pathologies.
Subject(s)
Humans , Auditory Cortex/physiology , Auditory Pathways/physiology , Cochlea/physiology , Neurotransmitter Agents/physiology , Efferent Pathways/physiology , Neurons, Efferent/physiology , Auditory Cortex/physiopathology , Auditory Pathways/physiopathology , Cochlea/cytology , Efferent Pathways/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Tractography is a magnetic resonance imaging post processing technique, that reveals white matter tracts. The selection of specific tracts is a current research topic in medical imaging. Fibers of a male patient were chosen by using a ROÍ selection generated by activation of the primary motor cortex area (SM1) of the left hand (fMRI), and fiber tracts related to that cortex area (efferent fibers) were obtained. Fibers obtained through this procedure present the typical arrangement of the corticospinal tract motor fibers: originated from the motor cortex, they descend through the posterior limb ofthe internal capsule to converge to the cerebral peduncle until the pons. We have concluded that it is possible to select the corticospinal tract by using a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to generate ROÍ selection.
La tractografía es una técnica de postprocesamiento de imágenes de resonancia magnética, que permite visualizar tractos de sustancia blanca. La selección de tractos específicos es un tema actual de investigación a nivel mundial. En un paciente se seleccionaron las fibras utilizando ROÍ generada mediante activación del área motora primaria de la mano izquierda (fMRI), obteniéndose asilas fibras del tracto motor específicas de esta área (fibras eferentes). Las fibras obtenidas presentan la disposición clásica de las fibras motoras en el tracto corticoespinal: se inician en la corteza motora, descienden por el brazo posterior de la cápsula interna integrándose al pedúnculo cerebral y visualizándose hasta la parte del tronco cerebral. Se concluye que es posible seleccionar el tracto corticoespinal mediante ROÍ generado con resonancia magnética funcional.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Adult , Motor Cortex/physiology , Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Hand/innervation , Neurons, Efferent/physiology , Subtraction TechniqueABSTRACT
Através das emissões otoacústicas pré e pós operatória foi avaliada a inativação da contração das células ciliadas externas pela ação da toxina botulínica A. No grupo de estudo aplicou-se uma unidade de toxina botulínica sobre a janela redonda de oito chinchilas. O grupo controle usou soro fisiológico. As emissões otoacústicas estiveram ausentes nos exames pós operatórios de todas as orelhas do grupo de estudo e estiveram presentes em todos os exames pós-operatórios do grupo controle. Esses resultados sugerem que a toxina botulínica pode ser uma eficiente ferramenta para o estudo das vias eferentes cocleares, pois a cirurgia é de fácil realização e não requer a intervenção intracerebral.The action of botulinum toxin A inactivating the contraction of the outer hair cells was evaluated by pre and postoperative otoacoustic emissions exams. In the study group, one unit of toxin was applied onto the round window of eight chinchillas. The control group was submitted to saline solution. Otoacoustic emissions were absent in all postoperative exams of the study group, in contrast to the control group. Those results suggest that botulinum toxin can be an efficient tool for the study of efferent auditory pathways. The surgery can be easily done without an intracranial intervention...
Subject(s)
Animals , Cochlea/surgery , Neurons, Efferent/physiology , Receptors, Cholinergic/metabolism , Botulinum Toxins, Type A/administration & dosage , Chinchilla , Auditory Threshold , Cochlear Microphonic PotentialsABSTRACT
The objective of the present study was to identifify the mechanism for the decreased efferent reflex response recorded extracellulary from an earthworm 3rd segmental nerve after the nerve had been cut. Four neurons which showed a correlated decrease in their efferent responses were identified in the ventral nerve cord by the broken-microelectrode-backfilling method using Lucifer Yellow-CH. The long processes of these neurons extended into the 3 rd nerve trunk.Thus teses neurons may neurons mayrepresent an efferent link in the this complicated reflex are
Subject(s)
Animals , Neurons, Efferent/physiology , Oligochaeta/physiology , Reflex/physiology , Action Potentials/physiology , Electric StimulationABSTRACT
Large numbers of neurons were retrogradely labeled in both the dorsal and ventral medial terminal nucleous (MTN) after fluoro-gold injections into the rat pretectal nucleus of the optic tract/dorsal terminal nucleus (NOT/DTN). Fluorescence immunocytochemistry for GABA in the same brains revealed GABA-positive neurons distributed mainly in the dorsal MTN. Approximately half of all the GABAergic neurons in the MTN were double-labeled. Therefore, GABAergic neurons comprise a significant component of the MTN-NOT-DTN projection which most likely inhibits the pretectal pathway mediating horizontal optokinetic nystagmus
Subject(s)
Rats , Animals , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/physiology , Neurons, Efferent/physiology , Superior Colliculi/physiology , Visual Pathways/physiology , Fluorescent Dyes/administration & dosage , Immunohistochemistry , Microscopy, FluorescenceABSTRACT
The conduction velocity in the efferent fibres of the median nerve has been compared in the right and left forelimbs of 38 human subjects. Six independent estimates were made for each limb. Estimates on the right and left limb of a subject were made at the same sitting. Conduction velocity was faster on the right side in the majority of right handed subjects; and on the left side in the majority of left handed subjects. The mean conduction velocity was greater on the right side in right handed subjects (P less than 0.02).