High-resolution imaging of how hearing nerves change with age
Structural Analyses Core
['FUNDING_P01'] · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · NIH-11194351
This project uses advanced microscopes to map tiny changes in the nerves and cells that carry sound as people get older, with the goal of helping those with age-related hearing loss.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_P01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (TUCSON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11194351 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will take very detailed 3-D images of auditory neurons and their parts using confocal microscopes and serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBEM). They will combine fluorescent labeling of specific nerve cell types with large-volume imaging to trace how connections re-wire and where damage occurs with aging. The work focuses on spiral ganglion neurons, axons, and synapses along the auditory pathway to find structural signs of demyelination and synaptopathy. Results will be integrated across projects to link microscopic changes to age-related hearing loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be older adults with age-related hearing loss or people willing to donate relevant tissue or clinical data to support the imaging studies.
Not a fit: People whose hearing loss is exclusively from recent loud-noise injury, acute infection, or congenital genetic deafness may not directly benefit from these age-focused structural findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify exact structural causes of age-related hearing loss and point to targets for new treatments or protective strategies.
How similar studies have performed: High-resolution imaging has previously revealed nerve and synapse changes in animal models, but combining SBEM with large-volume confocal mapping to study age-related re-wiring is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
TUCSON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA — TUCSON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: PERKINS, GUY A — UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
- Study coordinator: PERKINS, GUY A
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.