About My Research
Noise-induced and age-related hearing losses are widespread health problems. They are the most common forms of hearing loss seen in adult patients. This is a primary focus of Dr. Sharon Kujawa’s research efforts. Her work seeks to clarify how normal inner ear structures and functions are altered by aging and noise exposure, how vulnerability to these changes is shaped by an individual’s genetic background, and how these processes can be manipulated pharmacologically to reveal underlying mechanisms for treatment or prevention.
An area of current focus in Dr. Kujawa’s laboratory is the aging of noise-exposed ears. She has discovered an insidious process that begins acutely after noise, as a loss of communications (synapses) between sensory inner hair cells and cochlear neurons. Loss of the neurons themselves follows slowly, but ultimately reaches the same magnitude. These effects of noise immediately and permanently change the way the ear processes sound information, and they occur even when the exposure produces only temporary changes in hearing thresholds; i.e., for exposures previously thought to be ‘safe.’
Moreover, she has shown that such exposures dramatically accelerate the gradual loss of cochlear synapses and cochlear neurons otherwise seen with aging alone. This work has provided the first clear evidence that noise exposure continues to have damaging effects on the ear and hearing long after the noise has stopped.
Ultimately, noise exposure should be regulated, and its consequences diagnosed and treated, in ways consistent with improved understanding of underlying processes and pathology. Thus, this work informs efforts to develop better clinical tests and to identify effective pharmacologic therapies for these common forms of hearing loss, and should guide hearing conservation efforts aimed at better protecting the public health.
- Recommendations for a Military Health System Auditory Blast Injury Prevention Standard. Mil Med. 2023 11 08; 188(Suppl 6):176-184.
- Neural signatures of auditory hypersensitivity following acoustic trauma. Elife. 2022 09 16; 11.
- Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Gerbil: Round Window Assays of Synapse Loss. Front Cell Neurosci. 2021; 15:699978.
- Trk agonist drugs rescue noise-induced hidden hearing loss. JCI Insight. 2021 02 08; 6(3).
- Music level preference and perceived exercise intensity in group spin classes. Noise Health. 2021 Jan-Mar; 23(108):42-49.
- Reader response: Neurologic complications of coronavirus infections. Neurology. 2020 08 18; 95(7):324.
- Noise-induced Cochlear Synaptopathy with and Without Sensory Cell Loss. Neuroscience. 2020 02 10; 427:43-57.
- Translating animal models to human therapeutics in noise-induced and age-related hearing loss. Hear Res. 2019 06; 377:44-52.
- Age-related Changes in Neural Coding of Envelope Cues: Peripheral Declines and Central Compensation. Neuroscience. 2019 05 21; 407:21-31.
- Use of non-invasive measures to predict cochlear synapse counts. Hear Res. 2018 12; 370:113-119.
- Sensory Neuron Diversity in the Inner Ear Is Shaped by Activity. Cell. 2018 08 23; 174(5):1229-1246.e17.
- Synaptopathy in the Aging Cochlea: Characterizing Early-Neural Deficits in Auditory Temporal Envelope Processing. J Neurosci. 2018 08 08; 38(32):7108-7119.
- Cochlear synaptopathy in acquired sensorineural hearing loss: Manifestations and mechanisms. Hear Res. 2017 06; 349:138-147.
- Temporary and Permanent Noise-induced Threshold Shifts: A Review of Basic and Clinical Observations. Otol Neurotol. 2016 09; 37(8):e271-5.
- Reflectance Measures from Infant Ears With Normal Hearing and Transient Conductive Hearing Loss. Ear Hear. 2016 Sep-Oct; 37(5):560-71.
- Successful intraoperative electrophysiologic monitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, a multidisciplinary approach: The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary monitoring collaborative protocol with experience in over 3000 cases. Head Neck. 2016 10; 38(10):1487-94.
- Microfabricated reciprocating micropump for intracochlear drug delivery with integrated drug/fluid storage and electronically controlled dosing. Lab Chip. 2016 Mar 07; 16(5):829-46.
- Aging after noise exposure: acceleration of cochlear synaptopathy in recovered ears. J Neurosci. 2015 May 13; 35(19):7509-20.
- Microfabricated infuse-withdraw micropump component for an integrated inner-ear drug-delivery platform. Biomed Microdevices. 2015 Apr; 17(2):37.
- Synaptopathy in the noise-exposed and aging cochlea: Primary neural degeneration in acquired sensorineural hearing loss. Hear Res. 2015 Dec; 330(Pt B):191-9.
- Otologic outcomes after blast injury: the Boston Marathon experience. Otol Neurotol. 2014 Dec; 35(10):1825-34.
- Resistance to noise-induced hearing loss in 129S6 and MOLF mice: identification of independent, overlapping, and interacting chromosomal regions. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2014 Oct; 15(5):721-38.
- Hot Topics-Hidden hearing loss: Permanent cochlear-nerve degeneration after temporary noise-induced threshold shift. J Acoust Soc Am. 2014 Apr; 135(4):2311.
- Age-related cochlear synaptopathy: an early-onset contributor to auditory functional decline. J Neurosci. 2013 Aug 21; 33(34):13686-94.
- Noise-induced cochlear neuropathy is selective for fibers with low spontaneous rates. J Neurophysiol. 2013 Aug; 110(3):577-86.
- 10-Year prospective study of noise exposure and hearing damage among construction workers. Occup Environ Med. 2012 Sep; 69(9):643-50.
- Age-related primary cochlear neuronal degeneration in human temporal bones. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2011 Dec; 12(6):711-7.
- Primary neural degeneration in the Guinea pig cochlea after reversible noise-induced threshold shift. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2011 Oct; 12(5):605-16.
- Kinetics of reciprocating drug delivery to the inner ear. J Control Release. 2011 Jun 10; 152(2):270-7.
- A corticosteroid-responsive transcription factor, promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger protein, mediates protection of the cochlea from acoustic trauma. J Neurosci. 2011 Jan 12; 31(2):735-41.
- Drug delivery for treatment of inner ear disease: current state of knowledge. Ear Hear. 2010 Apr; 31(2):156-65.
- Functional roles of high-affinity glutamate transporters in cochlear afferent synaptic transmission in the mouse. J Neurophysiol. 2010 May; 103(5):2581-6.
- Development of a microfluidics-based intracochlear drug delivery device. Audiol Neurootol. 2009; 14(6):411-22.
- Adding insult to injury: cochlear nerve degeneration after temporary noise-induced hearing loss. J Neurosci. 2009 Nov 11; 29(45):14077-85.
- Regulated expression of surface AMPA receptors reduces excitotoxicity in auditory neurons. J Neurophysiol. 2009 Aug; 102(2):1152-9.
- Local drug delivery with a self-contained, programmable, microfluidic system. Biomed Microdevices. 2009 Jun; 11(3):571-8.
- Fabrication Methods and Performance of Low-Permeability Microfluidic Components for a Miniaturized Wearable Drug Delivery System. J Microelectromech Syst. 2009 Jun 01; 18(3):501-510.
- Proteomics analysis of perilymph and cerebrospinal fluid in mouse. Laryngoscope. 2009 May; 119(5):953-8.
- Mastoid cavity dimensions and shape: method of measurement and virtual fitting of implantable devices. Audiol Neurootol. 2009; 14(5):308-14.
- Auditory sensitivity regulation via rapid changes in expression of surface AMPA receptors. Nat Neurosci. 2007 Oct; 10(10):1238-40.
- Modeling distortion product otoacoustic emission input/output functions using segmented regression. J Acoust Soc Am. 2006 Nov; 120(5 Pt 1):2764-76.
- Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) can detect asymptomatic saccular hydrops. Laryngoscope. 2006 Jun; 116(6):987-92.
- Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) in patients with Ménière's disease with drop attacks. Laryngoscope. 2006 May; 116(5):776-9.
- Acceleration of age-related hearing loss by early noise exposure: evidence of a misspent youth. J Neurosci. 2006 Feb 15; 26(7):2115-23.
- Osteoprotegrin knockout mice demonstrate abnormal remodeling of the otic capsule and progressive hearing loss. Laryngoscope. 2006 Feb; 116(2):201-6.
- Inner ear drug delivery via a reciprocating perfusion system in the guinea pig. J Control Release. 2005 Dec 10; 110(1):1-19.
- A method for intracochlear drug delivery in the mouse. J Neurosci Methods. 2006 Jan 15; 150(1):67-73.
- Prospective noise induced changes to hearing among construction industry apprentices. Occup Environ Med. 2005 May; 62(5):309-17.
- Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials versus vestibular test battery in patients with Meniere's disease. Otol Neurotol. 2004 Nov; 25(6):981-6.
- Predictors of hearing threshold levels and distortion product otoacoustic emissions among noise exposed young adults. Occup Environ Med. 2004 Nov; 61(11):899-907.
- Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials show altered tuning in patients with Ménière's disease. Otol Neurotol. 2004 May; 25(3):333-8.
- The aging of the middle ear in 129S6/SvEvTac and CBA/CaJ mice: measurements of umbo velocity, hearing function, and the incidence of pathology. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2003 Sep; 4(3):371-83.
- Effects of olivocochlear feedback on distortion product otoacoustic emissions in guinea pig. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2001 Sep; 2(3):268-78.
- Mutant beta-spectrin 4 causes auditory and motor neuropathies in quivering mice. Nat Genet. 2001 Sep; 29(1):61-5.
- Longitudinal threshold changes in older men with audiometric notches. Hear Res. 2000 Mar; 141(1-2):220-8.
- Long-term sound conditioning enhances cochlear sensitivity. J Neurophysiol. 1999 Aug; 82(2):863-73.
- Single olivocochlear neurons in the guinea pig. II. Response plasticity due to noise conditioning. J Neurophysiol. 1998 Jun; 79(6):3088-97.
- Single olivocochlear neurons in the guinea pig. I. Binaural facilitation of responses to high-level noise. J Neurophysiol. 1998 Jun; 79(6):3077-87.
- Conditioning-related protection from acoustic injury: effects of chronic deefferentation and sham surgery. J Neurophysiol. 1997 Dec; 78(6):3095-106.
- Time-varying alterations in the f2-f1 DPOAE response to continuous primary stimulation. II. Influence of local calcium-dependent mechanisms. Hear Res. 1996 Aug; 97(1-2):153-64.
- Time-varying alterations in the f2-f1 DPOAE response to continuous primary stimulation. I: Response characterization and contribution of the olivocochlear efferents. Hear Res. 1995 May; 85(1-2):142-54.
- In vivo release of neuroactive amino acids from the inferior colliculus of the guinea pig using brain microdialysis. Hear Res. 1995 Mar; 83(1-2):80-8.
- ATP antagonists cibacron blue, basilen blue and suramin alter sound-evoked responses of the cochlea and auditory nerve. Hear Res. 1994 Aug; 78(2):181-8.
- Effects of adenosine 5'-triphosphate and related agonists on cochlear function. Hear Res. 1994 Jun 01; 76(1-2):87-100.
- A nicotinic-like receptor mediates suppression of distortion product otoacoustic emissions by contralateral sound. Hear Res. 1994 Apr; 74(1-2):122-34.
- Contralateral sound suppresses distortion product otoacoustic emissions through cholinergic mechanisms. Hear Res. 1993 Jun; 68(1):97-106.
- Intracochlear salicylate reduces low-intensity acoustic and cochlear microphonic distortion products. Hear Res. 1992 Dec; 64(1):73-80.
- Intracochlear application of acetylcholine alters sound-induced mechanical events within the cochlear partition. Hear Res. 1992 Aug; 61(1-2):106-16.
- Magnitude of the negative summating potential varies with perilymph calcium levels. Hear Res. 1991 Nov; 56(1-2):101-10.
Show More
Show Less