New Research Into Hearing and Balance Disorders Dominate Meeting

Newswise — More than 900 scientific presentations, symposia, and workshops highlight Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) 2005 MidWinter Meeting being held February 19-24 at The Fairmont, New Orleans, LA. Approximately 1,500 leading scientists and physicians will gather for this conference.

The ARO http://www.aro.org/ is an international association of scientists and physicians dedicated to scientific exploration in all fields of otolaryngology. Members engage in research involving the ear, nose, head, neck and related functions including hearing, balance, speech, taste and smell. The research conducted encompasses various scientific approaches including biochemical, physiological, behavioral, developmental and evolutionary methodologies.

The complete schedule of events can be accessed at http://www.aro.org/mwm/mwm.html. Key events at this year's meeting include:

(1) The Presidential Symposium, scheduled February 20. This year's topic is "Membranes 101: Membrane Structure and Function."

(2) Scientific and Medical Symposia. Scheduled are:

Sunday, February 20

Planar Cell Polarity and Stereocilliary Bundle Development, 2:00 pm - 4:55 pm.

Corticofugal Auditory Pathways - Structure and Function, Sun., Feb. 20, 2:00 pm - 5:25 pm.

NIDCD Research and Training Workshop for New Investigators, Sun., 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm.

Patient Advocacy Group Workshop: "Congenital Cytomegalovirus-Induced Hearing Loss: Who Needs To Know?", 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Monday, February 21

The Brain's View of the Cochlear Implant, 8:00 am - 11:20 am.

Recent Advances in Understanding the Function of Gap Junctions, 8:30 am - 12:20 pm.

Music and Auditory Neuroscience, 2:00 pm - 5:25 pm.

Tuesday, February 22

Brain Slice Preparations for Studies of Signal Processing in the Auditory and Vestibular

Systems Reconciliation with in vivo Studies, 8:00 am - 10:50 am.

Auditory Neuroethology; Getting Closer to the Real Acoustic World?, 8:30 am - 12:00 noon.

Wednesday, February 23

Integrating Middle-ear Imaging, Physiology and Biomechanics, 8:00 am - 11:20 am.

Hereditary Hearing Loss: From Humans to Mice and Back, 8:00 am - 11:30 am.

(3) New poster and oral presentations will offer leading-edge research findings contributing to the advancement of diagnostic and treatment procedures for ear, nose, and throat disorders. Examples of the 2005 research offerings are: Psychophysical Assessment of Hyperacusis in Tinnitus Patients. It has often been suggested that tinnitus is associated with hyperacusis, abnormal hearing sensitivity. However, empirical bases for this assumption are lacking. In a new study, the psycho acoustical bases of sound intolerance were examined in tinnitus patients and controls without tinnitus. Their findings revealed that tinnitus patients have greater sensibility to sounds than non-tinnitus patients, and that hyperacusis relies more likely on central, rather than peripheral, mechanisms.

Progesterone Treatment Negatively Affects Hearing in Aged Women. The effects of female hormones on the development and aging of the human auditory system are not completely understood. A new study retrospectively analyzed and compared hearing abilities among post-menopausal human subjects (hormone replacement therapy vs. controls). Their results suggest that the presence of progesterone as a component of HRT could be the cause of poorer hearing abilities in aged women taking HRT, affecting both the peripheral and central auditory systems.

Effects of GSM Cellular Phones on Human Hearing: the European Project GUARD. Participants in GUARD, a European multi-center project are aiming to assess potential changes in auditory function as a consequence of exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic fields (EMF) produced by GSM cellular phones. Two experimental paradigms were used: a within-subject paradigm entails measurements before and after genuine or sham exposure to EMF, and a between-subject paradigm assessing heavy users and light users of cellular phones. The final statistical analysis of the GUARD pooled data will be presented and discussed.

Hearing Loss in Workers Exposed to Different Types of Noise and Organic Solvents and Hand-Arm Vibration. It is known that the severity of occupational noise-induced hearing loss could be significantly influenced by co-exposure to noise and chemicals, e.g. organic solvents. The consequences of noise exposure depend not only on the equivalent sound pressure level, but also on its impulsiveness. A new study sought to evaluate hearing impairment among workers in various industrial trades. Their findings revealed the poorest hearing thresholds in the group exposed to impulse noise, lesser degree of hearing loss was seen in the groups exposed to continuous noise only, and continuous noise and organic solvent mixture.

Somatosensory and Bone Conduction Pathways in Elephant Signal Detection: Implications for Reception of Acoustic and Seismic Signals. Elephants produce, detect and respond to vocalizations in the range of 20 to 200 Hz, having primitive derived ears, specialized for low-frequency audition. During these vocalizations, a seismic replicate is propagated in the ground. It has been suggested that the elephant ear may be capable of detecting these seismic signals via bone conduction or via vibrational mechanoreceptors in the feet, similar to those in the elephant's trunk. New observations suggest a possible function for these adaptations related to signal detection. Researchers suggest that this adaptation may function to dampen air-borne vibrations, possibly allowing the elephant to focus on seismic signals with reduced background noise from airborne signals.

The abstracts for all scientific and medical research studies can be found in the MidWinter meeting abstract book at http://www.aro.org/mwm/05_Abstract_Book.pdf