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Texas Children's Hearing Center
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Texas Children's
Hearing Center |
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We have several
ongoing research projects regarding hearing loss and other diseases
of the ear and temporal bone on both clinical and basic science
levels.
Outcomes research in atresia repair, chronic ear surgery and skull
base tumor resection
This includes recurrence rates and
post-operative hearing results. While the decision-making process
and treatment strategy for each patient is individualized, our goal
is to use the latest technologies available to provide the best
possible outcomes. Because of the complexity of the diseases in many
of the patients referred to the Hearing Center, we strive to
convey these findings to other physicians around the world by
publishing the data in the medical literature.
Hearing preservation after cochlear implantation
Every patient with any acoustical hearing is followed with serial
hearing tests after cochlear implantation. We use a minimally
invasive technique so as to reduce cochlear trauma during placement
of the electrode. Many children retain some or all of their acoustical hearing after
implantation, which may improve their long-term outcomes.
Speech outcomes after pediatric cochlear implantation
All patients have a sample of their speech recorded digitally
pre-operatively, and at routine intervals post-operatively. These
are analyzed using a special algorithm to quantify several important
speech characteristics that are often affected in deaf children. As
the children use their cochlear implants more and more, their
ability to produce these specific sounds improves. We are striving
to determine what type of speech therapy and/or cochlear implant
programming strategies could allow this process to occur more
quickly.
Outcomes of a coordinated educational program after pediatric
cochlear implantation
We are making a dedicated effort to design
the best possible schooling, speech therapy and counseling programs
for our patients. We hypothesize that this involved process may
provide an educational advantage for our patients. We are measuring
long-term outcomes in our patients to test this hypothesis.
We have several research laboratories at
Baylor College of Medicine
and Rice University that interface closely with The Hearing Center
at Texas Children's Hospital.
The Laboratory of Cochlear Mechanics and Sensorineural Hearing Loss, directed by John S. Oghalai, M.D.,
Baylor College of Medicine
The research objectives are to
better understand the relationships between the multiple mechanical
structures within the cochlea and to use this knowledge to develop
techniques that can be used to modulate cochlear function. The
primary research techniques involve microsurgical experiments in
normal and transgenic animals to perform manipulations on their
cochlea. This includes intracochlear gene delivery using viral
vectors. Cochlear function is monitored to assess the effect of
these manipulations by measuring the compound action potential,
auditory evoked brainstem response, distortion product otoacoustic
emissions, cochlear microphonic and olivocochlear reflex. Basilar
membrane motion is measured using a laser doppler vibrometer.
Additionally, post-experimental histologic study of the inner ear is
performed using immunohistochemistry. The ultimate goals of these
efforts are to develop therapeutic interventions for sensorineural
hearing loss that might work better than a hearing aid or cochlear
implant.
The Cochlear Biophysics Laboratory, directed by William E.
Brownell, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
The remarkable sensitivity of mammalian hearing results from the
ability of inner ear sensory receptor cells (the outer hair cells)
to generate mechanical force in response to small electric fields.
The mechanism responsible for this electromotility is a membrane
based motor that resides in the cell's lateral wall. This laboratory
is dedicated to understanding how electromotility is generated.
The Karim Al-Fayed Neurobiology of Hearing Laboratory, directed by
Ruth Anne Eatock, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
The current focus of research done here is on processing by hair cells in vestibular
organs that detect low-frequency head movements and static head
position.
The Interdepartmental Program in Cell and Molecular Biology Lab,
directed by Fred A. Pereira, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
This laboratory uses mouse mutants defective in hearing and/or
balance generated by random insertion mutagenesis or by homologous
recombination to study the signaling pathways important for
functional hearing and balance. Also, they are performing a
structure-function mutagenesis analysis of a novel outer hair cell
membrane protein, Prestin.
The Molecular Genetics Laboratory, directed by Raye Lynn Alford
Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Early intervention and
effective treatment of childhood hearing loss is crucial to a
child's speech and language development, and ability to learn. This
lab follows children with sensorineural hearing loss over time,
gathering data on their responses to standard therapies for hearing
loss. Through these studies, they expect to evaluate the success of
different treatments for hearing loss, including hearing aids and
cochlear implants, in children with particular genetic mutations.
These data will assist in the development of new guidelines for the
treatment of early childhood hearing loss that take into account
genetic information.
The Anvari Lab, directed by Bahman Anvari, Ph.D., Rice University
The research uses laser technologies to
improve our understanding of cochlear outer hair cell and basilar
membrane.
The Raphael Lab, directed by Robert Raphael, Ph.D., Rice University
This laboratory approaches scientific problems in a
multidisciplinary spirit, employing both theory and experiment to
understand biological processes at the fundamental level and apply
this knowledge for the benefit of human health. Its focus includes
electromechanical transduction in cochlear outer hair cells and the
study of aspirin-like molecules and membrane mechanics.
  
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