MCO Otolaryngology T he research in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery has both clinical and basic science components. The basic science component of our research involves studies of the physiology, pharmacology, and chemistry of sensory systems, especially the auditory system and vestibular system.
Attention is focused on early stages of brain analysis of information about sound and balance.
In the auditory system, we study the first brain center, the cochlear nucleus, which receives all the information from the inner ear, or cochlea. In the vestibular system, we study its first brain center, the vestibular nuclear complex, and the closely related vestibulocerebellum. All information from the vestibular part of the inner ear goes to one or both of these structures. Our studies of the cochlear nucleus involve both in vivo and in vitro electrophysiology and pharmacology as well as chemistry. Dr. Susan Shore has been studying forward masking in anesthetized guinea pigs, which is related to hearing of complex sounds such as speech.