Research Interests: The Hearing Anatomy Lab studies brain circuits used to analyze sounds. The brain processes auditory information in ascending circuits that extend from the ear to the cerebral cortex, where sound is perceived. Descending pathways allow higher centers (e.g., cortex) to modify neural processing in the lower centers. This modification is important for many functions, such as selective attention and discrimination of sounds in a noisy environment. Our primary subject is the guinea pig, a small mammal with well-developed hearing and well-differentiated auditory circuits. We use a variety of anatomical tracers to label specific neural pathways. We then examine these pathways in the light and electron microscopes to identify the cell types and their interconnections. We also combine these methods with immunohistochemical techniques to identify the neurotransmitters used by different circuit components.

Laboratory Personnel:

Projects:

Functional Anatomy of the Auditory Pathways
Principal Investigator: Brett Schofield
Funding source: National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders

Recent Laboratory Publications:

Thompson, A. M. and B. R. Schofield 2000 Afferent projections of the superior olivary complex. Microscopy Research and Technique, 51:330-354.

Schofield, B. R. 2001 Origins of projections from the inferior colliculus to the cochlear nucleus in guinea pigs. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 429:206-220.

Coomes, D. L., M. E. Bickford, and B. R. Schofield 2002 GABAergic circuitry in the dorsal division of the cat medial geniculate nucleus. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 453:45-56.

Schofield, B. R. 2002 Ascending and descending projections from the superior olivary complex in guinea pigs: different cells project to the cochlear nucleus and the inferior colliculus. Journal of Comparative Neurology,453:217-225.

Behrens, E. G., B. R. Schofield and A. M. Thompson 2002 Aminergic projections to cochlear nucleus via descending auditory pathways. Brain Research, 955:34-44.

Coomes, D. L. and B. R. Schofield 2004 Separate projections from the inferior colliculus to the cochlear nucleus and thalamus in guinea pigs. Hearing Research, 191:67-78.

Coomes, D. L. and B. R. Schofield 2004 Projections from the auditory cortex to the superior olivary complex in guinea pigs. European Journal of Neuroscience, 19:2188-2200.

Schofield, B. R. and D. L. Coomes 2005 Auditory cortical projections to the cochlear nucleus in guinea pigs. Hearing Research, 199:89-102.

Schofield, B. R. 2005 Connections of the superior olivary complex and lateral lemniscus with the inferior colliculus. In: Winer, J.A and C.E. Schreiner, (Eds.), The Inferior Colliculus. Springer, New York, pp. 132-154.

Coomes, D. L., R. M. Schofield and B. R. Schofield. 2005 Unilateral and bilateral projections from cortical cells to the inferior colliculus in guinea pigs. Brain Research, 1042:65-72.

Schofield, B. R. and D. L. Coomes 2005 Projections from auditory cortex contact cells in the cochlear nucleus that project to the inferior colliculus. Hearing Research, 206:3-11.

Former Laboratory Members:

Diana Coomes, Ph.D., dcoomes@neoucom.edu