Built-in Volume Control Helps Protect Auditory Nerve Against Loud Sounds
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 16:56
in Biology & Nature
When our ears are exposed to very loud sounds, such as the blast of a firecracker, too much of a neurotransmitter is released, damaging these auditory nerve cells and causing hearing loss. Researchers have found that auditory nerve cells temporarily reduce the expression of a key neurotransmitter receptor on their surfaces when exposed to loud noise.