Monday, November 3, 2025 11/3/2025

Place and Time Processing of Pitch in the Context of Cochlear Dysfunction

Award Number: F30DC020916
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2025

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Place and Time Processing of Pitch in the Context of Cochlear Dysfunction - Abstract: Sensorineural hearing loss occurs in 15% of American adults and current treatment protocols are often guided by limited and archaic diagnostics. Not all types of sensorineural hearing loss are identical in physiology and a major priority of current auditory research is to innovate in the space of precision auditory diagnostics and treatments. Understanding how specific patterns of damage to the cochlea or auditory nerve variably impair the perception of different sound features is critical to improve treatments for hearing-impaired individuals. The history of auditory research has led to considerable insight as to how anatomic components of the auditory periphery, namely inner hair cells (IHCs), outer hair cells (OHCs), and the cochlear synapse function together to transduce, amplify, and code simple sounds. However, there exists considerable gaps in our knowledge of how these peripheral components are responsible for maintaining the fidelity of more complex auditory phenomena and perception. Pitch, the perceived “highness” or “lowness” of a given sound, is an example of a complex psychoacoustic phenomenon. Pitch cues are used to listen to and compose music and to process vowels, identify talkers, and convey emotion. Without intact pitch perception, conversation becomes emotionless, a symphony becomes a cacophony. While pitch has been extensively studied perceptually, our knowledge of the underlying neurophysiology of pitch remains mostly hypothetical. Three categories of pitch theories attempt to explain pitch coding in terms of the tonotopic organization of our auditory system (place), the temporal information present in neural firing patterns (time), or a combination of these (place-time). We plan to assess these theories in the context of cochlear pathologies that are expected to differentially alter place and timing cues, hence developing a more comprehensive understanding of pitch. Based on the literature, our central hypothesis is that deficits in time and place coding both affect the neural coding and perception of pitch, but with distorted place coding playing a stronger role. We will test this hypothesis by using animal models of OHC, IHC, cochlear synapse damage, and Distorted Tonotopy to investigate SNHL effects on pitch-related electrophysiology (Aim 1). OHC damage primarily disrupts place cues, while IHC and cochlear synapse damage alter timing cues. We will then compare this animal electrophysiology to identical measures in humans with normal and impaired hearing, evaluating the implications on behavioral pitch discrimination (Aim 2). Finally, we will develop four statistical models to identify how variations in pitch coding and perception are predicted by non-invasive assays of hearing loss and profiles of SNHL (Aim 3). This cross-species approach moves the field forward by testing well- established pitch theories in the context of SNHL and by opening doors to better identifying the functional consequences of individual variations in hearing ability. Overall, the cross-species design of the proposed work will develop my potential as a physician-scientist, strengthening my ability to design translational experiments that use ideal laboratory models of neurological disorders to predict clinically relevant outcomes.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $54,538 )
2025	2025	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE # 1100	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	3	1/3/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2025	2025	TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY	980 INDIANA AVE RM 2232	INDIANAPOLIS	IN	46202	MARION	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	004	4	9/10/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$43,541
2025	2025	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE # 1100	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	002	3	6/3/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$544
2025	2025	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE # 1100	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	003	3	9/10/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$43,541
2025	2025	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE # 1100	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	3	12/5/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$53,994
														Subtotal = $54,538

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $53,974 )
2024	2024	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE STE 1900	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	11/22/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$52,694
2024	2024	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE # 1100	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	2	4/24/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,280
														Subtotal = $53,974

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $52,694 )
2023	2023	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE STE 1900	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	12/21/2022	NEW	$51,752
2023	2023	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE STE 1900	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	002	1	2/5/2023	NEW	$942
2023	2023	PURDUE UNIVERSITY	2550 NORTHWESTERN AVE STE 1900	WEST LAFAYETTE	IN	47906	TIPPECANOE	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	1	12/21/2022	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $52,694

Grand Total All Awards = $161,206

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Place and Time Processing of Pitch in the Context of Cochlear Dysfunction

Award Number: F30DC020916

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2025

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