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The contributions of quantal and nonquantal transmission to vestibular input

Award Number: F31DC023800
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: 09/30/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/29/2027

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The contributions of quantal and nonquantal transmission to vestibular input - Project Summary / Abstract Balance disorders can have a debilitating, life-altering effect on those affected. As the population of the United States ages, it will be more important to understand how the vestibular system functions, and the modes of communication between the sensory hair cells that capture sensory information, and the neurons that innervate them and carry this information to the brain. The leading theory in the field has been that glutamatergic quantal transmission is the predominant mode of transmission in the inner ear. However recent findings suggest that nonquantal transmission, a faster mode of transmission that involves the direct electrical coupling between type I hair cells and their afferent calyces without the use of gap junctions, may play a larger role than previously anticipated. As part of this F31 training grant, I will use an in-vitro preparation to investigate whether there are regional differences across the vestibular epithelia in the contributions of quantal and nonquantal transmission to neuronal spike rates. Supporting this idea is the regional organization of vestibular epithelia according to the frequency of head movements, with central zones of the epithelia believed to house neurons that encode information about fast changes in head movements, and peripheral zones of the epithelia believed to encode information about slower, lower frequency movements. In Aim 1 of this project, I will be investigating the regional differences in the relative contribution of quantal and nonquantal transmission to neuronal activity in response to a stimulus. In Aim 2, I will test whether there are regional differences in the biophysical properties and morphology of the afferent neurons that could support nonquantal transmission. I will use a combination of cell-attached loose patch electrophysiology, whole cell patch electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, and confocal microscopy to address these questions. Through the proposed project I will expand my understanding of synaptic physiology in the inner ear, I will refine my techniques as an electrophysiologist and contribute to the field’s understanding of the ways in which vestibular hair cells and their afferent neurons communicate.


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: 2026 ( Subtotal = $47,199 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA	3720 S FLOWER ST FL 3	LOS ANGELES	CA	90089	LOS ANGELES	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	4/3/2026	NEW	$47,199
														Subtotal = $47,199

Grand Total All Awards = $47,199

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The contributions of quantal and nonquantal transmission to vestibular input

Award Number: F31DC023800

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: 09/30/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/29/2027

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