title: Neurotransmission in the human labyrinth.
abstract: Different neuroactive substances have been found in the efferent pathways of both the olivocochlear and vestibular systems. In the present study, the distribution and role of three neurotransmitters, choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), and enkephalin were investigated in the human labyrinth of 4 normal-hearing individuals. Immunohistochemical studies in human inner ear research, however, face a problem of procuring well-preserved specimens with maintained neurotransmitter antigenicity and morphology. Methods and findings are reported and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Innsbruck, Austria. Annelies.Schrott@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Anneliese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schrott-Fischer
authors.forename: Keren
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kammen-Jolly
authors.forename: Arne W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Scholtz
authors.forename: Wei-jia
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eybalin
mesh_terms: D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000378:metabolism; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009476:Neurons, Efferent / Q000502:physiology; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013136:Spiral Ganglion / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004745:Enkephalins; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase