(Coordination: Elke Zimmermann)  

Speech and music are unique capabilities of humans relying on specific audio-vocal and cognitive neural networks. The central integrative processing mechanisms of these networks and their evolution have only been partly understood. Symptoms based on disturbances of these complex networks are increasing heavily as a result of the demographical development and increasing aging of the human population. Thus, deficiencies in the perception of speech and music, such as aphasia, amusia or dysprosody are of important social relevance. Hearing deficiencies are a huge social problem meanwhile affecting 15% of the total population, and even 50% of the population aged above 65. Treating hearing and speech deficiencies requires a better understanding of the underlying psychoacoustic, genetic, biochemical and physiological processes as well as optimising the implementation of the results of basic research into clinical application.  

 

The ZSN focus “Hearing and communication” extends an existing transregional focus of biomedical research in Hannover. Via the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic of the MHH it is linked with the research focus “hearing” of the University of Oldenburg and the Audiology Initiative Lower Saxony with complementary themes in Hannover and Oldenburg. At Hannover the focus “Hearing and Communication” combines the neuroscientific competence divided up into basic research, clinical research and application at various universities (TiHo, MHH, HMT, the University of Hannover, extra-faculty institutes). Thus, an interdisciplinary research and training platform in Lower Saxony has been established which is unique for Germany. Future research initiatives may use this competence synergistically, in particular strengthening research collaborations between theoretical and clinical-related hearing and communication research at Hannover. One aim is to train urgently needed junior scientists on a Master`s, PhD- and PostDoc- level on a broad basis making them internationally competitive, another aim is to enhance existing research co-operations and to develop new innovative interdisciplinary research approaches. In this way results of basic research can be implemented more rapidly into clinical research and possibilities for their application can be optimised.  

 

A wide range of research fields is covered in the hearing and communication research sector. The research fields range from auditory basic research and clinical research to clinical application and are linked with one another at various levels. Basic research in the field of animal acoustic communication, particularly of mammals, represents the focus of three working groups at the Institute of Zoology (Prof. Dr. E. Zimmermann, PD Dr. S. Schmidt, PD Dr. K.-H. Esser) at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo). The studied animal models are of particular importance for hearing and communication research because of the application in cochlear implant research (e.g. cats), the specific expansion of the auditory system (e.g. bats) or their sociality (dogs) and genetic affinity to humans (e.g. tree shrews, non-human primates). Experimental behavioral, psychoacoustic and neurophysiological approaches are used to explore acoustic spatial orientation, emotional communication, plasticity in auditory perception or the phylogenetic roots of speech and music.

 

At the Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians’ Medicine at the University for Music and Theatre (HMT, Prof. Dr. E. Altenmüller) psychophysiologica, psychoacoustic and neurophysiological investigations into perceiving music as well as plastic changes in the hearing process in musicians are the focus of research. The focus is the auditive-sensomotory integration in healthy musicians and in musicians with apraxia and the neurobiological fundamentals of acute emotional experiences when hearing music. The jointly initiated transregional and interdisciplinary DFG-Research Group (FOR 499: “Acoustic communication of emotions in non-human mammals and in humans: production, perception and neural processing” (spokesperson: Prof. Zimmermann, deputy spokesman: Prof. Altenmüller) from the TiHo and HMT links the existing Hannoverian working groups in the sector of acoustic communication of basic research and clinical research not only with one another but also with working groups on a transregional level (as for example the Max-Planck-Institute for Brain and Cognitive Sciences in Leipzig).

 

In the Neurological Clinic of the MHH a working group (Prof. Dr. R. Dengler, Dr. Wittfoth, Dr. C. Schröder) is concerned with central hearing. There exists close cooperation with the ENT Clinic of the MHH and the associated Hearing Centre in Hannover where the focus is not only on questions concerning optimising technical acoustic signal processing, but also on research into mechanisms of neuroplasticity in patients with modern hearing implants. Parallel disturbances in emotional expression and in emotional acoustic perception in patients with central apraxia such as Parkinson´s or dystonia associated with disturbances in the dopaminergeous system are investigated. The aim is to define the role of this important neuronal system for emotional perception. The importance of these non-motor symptoms for patients´ quality of life is analysed with the aim of developing therapeutic strategies. The applied methodology basicly embraces behavioural studies, modern electrophysiology (result-correlated potentials) and functional nuclear spin tomography. The working group cooperates via the DFG-Research Group FOR 499 with the established groups in basic research from the HMT and TiHo. At the Clinic for Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (formerly under Prof. Dr. Dr. H.M. Emrich as well as Prof. Dr. D. Dietrich) perception processes (particularly in synaesthesia) and aspects of emotion/cognition coupling in healthy test persons as well as those with psychic/psychiatric disturbances are investigated. In this connection the perception-illusion research in patients with schizophrenia and attention- as well as memory functions in humans with an affective illness and neurobiological factors, which can influence such processes, are given particular attention. Not only are electrophysiological but also neurobiological and nuclear spin tomographical methods partly used in the framework of cross-clinic co-operations within the ZSN as well as beyond (e.g. Department of Neuroradiology, Prof. Lanfermann; Prof. Dr. Rudolph, MPI Ulm) applied. In the Clinic for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, in particular the neurobiological basics of normal or limited emotional communication with methods of modern imaging are investigated, partially integrated in a DFG aided multi-centre study as well as in international co-operations. Thematic focus or implemented research paradigms are alexithymia, empathy and Theory of Mind (ToM).

 

The Institute for Neurophysiology of the MHH (Prof. Dr. Ch. Fahlke) and the Institute for Biophysics of the University of Hannover (PD Dr. A Ngzehayo) are concerned with disturbances of the function of ionic channels and ionic transporters forming the basis of hereditary forms of defective hearing. By means of electrophysiological, fluorescence miscroscopic and protein biochemical investigations research is being carried out as to which aspects of molecular functions lead to certain hearing defects. The aim is to correlate the molecular dysfunction with clinical findings (ENT Clinic) and changed radiological findings (Clinic for Neuroradiology, Prof. Dr. H. Lanfermann) in order to understand the pathophysiology of genetic hearing defects as a whole. The working group Neuronuclear Medicine (Prof. G. Berding) from the Clinic for Nuclear Medicine in the MHH is investigating in patients (pre- and postcare) with a hearing implant, cerebral cortical activation samples by means of O water PET (Positron Emission Tomography) during auditive signal processing. Of particular interest in this case is on the one hand to define a preoperative prognostically relevant sample and on the other hand to better understand the functionality of innovative hearing implants (auditory brainstem implant, auditory midbrain implant) subject to their individual characteristics (electrode type and electrode localisation, programming of the speech processor). The studies are carried out in close cooperation with the ENT Clinic of the MHH.

 

The ENT Clinic of the MHH (Prof. T. Lenarz) forms the link between basic research and industry-oriented clinical research and leads the field worldwide in hearing implant research. Moreover, directly at the location in Hannover it enables the transfer of basic knowledge in practical application, e.g. in signal processing. The ENT Clinic with its operative department as well as its affiliated Hearing Centre with its integrated care of patients with hearing defects of every kind, including diagnostic and conservative therapy, The Laboratories of Experimental Otology and the Cochlear Implant Centre for rehabilitating children with hearing implants as well as the recent addition, the Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Technology with the VIANNA (Collaboration Institute for Audioneurotechnology and Nanobiomaterials) in the Medical Park, have a particular focus in the sector of clinical research and application such as for example hearing implants, regeneration of the auditory system, alternative stimulation processing of the inner ear with laser, local pharmacotherapy of the inner ear, new born hearing screening, as well as computer- and robot assisted surgery in the inner ear field. They are linked on a local, national and international level via manifold national and international research associations, as for example via SFB 599 Biomedical Technology (spokesman: T. Lenarz), SFB Transregio Micro- and Nanosystems of Medicine, EU-Project NanoEar, Audiology Initiative Lower Saxony, BMBF Joint Research Project Gentle CI.