Natural And Artificial Control Of Hearing And Balance

The underlying goal of this compendium is to provide an impetus for the development and enhancement of man-made electrical systems that either produce an artificial sense of hearing or the artificial control of standing and locomotion.

Cochlear implants have instigated a popular but controversial revolution in the treatment of deafness. This book discusses the physiological bases of using artificial devices to electrically stimulate the brain to interpret sounds. As the first successful device to restore neural function, the cochlear implant serves as a model for research in neuroscience and biomedical engineering. These and other auditory prostheses are discussed in the context of historical treatments, engineering, psychophysics and clinical issues as well as implications for speech, behavior, cognition and long-term effects on people.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.

In the last decade, we have witnessed a striking maturation of our understanding of how neurons in the spinal cord control muscular activity and movement. Paradoxically, a host of new findings have revealed an unexpected versatility in the behavior of these well-studied neural elements and circuits. In this volume, the world's leading experts review the current state of our knowledge of motor control, outline their latest results and developments, and delineate the seminal unresolved questions in this vibrant field of research. The volume begins with a commentary and overview of our current understanding of the peripheral and spinal basis of motor control. The remainder of the volume is divided into seven sections, each focused on a different problem. The first chapter in each section provides some historical review and presages the experimental findings and hypotheses that are discussed in subsequent chapters. Topics include the biomechanics of neuromuscular systems, the properties of motoneurons and the muscle units they control, spinal interneurons, pattern generating circuits, locomotion, descending control of spinal circuits, comparative physiology of motor systems, and motor systems neurophysiology studied in man. The book serves as a unique reference volume and should be essential reading for anyone interested in motor systems. Moreover, the volume's comprehensive coverage of a wide range of topics make it an effective textbook for graduate level courses in motor control neurobiology, kinesiology, physical therapy, and rehabilitation medicine.

Einige tausend Menschen sind weltweit an einer Leitungsunterbrechung des Hörnerven im Hirnstamm erkrankt. Dies führt in vielen Fällen zum Verlust des Hörens, d.h. zur Taubheit. Inzwischen ist es möglich, im Rahmen einer Gehirnoperation alltagsrelevante Teile des Hörvermögens wieder herzustellen. Dies geschieht durch Elektroden, die im Mittelhirn eingesetzt werden und die mit einem implantierten Mikroprozessor verbunden sind. Im vorliegenden Buch werden hierzu einige grundsätzliche Überlegungen, Laborstudien, sowie erstmalig klinische Ergebnisse dargestellt. Diese mikroskopische Implantation im akkustischen Teil des Gehirns ist das erfolgreichste Beispiel der neuroprothetischen Wiederherstellung eines zerstörten Sinnesorganes. Die vorgestellte Studie wurde im Rahmen einer Habilitationsarbeit angefertigt. Förderung erfolgte (2001) durch Mittel der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), der Max-Kade Stiftung, sowie durch ein Reisestipendium der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO). (Buchtext in englischer Sprache)