# The effects of cochlear pericytes and pericyte-related vascular pathology on hearing function

> **NIH NIH R01** · OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $373,487

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Hearing loss has a profound impact on individuals, causing communication problems, social isolation, and cognitive
decline. Microvascular pathology is a significant factor seen in many types of hearing loss, including sound-induced
hearing loss, age-related hearing loss, genetic hearing loss, and autoimmune inner ear disease. Normal capillary
blood flow is highly controlled by pericytes. The pericytes, specialized mural cells surrounding small blood vessels
adjacent to endothelial cells, are vital for normal vascular function. Pericyte pathology, such as pericyte loss or
degeneration, is a significant factor in degenerative neural diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and brain
dementia. The cochlear microvasculature contains an abundant population of pericytes. However, the role of
pericytes in the cochlea, in general, is understudied. In particular, their roles in vascular and hearing function is
largely unknown. Using a combination of well-established and cutting-edge techniques, and building on preliminary
data produced under R21 support, the proposed five-year research program continues the investigation of
mechanisms outlined in our current R21 grant to further explore the role of PCs, PC-related vascular pathology,
and angiogenesis in cochlear health. Success in this project will open new clinical options for treatment of aging-,
noise exposure-, and genetic vascular deficiency-related deafness in which PCs are compromised.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9940575
- **Project number:** 1R01DC018534-01
- **Recipient organization:** OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Xiaorui Shi
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $373,487
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-02-14 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9940575

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9940575, The effects of cochlear pericytes and pericyte-related vascular pathology on hearing function (1R01DC018534-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9940575. Licensed CC0.

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