# Cochlear Vasculature and Its Role in Strial Atrophy

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2020 · $25,731

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Sensorineural hearing loss is often associated with degeneration of the vasculature in the stria vascularis, a
vascularized epithelium in the lateral wall of the cochlea required for hearing function. The mechanism for strial
atrophy remains elusive, however, and no curative or preventative interventions exist. This research tests two
predictions of the hypothesis that augmenting or “normalizing” vascular function in the cochlea may slow or
reverse atrophy in the stria vascularis: 1) that strial atrophy in affected mice is associated with vascular
abnormalities and loss of vascular integrity in the stria vascularis and 2) that improved endothelial barrier
function, vascular tone and angiogenesis protects mice against aminoglycoside-induced strial atrophy. To
measure such changes, the approach uses innovative techniques to compare, in normal and injured inner
ears, the morphology of vasculature including microvessels in the whole cochlea in 3D as well as the molecular
makeup of the cochlear vasculature at the single cell level. Thus, in addition to testing the predictions above,
this research could identify cell subtypes, molecular mechanisms and structures of potential significance to
circulation and solute transport in the cochlea, which has broad implications for understanding and managing
inner ear disease.
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## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9962362
- **Project number:** 5R21DC018094-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Brent Allen Wilkerson
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $25,731
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-16 → 2020-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9962362

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9962362, Cochlear Vasculature and Its Role in Strial Atrophy (5R21DC018094-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9962362. Licensed CC0.

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