Glycine receptors in adult guinea pig brain stem auditory nuclei: regulation after unilateral cochlear ablation.

In young adult guinea pigs, the effects of unilateral cochlear ablation were determined on the specific binding of [3H]strychnine measured in subdivisions of the cochlear nucleus (CN), the superior olivary complex, and the auditory midbrain, after 2, 7, 31, 60, and 147 postlesion days. Changes in binding relative to that in age-matched controls were interpreted as altered activity and/or expression of synaptic glycine receptors. Postlesion binding declined ipsilaterally in most of the ventral CN and in the lateral superior olive (LSO). Binding was modestly deficient in the ipsilateral dorsal CN and in the anterior part of the contralateral anteroventral CN. Binding was elevated in the contralateral LSO. Transient changes also occurred. Binding was elevated transiently, between 2 and 31 days, contralaterally in parts of the anteroventral CN, bilaterally in the medial superior olive (MSO), and bilaterally in most of the midbrain nuclei. Binding was deficient transiently, at 60 days, in most of the contralateral CN and bilaterally in the midbrain nuclei. The present findings, together with previously reported postlesion changes in glycine release, were consistent with persistently weakened glycinergic inhibitory transmission ipsilaterally in the ventral CN and the LSO and bilaterally in the dorsal CN. Glycinergic inhibitory transmission was strengthened in the contralateral LSO and transiently strengthened in the MSO bilaterally. A hypothetical model of the findings suggested that glycine receptor regulation may depend on excitatory and glycinergic input to auditory neurons. The present changes in glycine receptor activity may contribute to altered auditory functions, which often accompany hearing loss.