Manfred Kössl
Univ.-Professor, Head of AK Neurobiology and Biological Sensors

Email:koessl@bio.uni-frankfurt.de
Phone:+49 69 / 798 42052

Research projects

1. Complex Sound Processing in the Gerbil Midbrain and Auditory Cortex

By presenting tone complexes to the ear that will produce mechanical distortions in the cochlea, we study the neuronal computation of cochlea-generated otoacoustic emissions. One of our main aims is to investigate the role of cochlear two-tone distortions for pitch-perception.
In addition we investigate neuronal computation of auditory streaming by presenting melody-like sequences of the tone pulses and analysing neuronal preferences to specific parts of the auditory stream.

Methods: Simultaneous OAE-recording and extracellular neuronal recordings, acoustic masking techniques.

Support: DFG Ko987/9-1

2. Development of Time Computation in the Auditory Cortex of Bats

The postnatal development of time-sensitive neuronal circuits is investigated in the secondary auditory cortex of the bats Pteronotus parnelii and Carollia perspicillata. Specifically, we study the physiological and neuroanatomical properties of delay-sensitive neurons that use the delay between echolocation call and echo to derive the target distance during echolocation. The studies on P. parnelli are performed in Cuba. Here we have access to young mustached bats that are reared in maternity colonies in hot caves. The project is a collaboration between the Univ. of Frankfurt, the Univ. of Potsdam, and the Univ. of Havana.

Methods: Extracellular recording techniques, immuno-histochemistry, acoustic deprivation techniques

Support: DFG Ko987/10-1

3. Evolution of Auditory Systems in Mammals and Insects

Animals adapted to different acoustic environment are investigated in terms of their ear mechanics.
In mammals, the focus of the project is on how efferent innervation to the outer hair cells influences the cochlear amplifier. As model species we use humans, gerbils and two bat species, Carollia perspicillata and Pteronotus parnellii. The mustached bat, P. parnellii, has a dedicated constant-frequency (CF) echolocation system and an auditory fovea in the inner ear that produces extreme frequency resolution and high sensitivity to CF-echoes.
In insects, we focus on the role of putative motor proteins for sensory transduction in the scolopidia of tym­panal organs in bush crickets, locusts, and moths. In addition we study the action of insecticides on the sensory neurons in insects.

Methods: Noninvasive measurement of Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs), electrophysiology, laser-interferometry, immuno-histochemistry, in-situ hybridisation, gene-sequencing, modelling.

Support: DFG Ko987/8-2, Jürgen Manchot Foundation, Evangelisches Studienwerk

Publications

2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001

 Publications 2013

Macías S, Hechavarría JC, Kössl M, Mora EC. Neurons in the inferior colliculus of the mustached bat are tuned both to echo-delay and sound duration. Neuroreport. 2013 Mar 12. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23492868 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] Related citations

Hechavarría J.C., Macías S, Vater M, Mora EC, Kössl M. Evolution of neuronal mechanisms for echolocation: specializations for target-range computation in bats of the genus Pteronotus. J Acoust Soc Am. 2013 Jan;133(1):570-8. doi: 10.1121/1.4768794. PMID: 23297928 [PubMed - in process]

Macías S, Mora EC, Hechavarría J.C., Kössl M. Properties of echo delay-tuning receptive fields in the inferior colliculus of the mustached bat. Hear Res. 2012 Apr;286(1-2):1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2012.02.013. Epub 2012 Mar 15.
PMID: 22446180 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Möckel D, Kössl M and Nowotny M (2013) Mechanical two-tone-distortions in the tympanum motion of locusts. 10th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society: T17-3A.

Möckel D, Kössl M and Nowotny M (2013) Mechanical two-tone-distortions in the movement of the tympanal membrane of insects. 36th Midwinter Meeting of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology: 166.

Publications 2012

Möckel, D.; Lang, J.; Kössl, M. Nowotny, M. (2012). Temperature-dependence of DPOAEs in tympanal organs. J Exp Biol (in press).

Kössl, M.; Voss, C.; Mora, E.C.; Macías, S.; Foeller, E.; Vater, M. (2012). Auditory cortex of newborn bats is prewired for echolocation. Nat Commun. 3:773.

Macías, S.; Mora, E.C.; Hechavarría, Julio C. ;Kössl, M. (2012). Properties of echo delay-tuning receptive fields in the inferior colliculus
of the mustached bat. Hear. Res. 286

Palghat Udayashankar A.; Kössl M.; Nowotny M.(2012). In-vivo measurements of tonotopically ordered traveling waves. PLoS One. 7(2): e31008.

Publications 2011 - top

Hagemann, C.; Vater, M.; Kössl, M. (2011) Comparison of properties of cortical echo delay-tuning in the short-tailed fruit bat and the mustached bat. J Comp Physiol A 197:605-613.

Hummel, J.; Kössl, M.; Nowotny, M. (2011) Sound-induced tympanal membrane motion in bushcrickets and its relationship to sensory output. J Exp Biol 214:3596-3604.

Möckel, D.; Seyfarth, E.A.; Kössl, M. (2011) Otoacoustic emissions in bushcricket ears: general characteristics and the influence of the neuroactive insecticide pymetrozine. J Comp Physiol A 197:193-202.

Vater, M.; Kössl, M. (2011) Comparative aspects of cochlear functional organization in mammals. Hearing Research 273:89-99.

Macías, S.; Mora, E.C.; Hechavarría, J.C.; Kössl, M. (2011) Duration tuning in the inferior colliculus of the mustached bat. J Neurophysiol 106:3119-3128

Hechavarría, J.C.; Cobo, A.T.; Fernández, Y.; Macías, S.; Kössl, M.; Mora, E.C. (2011) Sound evoked oscillation and paradoxical latency shift in the inferior colliculus neurons of the big fruit-eating bat, Artibeus jamaicensis. J Comp Physiol A (2011) 197:1159–1172

Bäuerle, P.; von der Behrens, W.; Kössl, M.; Gaese, B. (2011) Stimulus-specific adaptation in the gerbil primary auditory thalamus is the result of a fast frequency-specific habituation and is regulated by the corticofugal system. J Neuroscience 31(26):9708-9722.

 
Abstracts:

Nowotny M., Remus M., Kössl M., Gaese B. 2011.Trauma-induced tinnitus in gerbils centers around the induction frequency. In: Santi PA (ed.) Abstracts of the 34th Annual Midwinter Research Meeting., Association for Research in Otolaryngology.# 188

Hummel J., Kössl M., Nowotny M. 2011. Does the auditory nerve activity reflect the tympanal membrane motion in bushcrickets? 8th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society. # T17-8A.

Lang J., Kössl M., Nowotny M. 2011. Temperature dependence of DPOAEs in grasshoppers. 8th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society. # T17-2C.

Remus M., Gaese B., Kössl M., Nowotny M. 2011. Trauma-induced tinnitus in gerbils centers around the induction frequency. 8th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society. # T17-8C.

Udajashankar A.P., Kössl M., Nowotny M. 2011. Auditory mechanics of bushcrickets in-vivo. 8th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society. # T17-4A.

Schlenther D., Voss C., Kössl M. (2011): Cubic and quadratic distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) in awake and anesthetized short-tailed fruit bats. 9th Göttingen Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society: T17-6A

Nowotny, M., Palghat Udayashankar, A., Weber, M., Hummel, J. und Kössl, M. (2011). Sound Transduction in the Auditory System of Bushcrickets.?Mechanics of Hearing 2011, The 11th International

Publications 2010 - top

Behrens, W. vd; Bäuerle, P.; Kössl, M.; Gaese, B. (2010) Correlating stimulus-specific adaptation of cortical neurons and local field potentials in the awake rat. J Neuroscience 29: 13837-13849

Vater, M.; Föller, E.; Mora, E.C.; Coro, F.; Russell, I.J.; Kössl, M.(2010) Postnatal maturation of primary auditory  cortex in the mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii. J Neurophysiol, Feb 2010;doi:10.1152/jn.00517.2009

Hagemann, C.; Esser, K.H.; Kössl, M. (2010) A chronotopically organized target distance map in the auditory cortex of the Short-tailed Fruit Bat. J Neurophysiol 103: 222-333.

Nowotny, M.; Hummel, J.; Weber, M.; Möckel, D.; Kössl, M.(2010):
Acoustic-induced motion of the bushcricket (Mecopoda elongata, Tettigoniidae) tympanum. J Comp Physiol A 196: 939-945.

Publications 2009 - top

Abel, C. ; Kössl, M.(2009):

Sensitive response to low-frequency cochlear distortion products in the auditory midbrain.
J Neurophysiol 101 (3): 1560-1574.

Wittekindt, A. ; Gaese, B. ; Kössl, M. (2009):
Influence of contralateral acoustic stimulation on the quadratic distortion product f2-f1 in humans.
Hear Res, 247 (1): 27-33.

Wittekindt, A. ; Abel, C. ; Kössl, M. (2009):
Shifting the operating point of cochlear amplification? Impact of low frequency biasing and contralateral sound stimulation on DPOAE.
In: Cooper, N.P. and Kemp, D.T. (Eds.): Concepts and Challenges in the Biophysics of Hearing. World Scientific, Singapore, New Jersey, London, Hong Kong: 190-195

Nowotny, M. ; Möckel, D. ; Weber, M. ; Kössl, M. (2009):
Sound induced vibration pattern on the tympanal membranes of the bushcricket Mecopoda elongata.
Proceedings of the 8th Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society: T17-1C.

Hagemann, C. ; Esser, K.H. ; Kössl, M. (2009):
Delay-sensitive neurons in the auditory cortex of the Phyllostomid bat, Carollia perspicillata.
Proceedings of the 8th Meeting of the German Neuroscience Society: T18-1A

Hagemann, C. ; Esser, K.H. ; Kössl, M. (2009):
Chronotopic organization in the auditory cortex of the FM batCarollia perspicillata.
Assoc Res Otolaryngol Abs 145: 392

Kössl, M. ; Hagemann, C. ; Foeller, E. ; Mora, E. ; Macias, S. ; Vater, M. (2009):
Cortical delay-tuning in young mustached bats.
Assoc Res Otolaryngol Abs 296: 658

Publications 2008 - top

Kössl, M. ; Möckel, D. ; Weber, M. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. (2008):

Otoacoustic emissions from insect ears: evidence of active hearing?
J Comp Physiol A 194: 597-609.

Möckel, D. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. ; Kössl, M. (2008):
Sources of otoacoustic emissions from tympanal organs in insects.
FENS Abstr 4, 087.13.

Eckrich, T.; Foeller, E.; Stuermer, I. W.; Gaese, B.; Kössl, M.(2008):
Strain-dependence of age-related cochlear hearing loss in wild and domesticated Mongolian gerbils.
Hear Res 235 (1-2): 72-79.

Kössl, M.; Möckel, D.; Weber, M.; Seyfarth, E.-A. (2008):
Schallemissionen aus Insektenohren: Hinweis auf aktives Hören?
Neuroforum 08 (1): 166-173.

Publications 2007 - top

Möckel, D. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. ; Kössl, M. (2007):

The generation of DPOAEs in the locust ear is contingent upon the sensory neurons.
J Comp Physiol A 193: 871-879.

Kössl, M. ; Coro, F ; Seyfarth, E.-A. ; Nässig, W. A. (2007):
Otoacoustic emissions from insect ears having just one auditory neuron.
J Comp Physiol A 193: 909-915.

Möckel, D. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. ; Kössl, M. (2007):
Tympanal sensilla generate DPOAEs in the locust ear.
Neuroforum 07 (1): T18-6B.

Möckel, D. ; Kössl, M. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. (2007):
Pymetrozine, a neuroactive insecticide, reduces otoacoustic emissions in the bushcricket ear.
10th Meeting Austrian Neuroscience Association (ANA), Seggauberg: P37.

Marsch, R. ; Foeller, E. ; Rammes, G. ; Bunck, M. ; Kössl, M. ; Holsboer, F. ; Zieglgänsberger, W. ; Landgraf, R. ; Lutz, B. ; Wotjak, C. T. (2007):
Reduced Anxiety, Conditioned Fear, and Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation in Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1 Receptor-Deficient Mice.
J Neurosci 27: 832-839.

von der Behrens, W. ; Kössl, M. ; Gaese, B. (2007):
Parameters Influencing Neuronal Adaptation to Pure Tone Stimuli in the Awake Rat Auditory.
Assoc Res Otolaryngol Abs: 405.

von der Behrens, W. ; Kössl, M. ; Gaese, B. (2007):
Neuronal Adaptation to Pure Tone Stimuli in the Awake Rat Auditory Cortex.
Neuroforum 07 (1 Suppl): T19-13A.

Publications 2006 - top

Kössl, M. ; Coro, F. (2006):

L1,L2 maps of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions from a moth ear with only two auditory receptor neurons.
JASA 120: 3824-3831.

Weber, M. ; Baumgarten, D. ; Winter; H. ; Kössl, M. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. (2006):
Active hearing in the bushcricket, Mecopoda elongata.
FENS Abstr 3: A 038.24.

Kössl, M. (2006):
Frequency-specific contralateral influence on DPOAE in the short-tailed fruit bat .
FENS Abstr 3: A 038.4.

Möckel, D. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. ; Kössl, M. (2006):
DPOAEs in the locust depend on the integrity of the sensory organ.
Assoc Res Otolaryngol Abs: 23.

Foeller, E. ; Vater, M. ; Mora, E. ; Coro, F. ; Kössl, M. (2006):
Postnatal maturation of representation of target distance in the auditory cortex of the mustached bat.
FENS Abstr 3: A 180.5

Schützner, P. ; Bäuerle, P. ; Kössl, M. (2006):
Level-dependency of neuronal correlates for auditory streaming in the primary auditory cortex of the Mongolian gerbil.
FENS Abstr 3: A 180.18.

Macias, S. ; Mora, E. C. ; Coro, F. ; Kössl, M. (2006):
Threshold minima and maxima in the behavioral audiograms of the bats Artibeus jamaicensis and Eptesicus fuscus are not produced by cochlear mechanics.
Hear Res 212 (1-2): 245-250.

Publications 2005 - top

Weber, M. ; Kössl, M. ; Volknandt, W. ; Seyfarth, E.-A. (2005):

Acetylcholine is a transmitter candidate in sensory neurons of the bushcricket ear (Mecopoda elongata).
Neuroforum 05 (1 Suppl): 94 A.

Wittekindt, A. ; Drexl, M. ; Kössl, M. (2005):
Cochlear Sensitivity in the lesser spear-nosed bat, Phyllostomus discolor.
J Comp Physiol A 191: 31-36.

Isheim, D. ; Gaese, B. ; Kössl, M. (2005):
Representation of temporally structured acoustic stimuli in gerbil auditory cortical neurons: Influences of repetition rate and sound intensity.
Assoc Res Otolaryngol Abs: 345.

Isheim, D. ; Gaese, B. ; Kössl, M. (2005):
Temporal processing of modulated acoustic stimuli in gerbil primary auditory cortex.
Neuroforum 05 (1 Suppl): 103 A.

Foeller, E. ; Mora, E. ; Kössl, M. (2005):
Topographic organization of the auditory cortex of the batMolossus molossus. 
Neuruforum 05 (1 Suppl): 112 A.

Publications 2004 - top

Mora, E. C. ; Kössl, M. (2004):

Ambiguities in sound-duration selectivity by neurons in the inferior colliculus of the bat Molossus molossus from Cuba.
J Neurophysiol 91 (5): 2215-2226.

Drexl, M. ; Henke, J. ; Kössl, M. (2004):
Isoflurane increases amplitude and incidence of evoked and spontaneous otoacoustic emissions.
Hear Res 194 (1-2): 135-142.

Mora, E. C. ; Macias, S. ; Vater, M. ; Coro, F. ; Kössl, M. (2004):
Specializations for aerial hawking in the echolocation system ofMolossus molossus (Molossidae, Chiroptera).
J Comp Physiol A 190: 561-574.

Publications 2003 - top

Vater, M. ; Kössl, M. ; Foeller, E. ; Coro, F. ; Mora, E. ; Russell, I. J. (2003):

Development of echolocation calls in the mustached bat,Pteronotus parnellii.
J Neurophysiol 90 (4): 2274-2290.

Drexl, M. ; Faulstich, M. ; von Stebut, B. ; Radtke-Schuller, S. ;Kössl, M. (2003):
Distortion product otoacoustic emissions and auditory evoked potentials in the hedgehog tenrec, Echinops telfairi.
J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 4 (4): 555-564.

Kössl, M. ; Foeller, E. ; Faulstich, M. (2003):
Otoacoustic emissions and cochlear mechanisms in echolocationg bats.
In:  Thomas, J. A. ; Moss, C. ; Vater, M. (Hrsg.). Echolocation in bats and dolphins.
Chicago, Univ of Chicago Press: 104-109.

Kössl, M. ; Foeller, E. ; Drexl, M. ; Vater, M. ; Mora, E. ; Coro, F. ; Russell, I. J. (2003):
Postnatal development of cochlear function in the mustached bat,Pteronotus parnellii.
J Neurophysiol 90 (4): 2261-2273.

Drexl, M. ; Kössl, M. (2003):
Sound-evoked efferent effects on cochlear mechanics of the mustached bat.
Hear Res 184 (1-2): 61-74.

Russell, I. J. ; Drexl, M. ; Foeller, E. ; Vater, M. ; Kössl, M. (2003):
Synchronization of a nonlinear oscillator: processing the cf component of the echo-response signal in the cochlea of the mustached bat.
J Neurosci 23 (29): 9508-9518.

Russell, I. J. ; Drexl, M. ; Foeller, E. ; Vater, M. ; Kössl, M. (2003):
The development of a single frequency place in the mammalian cochlea: the cochlear resonance in the mustached bat Pteronotus parnellii.
J Neurosci 23 (34): 10971-10981.

Vater, M. ; Kössl, M. (2003):
The ears of whales and bats.
In: Thomas, J. A. ; Moss, C. ; Vater, M. (Hrsg.): Echolocation in bats and dolphins.
Chicago, Univ of Chicago Press: 89-99.

Abel, C. ; Plassmann, W. ; Kössl, M. (2003):
Comparison of auditory threshold curves measured with autoacoustic emissions and evoked cochlear potentials in the gerbil.
In: Elsner, N. ; Zimmermann, H. (Hrsg.): The Neurosciences from Basic Research to Therapy. Proceedings of the 29th Göttingen Neurobiology Conference 2003. Stuttgart, Georg Thieme: 427.

Wittekindt, A. ; Drexl, M. ; Kössl, M. (2003): 
Cochlear sensitivity in the lesser spear-nosed bat, Phyllostomus discolor.
In: Elsner, N. ; Zimmermann, H. (Hrsg.): The Neurosciences from Basic Research to Therapy. Proceedings of the 29th Göttingen Neurobiology Conference 2003. Stuttgart, Georg Thieme: 427.

Publications 2002 - top

Vater, M. ; Kössl, M. (2002):

Für ein paar Motten mehr.
Spektrum der Wissenschaft (Hrsg.): Gehirn & Geist. Band 4, Heidelberg, Spektrum der Wissenschaft: 76-81.

Pibal, I. ; Drexl, M. ; Kössl, M. (2002):
Level dependence of optimal stimulus level difference for evoking DPOAEs in the gerbil .
Hear Res 174 (1-2): 260-263.

Weissenbacher, P. ; Drexl, M. ; Kössl, M. (2002):
The effect of preceding sonar emission on temporal integration in the bat, Megaderma lyra.
J Comp Physiol A 188: 147-155.

Publications 2001 - top

Coro, F. ; Kössl, M. (2001):

Components of the 2f(1)-f(2) distortion-product otoacoustic emission in a moth.
Hear Res 162 (1-2): 126-133.

Foeller, E. ; Vater, M. ; Kössl, M. (2001):
Laminar analysis of inhibition in the gerbil primary auditory cortex.
 J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2 (3): 279-296.