AUTHOR=Dai Qian , Qu Tong , Shen Guoming , Wang Haitao TITLE=Characterization of the neural circuitry of the auditory thalamic reticular nucleus and its potential role in salicylate-induced tinnitus JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience VOLUME=Volume 18 - 2024 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2024.1368816 DOI=10.3389/fnins.2024.1368816 ISSN=1662-453X ABSTRACT=Subjective tinnitus, the perception of sound without an external acoustic source, is often subsequent to noise-induced hearing loss or ototoxic medications. The condition is believed to result from neuroplastic alterations in the auditory centers, characterized by heightened spontaneous neural activities and increased synchrony due to an imbalance between excitation and inhibition. However, the role of the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), a structure composed exclusively of GABAergic neurons involved in thalamocortical oscillations, in the pathogenesis of tinnitus remains largely unexplored. has been underexplored. This study investigated the involvement of the auditory TRN in a mouse model of salicylate-induced tinnitus. Employing combined viral tracing techniques, we delineated the inputs and outputs of the auditory-specific TRN. We discovered that chemogenetic activation of the auditory TRN significantly reduced the salicylate-evoked rise in c-Fos expression in the auditory cortex. This finding posits the TRN as a potential modulatory target for tinnitus treatment. Additionally, the mapped sensory inputs to the auditory TRN suggest possibilities for employing optogenetic or sensory stimulations to manipulate thalamocortical activities. The precise mapping of the auditory TRN-mediated neural pathways offers a promising avenue for designing targeted interventions to alleviate tinnitus symptoms.