Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has severe adverse health and economic impacts totaling over $240 billion in the U.S. annually. Despite this, FDA approved treatments for AUD are limited, thus, further understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms in AUD is required for new treatments. AUD is associated with deficits in behavioral flexibility that are similarly seen in animal models with depletion of dorsal striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs). We found that acute ethanol (40 mM) inhibits the firing rate of dorsal striatal CINs, which are the primary source of acetylcholine (ACh) in the dorsal striatum. Using an intensity-based ACh sensing fluorescent reporter (iAChSnFR) in slice photometry recordings, we found that acute ethanol (40 mM) inhibits dorsal striatal ACh release. Accordingly, in vivo fiber photometry with iAChSnFR also showed inhibition of ACh release following acute ethanol (2 g/kg ip). To induce ethanol dependence in mice, we used the chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) vapor exposure model. Following CIE, we found that CIE-treated mice had a significant depression of ACh release compared to control mice in the dorsomedial but not dorsolateral striatum. Then, we performed stereological cell counts of CINs in CIE and control mice to examine the cause of this ACh deficit and found that CIE mice had a significant decrease in CINs in the dorsomedial but not dorsolateral striatum. In conclusion, our data show that ethanol inhibits dorsal striatal cholinergic signaling in a subregion-specific manner that may contribute to AUD related behaviors.

Objectives: This prospective study aimed to assess noise levels in otolaryngology operating rooms (OR), explore noise variation across subspecialties, and examine the correlation between noise, verbal communication, and surgery complexity. Study Design: Prospective trial. Setting: Single academic institution. Methods: Noise levels and surgeon feedback from 60 otolaryngology surgeries at a Tertiary Academic Medical Center were collected between May 2023 and March 2024. Cases were randomly selected based on staff availability, excluding emergency surgeries. The cohort included 13 general ENT, 13 facial plastics, 8 head and neck, 13 laryngology, and 13 rhinology surgeries. Noise data was recorded with a Curconsa Sound Level Meter SL720. Surgeons reported communication ease and case complexity via survey, with communication deemed impaired with the incidence of repeated information in the OR. Case complexity was rated from grade 1 (lowest) to grade 4 (highest). Results: Noise differences between subspecialties’ ORs were statistically significant (p < 0.001), but the Effect size was small (η² ≈ 0.04). The Rhinology OR showed higher average noise levels compared to Facial Plastic (Rhinology louder by ~2.2 dB) and Head-Neck (Rhinology louder by ~2.6 dB). Noise did not significantly impair communication in the OR (p=0.526). Higher noise in the OR did not significantly influence surgical complexity (p=0.547). Conclusion: Noise levels in otolaryngology operating rooms varied modestly across subspecialties. No significant association between noise levels and either communication impairment or surgical complexity was observed.

Background/Objectives: This prospective study aimed to assess noise levels in otolaryngology operating rooms (OR), explore noise variation across subspecialties, and examine the correlation between noise, verbal communication, and surgery complexity. Methods: Prospective observational study. Single academic institution. Noise levels and surgeon feedback from 60 otolaryngology surgeries at a Tertiary Academic Medical Center were collected between May 2023 and March 2024. Cases were prospectively enrolled using a convenience sampling based on research staff availability, excluding emergency surgeries. The cohort included 13 general ENT, 13 facial plastics, 8 head and neck, 13 laryngology, and 13 rhinology surgeries. Noise data was recorded with a Curconsa Sound Level Meter SL720. Surgeons reported communication ease and case complexity via survey, with communication deemed impaired with the incidence of repeated information in the OR. Case complexity was rated from grade 1 (lowest) to grade 4 (highest). Results: Noise differences between subspecialties’ ORs were statistically significant (p < 0.001) but the effect size was small (η² ≈ 0.04). The Rhinology OR showed higher average noise levels compared to Facial Plastic (Rhinology louder by 2.2 dB) and Head–Neck (Rhinology louder by 2.6 dB). Noise did not significantly impair communication in the OR (p = 0.526). Higher noise in the OR did not significantly influence surgical complexity (p = 0.547). Conclusions: Noise levels in otolaryngology operating rooms varied modestly across subspecialties. No significant association between noise levels and either communication impairment or surgical complexity was observed.