Although it’s one of our most important connections to the world around us, most people don’t routinely monitor changes in their hearing, track exposure to excessive noise, or include hearing screenings as part of their regular preventative care.
NIH Grant Advances Research Into Hearing Loss
With support from an R21 grant from the NIH, Hui Hong, Ph.D., will investigate how the auditory efferent system changes after noise-induced hearing loss and whether those changes help or hinder recovery.
Single-Sided Deafness, Cochlear Implantation, and Psychological Conditions
Cochlear implantation (CI) has become an increasingly common audiological solution for children with the most significant degree of unilateral hearing loss—that is, single-sided deafness (SSD)—however, highly variable outcomes are being observed with alarming rates of device nonuse.
What If a Rare Bone Disorder Could Help Explain Why Some People Develop Ménière’s Disease?
A new study suggests that variants of a single gene may alter inner ear development decades before symptoms begin.
A Model for the Human Inner Ear, Built on a Chip
Researchers are developing an organoid-on-a-chip system to model inner ear development and explore how damaged sensory hair cells might be regenerated.
Why Veteran Tinnitus Is Distinct From Civilian Tinnitus
What I found is that veteran tinnitus is clinically distinct from civilian tinnitus due to the severity of noise exposure and the augmenting effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and blast-induced traumatic brain injury.
Gene Therapy for Hearing Loss
Gene therapy for hearing loss has transitioned from a theoretical concept into a transformative clinical reality, albeit limited to specific cases of genetic hearing loss—for now.
Not All Neurons Are Created Equal
Understanding how internal state interacts with cell-type-specific circuits in the auditory cortex may ultimately help identify therapeutic targets for tinnitus and related hearing disorders.
Optimizing Cochlear Implant Care
What these findings make clear is that audiologists are carrying an enormous clinical load. Much of what surrounds that load does not require their specialized training.
The Power of Collaboration
Why is a particular gene silent in a mouse supporting cell but active in a chicken supporting cell? Is the difference epigenetic? Are regulatory regions locked down in mammals? These are the kinds of questions we can now pursue systematically.