A new study from Mass Eye and Ear investigators shows that individuals who report tinnitus are experiencing auditory nerve loss that is not picked up by conventional hearing tests, known as cochlear synaptopathy, which is commonly referred to as “hidden hearing loss.”
HHF Is 65 This Year!
More funding and more time leads to more ambitious experimental plans, additional data collected, and a stronger footing for subsequent research and research funding.
$12.5 Million NIH Grant Awarded to Continue Hidden Hearing Loss Research
Funding from the grant extends support of four projects at Mass Eye and Ear that aim to clarify the prevalence, nature, and functional consequences of hidden hearing loss in humans. The work promises to inform cellular-based diagnosis and development of future therapies.
Hearing Difficulties in Noise Traced to Altered Brain Dynamics Following Cochlear Neural Degeneration
The challenge is hearing in noisy environments. In humans, evidence suggests that difficulty hearing in noisy, social settings may reflect premature auditory nerve degeneration. We report finding deterioration in perception in noisy environments after inducing bilateral moderate auditory nerve degeneration in adult mice.
Tinnitus and Noise Trauma to the Inner Ear
Tinnitus itself is not a disease but rather a symptom of an underlying condition that can be classified into subtypes based on its many causes. In our article in the April 30, 2020, volume of the journal Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, we focus primarily on noise-induced tinnitus, whether acute or chronic, which is most likely the most common type.