Interestingly, some of the genes that were more active in the variant hair cells are typically more active in the supporting cells than in the hair cells. It could be that when miR-96 is a variant, some genes more specific to supporting cells, and which are typically kept turned off in hair cells, incorrectly become activated in hair cells.
A Protocol for Investigating Hair Cell Regeneration in Birds
The avian inner ear can naturally regenerate sensory hair cells and is therefore an ideal candidate for investigating mechanisms leading to hair cell regeneration and functional recovery.
Auditory Nerve Function Worsens With Age
We found consistent evidence that auditory nerve function worsens with age, but the impact of noise exposure was less clear and seemed to depend on the specifics of each study.
Sound and Light at 40 Hertz
Specifically, healthy brains hum with this frequency, which in turn activates many functions central to mental sharpness
Sound Encoding in the Auditory Midbrain
While individual neurons in the auditory midbrain may not accurately convey information about sound features, the collective activity of these neurons accurately represents sounds.
Brain Response Test Reveals Hearing Clarity
Babies are too young to do hearing tests until 8 to 10 months of age, and at such young ages, tracking brain waves to sounds is the only reliable way to assess hearing.
Effects of Cochlear Implantation and Steroids on the Aging Guinea Pig Cochlea
The causes behind residual hearing loss following cochlear implantation are complex and varied. Studies such as this one provide clues as to what to focus on in order to improve the acoustic experience of cochlear implant recipients.
Meeting Patients Inspires Approach to Treating Ménière’s Disease
I currently work with a mouse model with hearing fluctuation and have a clinical protocol that is performing deep phenotyping of patients with hearing instability, including patients with Ménière’s disease.
Putting the Brakes on Hyperactivity in the Brain
The road to more effective, less invasive, and faster developing treatments for tinnitus and loudness hyperacusis lies in focusing on the brain and not the ear.
Regrowing Hair Cells and Nerve Connections to Restore Hearing in Birds
This suggests that birds maintain a precise program for hair cell regeneration that preserves frequency-specific nerve connections, which is an important aspect of proper functional recovery.