Hearing Health Foundation's Communications and Programs Manager, Laura Friedman, was featured in the Mediaplanet UK's Ear, Nose, and Throat Campaign. Read her article on Hearing Loss: the costs, the effect on society and how to prevent it, here.
Success of Sensory Cell Regeneration Raises Hope for Hearing Restoration
By St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Jian Zuo, Ph.D., and his colleagues induced supporting cells located in the inner ear of adult
mice to take on the appearance of immature hair cells and to begin producing some of the signature proteins of hair cells.
In an apparent first, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators have used genetic manipulation to regenerate auditory hair cells in adult mice. The research marks a possible advance in treatment of hearing loss in humans. The study appears today in the journal Cell Reports.
Loss of auditory hair cells due to prolonged exposure to loud noise, accidents, illness, aging or medication is a leading cause of hearing loss and long-term disability in adults worldwide. Some childhood cancer survivors are also at risk because of hair cells damage due to certain chemotherapy agents. Treatment has focused on electronic devices like hearing aids or cochlear implants because once lost, human auditory hair cells do not grow back.
"In this study, we looked to Mother Nature for answers and we were rewarded," said corresponding author Jian Zuo, Ph.D., a member of the St. Jude Department of Developmental Neurobiology. "Unlike in humans, auditory hair cells do regenerate in fish and chicken. The process involves down-regulating expression of the protein p27 and up-regulating the expression of the protein Atoh1. So we tried the same approach in specially bred mice."
By manipulating the same genes, Zuo and his colleagues induced supporting cells located in the inner ear of adult mice to take on the appearance of immature hair cells and to begin producing some of the signature proteins of hair cells.
The scientists also identified a genetic pathway for hair cell regeneration and detailed how proteins in that pathway cooperate to foster the process. The pathway includes the proteins GATA3 and POU4F3 along with p27 and ATOH1. In fact, investigators found that POU4F3 alone was sufficient to regenerate hair cells, but that more hair cells were regenerated when both ATOH1 and POU4F3 were involved.
"Work in other organs has shown that reprogramming cells is rarely accomplished by manipulating a single factor," Zuo said. "This study suggests that supporting cells in the cochlea are no exception and may benefit from therapies that target the proteins identified in this study."
The findings have implications for a phase 1 clinical trial now underway that uses gene therapy to restart expression of ATOH1 to regenerate hair cells for treatment of hearing loss.
ATOH1 is a transcription factor necessary for hair cell development. In humans and other mammals, the gene is switched off when the process is complete. In humans, ATOH1 production ceases before birth.
"This study suggests that targeting p27, GATA3 and POU4F3 may enhance the outcome of gene therapy and other approaches that aim to restart ATOH1 expression," Zuo said.
The research also revealed a novel role for p27. The protein is best known as serving as a check on cell proliferation. However, in this study p27 suppressed GATA3 production. Since GATA3 and ATOH1 work together to increase expression of POU4F3, reducing GATA3 levels also reduced expression of POU4F3. When the p27 gene was deleted in mice, GATA3 levels increased along with expression of POU4F3. Hair cell regeneration increased as well.
"Work continues to identify the other factors, including small molecules, necessary to not only promote the maturation and survival of the newly generated hair cells, but also increase their number," Zuo said.
Bradley J. Walters, Ph.D. was a 2012 Hearing Health Foundation Emerging Research Grants recipient. This article was repurpsed with permission.
When Hearing Aids Are Not Enough
By Kathleen Wallace
May is Better Hearing and Speech Month and Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of treating one’s hearing loss.
Hearing aids are currently unable to restore damaged or lost hearing due to the complexities of our auditory system. Hearing aids are simply devices that provide access to sound while maintaining comfort; they are a tool to assist one’s hearing ability.
But what if hearing aids alone aren’t enough? Aural rehabilitation can provide extra training necessary to improve the use of hearing aids, helping a person with hearing loss overcome daily challenges. Just as physical therapy may be needed after an injury to improve function, aural rehabilitation helps a person to adapt to amplification and to develop communication strategies to increase understanding. While aural rehabilitation is a service provided by audiologists, it tends to be underutilized.
Aural rehabilitation typically encompasses counseling on the impact of hearing loss, device orientation, and perceptual training. These programs are tailored to address the needs of a particular individual, as hearing loss can be manifested in countless ways over the course of one person's daily life. It is therefore essential for audiologists to develop a thorough understanding of how hearing loss is impacting a person’s everyday life specifically. This is typically done through the use of self-assessment measures, which also serve as outcome measures to track progress and to identify areas for improvement.
A strong body of research demonstrates the efficacy of aural rehabilitation to reduce hearing handicap and stress as well as improve satisfaction with amplification1, quality of life, and communication function. Furthermore, studies have shown that embarking on aural rehabilitation with a significant other or communication partner is beneficial for both parties; it facilitates better communication and understanding of the difficulties accompanying hearing loss. In fact, the greatest reduction in hearing handicap occurred when the individual with hearing impairment and the significant other completed the program together.
If hearing aids are unable to provide noticeable benefits, even after completing aural rehabilitation programs, individuals with significant hearing loss may want to consider cochlear implantation. These implanted devices can provide audibility beyond the limitations of traditional amplification, as they directly stimulate the cochlea. To find out if you are a candidate, consult your audiologist for a full evaluation.
If you suspect a hearing loss or tinnitus, HHF recommends getting your hearing checked. If you do have a hearing loss or tinnitus, talk with your hearing healthcare professional about available treatments. For more information, visit hhf.org/tinnitus or email us at info@hhf.org.
1Northern, J. L., & Beyer, C. M. (1999). Reducing hearing aid returns through patient education. Audiology Today, 11(2) 315-326.
You're Losing Hearing Faster Than You Think
“I went to a restaurant and it was 104 decibels,” says Nadine Dehgan of the Hearing Health Foundation, a New York-based organization that helps fund research for medical and technological advances in hearing loss. “It was hours of 104-dB pop music. I told them, ‘This is damaging to the customers,’ and they turned it down.”
Hearing aids remain costly, as much as several thousand dollars for one. “Hearing aids are cheaper, but I wouldn’t call them cheap,” says Laura Friedman of the Hearing Health Foundation. “Glasses are covered by insurance companies but those companies don’t cover hearing aids. They consider it cosmetic.”
Hearing Health Foundation's CEO, Nadine Dehgan, and Communications and Programs Manager, Laura Friedman, were quoted in Men's Journal on the dangers of noise and the costs of hearing aids. Read the full article, here.
The Importance of Early Intervention
By Frankie Huang
May is Better Hearing and Speech month and Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of early intervention for hearing loss in children, and the significant impact it can have on language development.
Hearing Health Foundation was instrumental in advocating for the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening legislation, as today 97% of babies are screened before they leave the hospital. In 1993, that number was 5%. Approximately 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or hard of hearing. More than 90 percent are born to parents with typical hearing. Fortunately, early identification allows children with hearing loss to receive help they need during the first two years of life, a critical period for the development of speech and language skills. The earlier a child’s hearing loss is detected, the sooner the family can gather as much information as possible to make the best decision for their child’s language and communication approach.
With early intervention, children with hearing loss are able to develop language skills to help them communicate freely and actively learn. There are many services available to support children. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures all children with disabilities have access to services they need for a good education. In addition, Head Start and Early Head Start are federally funded programs to help young children of low-income families become better equipped to succeed in school.
However, if the child’s hearing loss is left undetected or untreated, hearing loss can negatively impact a child’s language development. Delayed intervention can also adversely impact a child’s language development. One study had found that children who received earlier amplification or cochlear implantation had better language outcomes. Maternal education and communication modes used during early intervention can also improve language skills over time. A longitudinal study concluded that children with permanent hearing loss enrolled in an early intervention program before the 6 months of age developed on par with age-appropriate language skills than those who were enrolled after 6 months of age.
Similarly, another study had suggested that early enrollment in intervention programs were linked to higher language scores. It concluded that children enrolled before 11 months of age showed better vocabulary and verbal reasoning scores at 5 years of age compared with those enrolled later. Children that were enrolled later may experience delays that can interfere with academic development and comprehension in the classroom.
In the same study, the results suggest that family involvement was a contributing factor for the best outcomes of early intervention. Positive language outcomes were correlated with families that were highly motivated and active with their child’s intervention, while limited family support was associated with poor language outcomes. Also, families who were actively involved with early intervention were more likely to communicate better with their children, which contributes toward their overall growth. However, it is also important to consider the contrary; a lack of family involvement poses the largest challenge to early intervention. Specifically, a systematic review on the follow-up rate in newborn hearing screenings found that, on average, 20% of babies who failed the initial screening did not return for follow-up testing. The high loss to follow-up is believed to be attributed to a lack of adequate knowledge of the risks of hearing loss. This is the largest threat to the success of the newborn hearing screening program, as it becomes the family’s responsibility to follow-up on care beyond the initial hearing screening prior to discharge.
It is important to remember that hearing loss can occur at any time of life. Some forms of hearing loss do not appear until a child is a toddler or enters school, or even later. In addition, illness, ear infections, head injury, certain medications, and exposure to loud noise are all potential causes of hearing loss. In particular, recurring ear infections may negatively affect language development because of the resultant fluctuating hearing loss’ lack of steady auditory input necessary for speech and language development.
Even if your child or a child of a loved one does not have hearing loss today, Hearing Health Foundation strongly encourages regular checkups and annual hearing tests performed by audiologists, ENTs, pediatricians, or other health providers to monitor potential changes in hearing. These professionals are also excellent resources for intervention services to help overcome barriers to communication.
Receive updates on life-changing hearing research and resources by subscribing to HHF's free quarterly magazine and e-newsletter.
Hearing Health Foundation and Hearing Charities of America Join Forces
By Laura Friedman
Hearing Health Foundation and Hearing Charities of America Join Forces
Hearing Charities of America (HCOA) and Hearing Health Foundation are excited to announce a newly formed partnership in an effort to collect hearing aids that will be given to low-income individuals through the HCOA’s national assistance program, The Hearing Aid Project.
One quarter of Americans ages 20 to 65 suffer from hearing loss, which makes it one of the country’s most widespread public health concerns. The Hearing Aid Project was created to provide access to affordable hearing health services, while creating collaborative relationships to support this mission.
Countless hearing aids sit unused in drawers or are discarded once new hearing aids are purchased. Hearing Health Foundation is now a collection center for The Hearing Aid Project to ensure that quality, donated hearing aids can be refurbished and given to those in need.
“Hearing Health Foundation is thrilled to join forces with Hearing Charities of America and do our part in collecting hearing aids to be refurbished and distributed to those who need them,” said Nadine Dehgan, HHF’s CEO. “Minimal health insurance and Medicare coverage, as well as out-of-pocket costs, have been a major hurdle for many who could benefit from using hearing aids. Until quality hearing healthcare is available to all of the 48 million Americans living with hearing loss, HHF is glad to be doing its part to provide hearing aid assistance to those in need,” Dehgan said.
Hearing Charities of America and Hearing Health Foundation believe that healthy hearing should be enjoyed by all. To donate your hearings aids to be refurbished, please contact Hearing Health Foundation at info@hhf.org or 212-257-6140.
THE HEARING HEALTH CHALLENGE
In celebration of Better Hearing and Speech Month in May, Hearing Health Foundation is launching the Hearing Health Challenge. Although hearing loss is commonly associated with one’s normal aging process, more than half of those with hearing loss are younger than 65. The top two war wounds for active military personnel and veterans are hearing loss and tinnitus, accounting for 60 percent of this population.
Unfortunately, only 13 to 33 percent of those who need hearing aids use them; financial constraints, the lack of a perceived need, and stigma are leading reasons why hearing loss goes untreated for an average of 7 to 10 years after diagnosis. Hearing Health Foundation is committed to reducing the stigma, educating the public on the dangers of noise, advocating for greater access to hearing health care, and funding the best science to find better treatments and cures for hearing loss and its associated disorders.
CHALLENGE
For every hearing aid received within the month of May, a $200 cash donation will be made to HHF by an anonymous donor to support hearing research.
For every dollar donated within the month of May, that dollar will be matched up to $33,500 by an anonymous donor to support hearing research.
HHF Welcomes New Board Members in April 2017
By Nadine Dehgan
Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) is delighted to welcome Bob Shannon, Ph.D., and Ruth Anne Eatock, Ph.D., to our Board of Directors. Their unwavering commitment toward advancing research to better understand hearing loss and its associated disorders make Drs. Shannon and Eatock perfect additions to our leadership team.
Dr. Robert Shannon is a research professor of otolaryngology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine with over four decades of experience in researching auditory perception and psychoacoustics. He also serves as an editor and reviewer for several prominent scientific journals and funding agencies and has published more than 100 scientific articles on his research. Most recently Dr. Shannon has been a primary investigator on research studies that advance the technology and effectiveness of the auditory brainstem implant (ABI), an auditory prosthesis for people who have a non-functioning auditory nerve. The ABI is the first device approved by the Food and Drug Administration for prosthetic electrical stimulation of the human brainstem.
“I initially got involved with HHF (then DRF) by joining the Science Review Committee, to ensure the high quality of the research proposals, and later joined the Council of Scientific Trustees,” said Dr. Shannon. “Now I look forward to continued service on the HHF Board of Directors to have an integral role in pushing the Foundation’s research efforts forward.”
Dr. Ruth Anne Eatock is a professor of neurobiology and the dean of Faculty Affairs for the Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago. She trained at McGill, Caltech, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and MIT, and has held academic positions in otolaryngology and neuroscience departments at University of Rochester, Baylor College of Medicine, and Harvard. She has experience mentoring students, fellows and clinical scientists in sensory processing by the inner ear, reviewing federal and private grant applications, editing and reviewing research papers, and organizing hearing research meetings. These experiences have given her a broad appreciation of the progress and goals driving our diverse hearing research community.
Dr. Eatock notes: “My first independent grant was a Deafness Research Grant (now known as Emerging Research Grants), so I am well aware of the importance of such seed funding in helping new investigators establish themselves and advance hearing research.”
HHF is excited to have Drs. Bob Shannon and Ruth Anne Eatock as new members of our Board of Directors and we look forward to their contributions toward HHF’s mission. Please join us in giving them both a warm welcome!
AudiologyNow! 2017
By Kathleen Wallace
The American Academy of Audiology’s (AAA) annual conference, AudiologyNow!, took place in the Indianapolis Convention Center in early April. Although four days of lectures addressed nearly every aspect of the audiological scope of practice, one overarching theme emerged this year: How will the field of audiology evolve from here?
This past year has posed various disruptions to the field of audiology, such as how over-the-counter hearing aid legislation will change delivery of services, how the continued interest in personal sound amplification products (PSAPs, also called “hearables”) will guide consumer choice, and how to improve evaluations and interventions to best serve individuals with hearing loss. These questions, along with many others, fueled an exciting dialogue among professionals from around the country.
AAA President Ian Windmill, Ph.D., urged members of the academy to embrace disruptions to the field, including the recently introduced legislation for nonprescription hearing aids. Although these changes may appear as an encroachment on the audiological scope of practice, Dr. Windmill urged that these may actually be beneficial to the field.
Dr. Windmill said hearing healthcare has never been more in the public eye or as highly discussed by health officials, politicians, and consumers than in this past year. This increased awareness could lead to the prioritization of hearing health, as consumers grow more cognizant of the repercussions of hearing loss. Furthermore, the introduction of hearing solutions at various price points and technology levels may improve accessibility. If audiologists were to embrace these alternatives to intervention, they will successfully evolve with the field while simultaneously demonstrating to consumers their dedication to patient-centered care.
This sentiment was echoed throughout the conference’s sessions. Additionally, multiple lectures discussed how audiologists could improve delivery of patient-centered care by improving counseling skills, utilization of self-assessments, and consumer education to shift the locus of control from care provider to joint decision-making between the consumer and the hearing provider.
Lastly, leading professionals in the field encouraged a return to the audiologists’ roots as rehabilitative professionals. In the years since the audiological scope of practice expanded to include the ability to dispense hearing aids, audiologists have slowly shifted their focus from providing rehabilitative services to a device-driven service centered on hearing aids. However, the delivery of unprecedented auditory rehabilitation to foster successful communication strategies will enable our profession to succeed in the face of the many disruptions to hearing technology.
AAA’s willingness to acknowledge the challenges facing hearing healthcare is very promising to its successful evolution as a field. Although the field of audiology is currently experiencing some growing pains, many hearing healthcare professionals are embracing this opportunity to rethink the delivery of care and how to improve patient satisfaction by challenging the status quo.
A Balancing Act Before the Onset of Hearing
By Sonja J. Pyott, Ph.D.
Our ability to hear relies on the proper connections between the sensory hair cells in the inner ear and the brain. Activity of the sensory hair cells (red) and these connections ( green) before hearing begins is essential for the proper development of hearing. The research conducted by Sonja J. Pyott, Ph.D., and colleagues investigated the mechanisms that regulate this activity.
The development of the auditory system begins in the womb and culminates in a newborn’s ability to hear upon entering the world. While the age at which hearing begins varies across mammals, the sensory structures of the inner ears are active before the onset of hearing. This activity instructs the maturation of the neural connections between the inner ear and brain, an essential component of the proper development of hearing. However, we still know very little about the mechanisms regulating the activity of these sensory structures and their neural connections, specifically during the critical period just before the onset of hearing.
In our paper, “mGluR1 enhances efferent inhibition of inner hair cells in the developing rat cochlea,” soon to be published in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Physiology, we investigate the role of glutamate, a neurotransmitter, in regulating activity of the sensory structures and their connections in the inner ear before the start of hearing.
Neurotransmitters assist in the communication between neurons and are typically classified as either excitatory or inhibitory based on their action. Excitatory action results in stimulation; inhibitory action assists in the calming of the brain. Our research found that although glutamate typically excites activity, it also elicits inhibitory activity. This dual role for glutamate occurs because it activates two distinct classes of glutamate receptors: ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs).
Importantly, this dual activation balances excitatory and inhibitory activity of the sensory structures, a balance of which is likely important in the final refinement of the neural connections between the inner ear and brain prior to the onset of hearing.
As part of future research, we will further investigate the role of mGluRs, one the distinct classes of glutamate receptors, in the development of hearing. We will also investigate if mGluRs balance excitatory and inhibitory activity in the adult inner ear, similar to its role prior to the onset of hearing. Insights into these mechanisms may identify new ways to modulate activity and prevent congenital or acquired hearing loss.
Study coauthor Sonja J. Pyott, Ph.D., was a 2007 and 2008 Hearing Health Foundation Emerging Research Grants recipient.
We need your help supporting innovative hearing and balance science through our Emerging Research Grants program. Please make a contribution today.
The Les Paul Foundation Funds School Initiatives, Music Camps, Classroom Projects, and Hearing Health Programs
The Les Paul Foundation Funds School Initiatives, Music Camps, Classroom Projects, and Hearing Health Programs Recent 2017 Grant Recipients Announced
New York, New York – April 19, 2017 - The Les Paul Foundation, whose mission is to share the legacy of Les Paul, has continued its commitment to provide funding to projects that share Les Paul’s spirit. In 2017, recipient organizations are furthering Les Paul’s dreams and sharing his vision and innovation with their programs.
Organizations that have received funding from the most recent Les Paul Foundation grants include:
Birch Creek Music Performance Center of Egg Harbor, WI offers summer guitar jazz master classes that include discussions of Les Paul’s inventions, experiments and recording technique. Students can access additional Les Paul materials in the Listening/Media Library.
College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY, as a leader in providing recording industry education, will be building two recording stations that will allow students to experiment and create new work using the historic techniques that changed the music industry.
The Hearing Health Foundation, headquartered in New York, NY, is the largest nonprofit supporter of hearing research. The Les Paul Foundation Award for Tinnitus Research is awarded annually to the most promising researcher studying the cause of ringing in the ears.
Les Paul Middle School in Waukesha, WI with funding from the Les Paul Foundation will create a hands-on space where students can explore and experiment. Reflecting on the inventions and innovations that came from Les Paul’s garage, school officials decided to create a similar space for students to explore and experiment. The "Maker Space” will provide students a place to share resources and knowledge, network, and collaborate on projects.
Litchfield Jazz Camp and Festival, productions of the nonprofit Litchfield Performing Arts, of Litchfield, CT host Nicki Parrott of the Les Paul Trio to conduct master classes at the Camp in New Milford and at Litchfield Jazz Festival in Goshen August 5th. Nicki shows the relevance of Les Paul’s music and legacy to hundreds of young musicians through these institutions.
New Voices Middle School of Brooklyn, NY received funding for its innovative audio production program that trains students to manage all tech elements for student productions. Students will learn about Les Paul via resources from the Les Paul Foundation website.
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center of Brookfield, WI will include a presentation about Les Paul’s impact on current recording and guitar performing techniques at its annual Guitar Festival. The event has attracted competitors from 16 countries. A guided tour of Discovery World’s Les Paul House of Sound will be included for competitors.
Shell Lake Arts Center of Shell Lake, WI received funding for its Rock Band and Guitar & Bass program to help fund master teachers who work with students of all ages and abilities. Students spend a week at summer camp playing music and celebrating Les Paul’s inventions and philosophy following video showings.
Strings Attached of Ferguson, MO received funding to reinforce its project that addresses social barriers that prevent youth ages 5-17 in working class families from music education. Youth learn to play guitar, ukulele and mandolin using loaner instruments and perform at community gatherings.
VH1 Save the Music of New York, NY received funding to support its mission to ensure that EVERY kid in America has access to music education. Select schools will be invited to participate in a program that introduces Les Paul’s legacy via a challenge for students to create their own sound after they learn how Les created his own sound."
Women’s Audio Mission of San Francisco, CA trains and advances over 1,200 women and girls every year in music technology and recording engineering. Les Paul’s story inspires students for their hands-on electronics projects.
“Les Paul spent his life encouraging others to be innovative and created opportunities that made the world a better place,” said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation. “The organizations that have received grants perpetuate many of his philosophies and ideas. He would be very proud that our grantees are continuing his legacy and perpetuating the mission of his very beloved foundation through their work.”
ABOUT THE LES PAUL FOUNDATION:
The mission of the Les Paul Foundation is to honor and share the life, spirit and legacy of Les Paul by supporting music education, engineering and innovation as well as medical research. The Les Paul Foundation is an approved IRC 501(c)3 organization that awards grants to music, music engineering and sound programs that serve youths. This year The Les Paul Foundation continues its celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Les Paul. The foundation also provides grants for medical research. The Les Paul Foundation also supports public exhibits which display Les Paul’s life achievements, events that engage fans and students and music releases and related launches which bring about excitement for the sound of Les Paul. For more information go to www.lespaulfoundation.org.