Exposure to loud noises can damage the synapses connecting nerves and hair cells in the cochlea of the ear, causing noise-induced hearing loss that can be permanent. Effective strategies to prevent or reverse this damage and the associated hearing loss are lacking. The coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) can protect neurons from damage in vitro,ContinueContinue reading “Reversing neurodegenerative hearing loss”
Tag Archives: hearing
Mice further research on hearing loss
Research groups studying different types of hearing loss have gained new insight into its causes and possible treatments from experiments using mice. One group, led by Zheng-Yi Chen (Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA), investigated age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), the two most common forms ofContinueContinue reading “Mice further research on hearing loss”
Shining a light on balance and hearing
Oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) are commonly used in research on vestibular physiology, the study of balance. Recent research has examined hair cells from the toadfish’s crista ampullaris, a structure in the inner ear that senses and responds to movement of the head. The hair cells convert mechanical vibrations produced by sound, gravity or motion intoContinueContinue reading “Shining a light on balance and hearing”
MicroRNA regulates deafness
Deafness and progressive hearing loss are relatively common in the human population, yet little is known about their genetic basis. But scientists recently identified the molecular mechanism underlying deafness in a mouse model, a discovery that could lead to new treatments for progressive hearing loss. Lab Anim. (NY) 40, 61 (2011). view full text (loginContinueContinue reading “MicroRNA regulates deafness”
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