Scientists Investigate Hearing Loss Cure

In previous articles we have discussed the number of Americans now suffering from hearing loss, your New Generation Miami Hearing Center will now talk about what scientists are doing to remedy this. A study done

at the University of Washington is finding new information that will help restore hearing health in adults. Scientists found that the Notch Signal (a cell-to-cell signaling pathway) is the one responsible in choosing where the ear’s sensory organs will be located in embryonic mice. The scientists are able to activate this signal across the embryonic tissue that becomes the inner ear.

They are trying to find a way to repair the inner ear sensory hair cells in adults, which is the main cause of hearing loss. Initially, scientists learned how hair cells form. After, they triggered the Notch Signal to promote the development of new sensory patches all over the inner ear. Once this happened, new hair cells regenerated.

Olivia Bermingham-McDonog part of the group explains, “As the population ages, there's a great interest in discovering how to regenerate the inner ear sensory cells that we need for our hearing and balance”. She says, "Both of these falter as we get older -- we get hard of hearing and unsteady on our feet -- due to accumulated destruction of the sensory cells in the inner ear"

Scientists are researching a way to manipulate this pathway in the inner ear of a human adult. This will hopefully help with hair cell regeneration in the hearing and balance organs. It will result in the restoration of hearing damage and hearing loss which is very good news.