This new therapy could reverse hearing loss and deafness

Will it be possible in the future to reverse hearing loss in old age??

Many people develop some hearing loss as they get older. Researchers have now found that a novel therapy can help heal the hearing.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the internationally respected Harvard Medical School found in their recent collaborative study that people with hearing loss or hearing loss could benefit from a new type of therapy. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "European Journal of Neuroscience".

Alternative to hearing aids, implants and hearing aids?

If you are one of those people who are getting worse and worse with age, there may be a therapy in the future that could reverse your hearing loss. So far, there has not been a single treatment or intervention that generally works in all people, although hearing aids, so-called cochlear implants and hearing aids, are commonly used to improve hearing, the researchers say.

What is the epidermal growth factor?

The experts investigated a theory about epidermal growth factor (EGF). This is responsible for the activation of cells in the auditory organs of birds. When these cells are triggered, they multiply and promote the formation of new sensory hair cells, explain the authors of the study. Most hearing loss occurs when either the sensory hair cells or the auditory nerve cells are destroyed, the physicians add.

What caused activation of the ERBB2 signaling pathway??

To test their theory, researchers investigated several methods for activating EGF signaling pathways, one of which involved the use of a virus to stimulate ERBB2 receptors in the so-called cochlear support cells (in the inner ear). Activation of the ERBB2 signaling pathway led to the formation of new cochlear support cells and new sensory hair cells, the researchers report.

Is it possible to repair the hearing??

The process of hearing repair is a complex problem requiring a range of cellular events, says study author Patricia White of the University of Rochester Medical Center. The sensory hair cells need to regenerate, function properly and connect to the necessary network of neurons. The current study shows a signaling pathway that can be activated by a variety of methods and can provide a new approach to cochlear regeneration, ultimately helping to restore hearing, the researchers add. The authors also found evidence that activation of the ERBB2 signaling pathway may help sensory cochlear hair cells to integrate into nerve cells. Cells in the cochlea help transform sound waves into neuronal signals, which are transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve. (As)