Deafness News and Research

RSS

Synthetic viral vector and surgical approach enable efficient gene transfer into the inner ear of primates

A synthetic viral vector and a novel surgical approach developed at Mass Eye and Ear has enabled efficient gene transfer into the inner ear of nonhuman primates, a research team working towards the development of effective treatments for hearing loss and vestibular disorders has reported.

15 Mar 2022

Study identifies two types of brain cells involved in organizing discrete memories

Researchers have identified two types of cells in our brains that are involved in organizing discrete memories based on when they occurred.

7 Mar 2022

New model can localize sounds in the real world

The human brain is finely tuned not only to recognize particular sounds, but also to determine which direction they came from. By comparing differences in sounds that reach the right and left ear, the brain can estimate the location of a barking dog, wailing fire engine, or approaching car.

28 Jan 2022

New method reverses insecticide resistance using CRISPR/Cas9 technology

Insecticides play a central role in efforts to counter global impacts of mosquito-spread malaria and other diseases, which cause an estimated 750,000 deaths each year. These insect-specific chemicals, which cost more than $100 million to develop and bring to market, also are critical to controlling insect-driven damage on crops that poses a challenge to food security.

18 Jan 2022

New research may help better understand the causes of human diseases

New University of Gloucestershire research aims to increase our understanding of the causes of human diseases, potentially leading to the design of better treatments in the future.

7 Jan 2022

Study finds rise in marijuana use among pregnant and postpartum people living with HIV

Marijuana use among individuals who are pregnant or postpartum and living with HIV increased from 2007 to 2019, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in JAMA Network Open.

4 Jan 2022

New technique combines bioprinting with cryopreservation to construct frozen structures

A new technique takes bioprinting -; in which an ink of cells is printed, layer by layer, to form a structure -; to a whole new, and icy level. Investigators from the Zhang lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital have developed a technology that they term "cryobioprinting," a method that uses a bioink embedded with cells to print frozen, complex structures that can be easily stored for later use.

31 Dec 2021

Blocking function of a blood-clotting protein may help prevent or treat periodontal disease

Blocking function of a blood-clotting protein prevented bone loss from periodontal (gum) disease in mice, according to research led by scientists at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health.

23 Dec 2021

Deletion of autism-linked gene diminishes myelin in mice

Myelin, a sheath of insulation around nerves that enables electrical impulses to efficiently travel through the central nervous system, is diminished in mice that have a gene deletion associated with autism spectrum disorder, new research finds.

21 Dec 2021

Researchers tease out the differences between sense of smell distortions related to COVID-19

Sudden smell and taste loss has become a well-known symptom of COVID-19. However, some people have also woken up to discover that their usual beloved coffee odor has been distorted and now smells like garbage or rotting meat, a condition known as parosmia.

14 Dec 2021

Study could aid in the development of adaptive DBS treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder

In a small study, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health captured more than 1,000 hours of brain recordings from patients with OCD in the clinic and at home.

9 Dec 2021

The mode of action of essential proteins involved in cancer and Alzheimer´s deciphered

The proteins that belong to the HAT family are essential for life as they transport amino acids across the cell membrane. Although the members of this family are practically identical, some transport certain amino acids and not others.

29 Nov 2021

Study links noise-induced inner ear nerve damage to endolymphatic hydrops

Exposure to loud noise, such as a firecracker or an ear-splitting concert, is the most common preventable cause of hearing loss. Research suggests that 12% or more of the world population is at risk for noise-induced loss of hearing.

11 Nov 2021

Retinoid therapy improves vision in mice with Usher syndrome

Using data generated from patients and mice with genetic mutation for the disorder Usher syndrome, researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health's National Eye Institute, and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, documented the natural history of vision impairment in patients and identified the cell mechanism behind progressive vision loss.

9 Nov 2021

Microbiome discovery could help fight chronic middle ear infections in children

Bacteria found in children's upper respiratory systems could help fight chronic middle ear infections, the leading cause of preventable hearing loss and deafness in Indigenous communities.

8 Nov 2021

New evidence that SARS-CoV-2 virus can infect the inner ear

Many Covid-19 patients have reported symptoms affecting the ears, including hearing loss and tinnitus. Dizziness and balance problems can also occur, suggesting that the SARS-CoV-2 virus may be able to infect the inner ear.

29 Oct 2021

Mouse brain atlas may help understand the complex circuits of the human brain

The circuits of the human brain contain more than 100 billion neurons, each linked to many other neurons via thousands of synaptic connections, resulting in a three-pound organ that is profoundly more complex than the sum of its innumerable parts.

7 Oct 2021

Detailed atlas of the mammalian primary motor cortex will provide a springboard for future research

The NIH Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN) has unveiled an atlas of cell types and an anatomical neuronal wiring diagram for the mammalian primary motor cortex, derived from detailed studies of mice, monkeys, and humans.

6 Oct 2021

Researchers identify mechanism that can lead to deafness in rare Norrie disease

A team of Mass Eye and Ear Scientists led by Albert Edge, PhD, working with research fellow Yushi Hayashi, MD, PhD, has identified the mechanism that can lead to deafness in the rare syndrome, Norrie disease.

5 Oct 2021

Bone Conduction Kit may enable children and their parents to manage glue ear effectively at home

A wireless kit, comprising headphones, a microphone, and an app might be a cheap alternative to the usual treatment of the common temporary hearing loss in kids, popularly known as 'glue ear,' finds a small study, published in the online journal BMJ Innovations.