Deafness News and Research

RSS

Traditional hearing tests fail to diagnose patients with common inner ear damage

Traditional clinical hearing tests often fail to diagnose patients with a common form of inner ear damage that might otherwise be detected by more challenging behavioral tests, according to the findings of a University at Buffalo-led study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience.

20 Apr 2017

Researcher aims to eliminate chemotherapy-resistant ovarian tumors using virus treatment

In some cases, the Lassa virus starts with a fever and general weakness, moving toward headache, muscle pain, possible facial swelling, deafness, and worse. About 15 percent of patients hospitalized with severe cases die.

20 Apr 2017

Disability simulations do more harm than good, study reveals

Professionals in the fields of education and rehabilitation psychology have long used disability simulations to try to promote understanding and improve attitudes about persons with disabilities.

12 Apr 2017

Scientists discover novel therapeutic target for retinal neovascularization

A team led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers has identified a novel therapeutic target for retinal neovascularization, or abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, a hallmark of advanced diabetic eye disease (proliferative diabetic retinopathy).

11 Apr 2017

Researchers use modified AAV as ‘Trojan Horse’ for delivering genes to restore congenital deafness

There are more than 300 genetic defects that have been found to prevent the hair cells in the human inner ear, the sensory cells of the ear as it were, from working properly.

6 Apr 2017

Aphasia may not solely be a language issue as traditionally believed, study shows

Aphasia, a language disorder commonly diagnosed in stroke patients, may not be solely a language issue as traditionally believed, according to a Penn State study.

30 Mar 2017

Research shows role played by brain reorganisation process in success or failure of cochlear implants

A cochlear implant is an electronic device capable of restoring hearing in a profoundly deaf person by directly stimulating the nerve endings in the inner ear. This technology enables people who have become deaf to be able to communicate orally again, even by telephone, and children born deaf to learn to speak and to benefit from normal schooling.

28 Mar 2017

Brain makes new connections in blind people to enhance compensatory abilities

The brains of those who are born blind make new connections in the absence of visual information, resulting in enhanced, compensatory abilities such as a heightened sense of hearing, smell and touch, as well as cognitive functions (such as memory and language) according to a new study led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers.

23 Mar 2017

Inner ear gene therapy holds promise for treating patients with hearing loss and dizziness

In a first-of-its-kind study published in the March 1, 2017 edition of Molecular Therapy, researchers from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine showed that gene therapy was able to restore balance and hearing in genetically modified mice that mimic Usher Syndrome, a genetic condition in humans characterized by partial or total hearing loss, dizziness, and vision loss that worsens over time.

23 Mar 2017

Study: Depressed patients with chronic rhinosinusitis more likely to miss days of work or school

Depressed patients with chronic rhinosinusitis are more likely to miss days of work or school than those without depression symptoms, according to the results of a new study led by the Sinus Center at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.

10 Mar 2017

First-ever clinical study shows that older adults benefit from hearing aid use

The first-ever placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized clinical trial of hearing aid outcomes published today in the American Journal of Audiology shows that older adults benefit from hearing aid use.

2 Mar 2017

Researchers discover rare deafness-dystonia syndrome in a family in Pakistan

A group of researchers from Pakistan, Europe and Singapore have identified and characterised a previously undiscovered rare deafness-dystonia syndrome in a family living in a remote region of Pakistan.

28 Feb 2017

New study seeks to understand how deaf infants with cochlear implants learn words

Research has proven the importance of early access to sound and spoken language among newborns and has led to significant advances in hearing screening and early intervention.

27 Feb 2017

Surgeons succeed in removing benign tumour on vestibular nerve that causes deafness

A vestibular schwannoma is a benign tumour consisting of connective tissue and nerve tissue. It is still not known what causes it. 1 - 2 people in every 100,000 develop this type of tumour, which usually presses on the vestibular nerve and at the same time damages the auditory nerve.

27 Feb 2017

New approach to generate high volume of hair cells may help restore full hearing

The loss of tiny, sound-sensing cells in the inner ear, known as "hair cells," is a leading cause of hearing loss, a public health problem affecting at least 5 percent of the world population.

22 Feb 2017

Study provides new insight into causes of rare metabolic disorder

Just before Rare Disease Day 2017, a study from the Monell Center and collaborating institutions provides new insight into the causes of trimethylaminura, a genetically-transmitted metabolic disorder that leads to accumulation of a chemical that smells like rotting fish.

14 Feb 2017

Horror movie scenes help researchers identify key neural pathway for processing fear

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have identified a key neural pathway in humans that explains how the brain processes feelings of fear and anxiety, a finding that could help scientists unlock new ways to treat mental health disorders.

8 Feb 2017

Researcher paints pitiless picture of life for people with acquired deaf-blindness

It is like being in a dirty glass jar, unable to reach out and with acquaintances passing by without saying hello. New research from the Sahlgrenska Academy paints a merciless picture of life with acquired deaf-blindness.

6 Feb 2017

Increased growth factor protects retinal blood vessels in animal models with diabetes

Researchers from the Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear have shown that a slight increase in transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), which is present in preclinical animal models with diabetic eye disease, protects retinal blood vessels from damage that commonly occurs in the early stages of the disease.

2 Feb 2017

Discovery of vital molecule could lead to better treatment of respiratory conditions

Respiratory conditions could be better targeted and treated, thanks to the discovery of the vital molecule which regulates breathing - according to research by the University of Warwick.

1 Feb 2017