A national study reveals that young and middle-aged adults with hearing loss are twice as likely to misused prescription opioids and other substances compared to their hearing peers. Health care providers may need to take special care when treating pain and mental health conditions in deaf and hard-of-hearing patients.
A team of researchers, including University of Utah engineers, are working on a new procedure to restore hearing loss using an implantable device that sends electrical impulses to the auditory nerve. The device has shown promise in improving sound resolution and compatibility with existing hearing aids.
The University of Minnesota is leading a $9.7 million NIH grant to develop an implantable device that can restore more natural hearing to people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The new technology aims to bypass the cochlea and directly stimulate the auditory nerve, improving activation in noisy environments and music.
Researchers studying Nicaraguan Sign Language find that signs don't move towards the face to be easier to understand. The study uses machine learning and computer vision techniques to analyze language change over 40 years, shedding light on how languages evolve.
Deaf children who received cochlear implants before 12 months of age learn spoken language more rapidly and are more likely to use it as their sole means of communication. This study suggests that early cochlear implantation can have a transformative impact on language development in deaf infants.
Scientists have successfully restored auditory synapse function and hearing thresholds to a near-normal level in adult mice with DFNB9 deafness. The breakthrough uses an AAV-based gene therapy approach that can be used to produce otoferlin and durably correct the profound deafness phenotype in mice.
Researchers compared visual processing skills in hearing and deaf infants aged 7-22 months and found that deaf infants took longer to habituate to new objects and looked away less often. This highlights a difference in how the infants process information, even when it's not auditory in nature.
Astronomers at the University of California, Riverside, have created a workshop that converts astronomical phenomena into vibrations for students with hearing loss. The workshop uses storytelling, videos, and images to bring meaning to the sounds of the universe, making it an engaging experience for deaf students.
A genus of deaf moth has evolved a novel sound-producing structure in its wings to warn bats of its presence. The discovery suggests that the moths are acoustically mimicking unpalatable, sound-producing moths to deter bats.
Astronomer Jason Nordhaus develops a system of complex algorithms to pinpoint existence of previously undiscovered planets and celestial bodies in dying star systems. The technique helps understand the fate of our solar system, other star systems, and stellar interactions.
Scientists at Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University have discovered new genetic mutations associated with Usher syndrome, an inherited disorder that affects deaf-blindness. The study found unique mutations in DNA regions and confirmed diagnoses of type II USH in Russian patients.
Researchers found that moth fur provides acoustic stealth by reducing echoes of body parts from bat calls. The thorax fur acts as a lightweight porous sound absorber, offering a significant survival advantage against bats.
Researchers used French Sign Language and American Sign Language to analyze the logical structure of spoken language. Sign languages reveal a hidden logical structure that must be inferred indirectly in spoken language, like the sentence 'Sarkozy told Obama that he would be elected'. This study highlights both strengths and limitations...
Chronic inflammation caused by failed sensor mechanism can lead to brain cells' loss in old age. The study suggests that CB1 receptors on neurons control microglial cell activity.
The NIH grant will support research on biological treatments and clinical diagnosis for patients with hearing loss, a condition affecting over 28 million Americans. Xue Zhong Liu's team will expand a genomic database and assess the impact of genomic testing on patients.
A new study by Harvard Medical School researchers identifies three molecularly distinct subtypes of neurons responsible for transmitting information from the inner ear to the brain. These subtypes are selectively lost in aging mice and do not emerge properly in deaf-mouse models, suggesting a critical role in age-related hearing loss.
A recent study by Professor Jesper Lassen found no correlation between public reservations about genetically modified foods and parliamentary debate. Politicians focus on benefits and risks, ignoring the moral and ethical dimensions that concern citizens most.
A new study reveals glaring disparities in treatment of ASL native students by the US Department of Education. The research highlights the need to dismantle conflation between language and disability, calling for explicit programmatic curricular suggestions and policy changes.
Researchers are working on a new technique to synchronize cochlear implant signals, which will help people with implants to hear sounds more realistically. The goal is to make this method work outside the lab, but it remains a challenge from an engineering point of view.
Researchers compared neural activity of signers and speakers using magnetoencephalography, finding similar brain regions involved in phrase building. The study suggests that despite physical differences, signed and spoken languages share intricate neurobiological processes.
Cats deaf from an early age exhibit increased connections between auditory cortex and superior colliculus, a midbrain region responsible for directing the animal's environment. This reorganization may support enhanced information processing.
Children with cochlear implants learn words faster than their hearing counterparts, thanks to earlier exposure to spoken language and better-developed brain structures. Researchers found that these children build up word pools at an accelerated rate.
A novel machine learning algorithm using brain scans predicts language ability in deaf children after cochlear implant surgery. This study has broad implications for children with developmental challenges, enabling clinicians and educators to intervene with therapy to maximize language learning.
Researchers develop CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing therapy to prevent hearing loss in a mouse model of human genetic progressive deafness. The therapy delivers the protein complex directly into sound-sensing cells, disrupting the mutation that causes cell death and preserving some hearing.
Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to disrupt a genetic mutation causing deafness in mice, preserving some hearing. The treatment reversed hair cell damage and improved inner ear function.
A new technology from UC3M's SoftLab research group has made Broadway musical comedies like 'The Addams Family' accessible to over 2 million deaf and blind people in Spain. The system uses augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and audio description to provide a synchronized and immersive experience.
The UTSA DEEP Learning in Texas Project aims to address professional shortages in school psychology and deaf education. Graduate students will complete cooperative coursework and gain hands-on experience through internships.
Despite multiple injuries and deafness, Shanidar 1 lived into his 40s with the help of others. His sensory impairment made him vulnerable to predators, emphasizing the importance of social support for survival as a hunter-gatherer in the Pleistocene.
Researchers found that two species of pumpkin toadlets produce sounds outside their hearing range due to an undeveloped inner ear, indicating they are insensitive to the sound of their own calls. This finding suggests that these frogs may be evolving towards a loss of acoustic communication.
A new study found that combining recommendations for health behaviors in a homogeneous way, such as increasing exercise and eating more vegetables, is more effective than mixing positive and negative instructions. This approach can lead to better behavioral outcomes and reduced confusion among individuals trying to change their habits.
New research reveals up to 40% of children with hearing loss have capacity for higher language levels, challenging current assessment methods. Therapists can recognize mismatches at young ages and intervene to bring children up to their ability.
Researchers at Institut Pasteur successfully restored hearing and balance in a mouse model of USH1G syndrome using gene therapy, offering new hope for the treatment of hereditary deafness. The study demonstrates that inner ear defects caused by mutations in the USH1G gene can be reversed even after birth with durable efficacy.
Two species of pumpkin toadlets have been found to be deaf to their own calls, a phenomenon that persists even after the target audience has lost the ability to detect it. This is due to the vestigial high-frequency hearing part in their ears, which may have been replaced by visual communication.
Scientists at Oregon State University developed a new assay to study the otoferlin protein, essential for hearing. They found a truncated version of otoferlin that can function in sound encoding and validated a method for characterizing large membrane proteins.
Accelerated growth rates in farmed salmon are linked to a common inner ear deformity causing up to 50% hearing loss. Reducing growth rate can reduce the incidence of the deformity by three times.
A study found that visually stimulated cross-modal activation of auditory brain regions in deaf individuals improved speech comprehension after cochlear implantation. Auditory cortex activation developed in tandem with both auditory and visual speech following implantation, suggesting a positive effect on hearing restoration.
The Rochester Institute of Technology has been awarded a grant to develop a Scientists-In-Training Program for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Undergraduates. The program aims to increase the number of underrepresented students entering Ph.D. programs in biomedical sciences.
A new study published in Pediatrics found that children with cochlear implants who received limited or no sign language exposure had better outcomes in speech perception, speech intelligibility, language, and reading. The study suggests that oral communication may be more beneficial for young cochlear implant recipients.
The PervasiveSUB project allows deaf-blind people to access TV broadcasts in real-time, directly through Braille lines. This innovation has been successfully tested with groups of deaf-blind users in Spain and the US, who praised its ability to transmit information without intermediaries.
A new study found that sign language users' speed of comprehension depends on their conversation partners' handedness, with left-handers responding better to fellow left-handers and right-handers to right-handers. The research suggests that how signers produce their own signs plays a role in understanding others' signing.
Tufts University faculty members have won prestigious NSF CAREER Awards for their research in physics, biomedical engineering, civil engineering, and mechanical engineering. The winners will use their awards to advance knowledge and education in their fields.
A study by University of York researcher Emma K Wallace found that captive chimpanzees did not benefit from being played classical or pop/rock music, nor did they show preferences for specific genres. The research suggests that music may be a uniquely human trait and should not be considered a form of enrichment for these animals.
Researchers found that certain 'super-readers' with reorganized brain circuits perform better in tasks involving written words, while others with intact auditory-visual integration achieve more accurate results. This study highlights the crucial role of brain interactions in cochlear implant success.
Researchers developed a gene therapy that restored balance and hearing in genetically modified mice with Usher Syndrome. The study's positive results suggest potential for treating various inherited vestibular and hearing disorders in humans.
RIT National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) will partner with RIT's I-Corps site initiative to promote inclusive entrepreneurship among deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The grant will support programs and events that engage underrepresented groups in STEM entrepreneurship.
Researchers have successfully restored a high level of hearing in deaf mice using an improved gene therapy vector, which also improves balance function. The technology has the potential to benefit patients with Usher syndrome, who suffer from profound hearing loss and balance problems.
Researchers found that sign language users, particularly BSL interpreters, exhibit quicker reaction times and enhanced peripheral vision. Deaf adults also display exceptional visual abilities, including significantly faster reaction times than hearing adults.
Scientists at Harvard Medical School have developed a new gene-delivery therapy that successfully restores partial hearing and balance in mice born with genetic hearing loss. The treatment uses a modified adeno-associated virus (AAV) wrapped in protective bubbles to penetrate hair cells, which are notoriously difficult to treat.
Researchers discovered that jumping spiders can detect sounds in the 80-380 Hertz range at distances up to 10 feet, even without ears or ear drums. This ability helps them respond to predators like the Mud Dauber wasp.
The National Science Foundation grant will provide additional training for faculty to adapt teaching methodologies and create an 'accessibility toolkit' for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The project aims to enhance inclusiveness in the classroom through student-centered pedagogy, universal design for teaching and learning.
A new approach uses computational tools and machine learning to compare patients' genomes to existing gene databases, accelerating diagnosis in rare genetic diseases. Comparing patient genes to their parents' also helps identify new disease-causing mutations.
The RIT/NTID information and computing studies department has launched a new associate degree program in mobile application development with funding from the National Science Foundation. The program is based on the Xamarin cross-platform approach to mobile app development.
A $4 million NIH grant will enhance partnerships between RIT/NTID and UR, providing postdoctoral research and teaching experiences for deaf students. The Rochester Postdoc Partnership (RPP) aims to increase diversity in biomedical sciences by creating mentored teaching opportunities.
A new study published in Scientific Reports found that the auditory cortex of profoundly deaf and hearing people has virtually identical neural architecture. The research raises questions about the role of experience in processing sensory information and could lead to potential new avenues for intervention in deafness.
Rochester Institute of Technology's National Technical Institute for the Deaf has received a $30,000 grant to fund its Tech Girlz and Tech Boyz outreach programs. The program provides opportunities for deaf middle-school students to explore technology and build robots.
A study is underway to understand why some children respond better to cochlear implants than others. Researchers are using measures of brain function to identify clinical interventions that could help children adapt to using the implants. The study involves recruiting children from 18 months to 8 years old who use cochlear implants, as...
A Concordia professor has received funding to unearth lesser-known Canadian tales in time for Canada Day 2017. The Lost Stories project collects and documents stories about neglected Canadians, creating public art and short films to share their histories.
A new NIH study explores how deaf adults, proficient in ASL, use the internet for health-related information. The HINTS-ASL program collects data on trends in health communication and perception among this population. The research aims to improve the dissemination of health information to the deaf community.
SPARK aims to advance our understanding of autism's causes by collecting DNA from 50,000 individuals with autism and their families. Researchers will study genetic mechanisms and environmental factors to develop new supports and treatments.
A $1.6 million NIH-funded study aims to enhance disability and outcomes research for the deaf and hard-of-hearing population. Researchers developed a new PROMIS profile in American Sign Language to gather data from a nationwide sample of 650 participants.