Articles tagged with Deafness
A new international study shows that gene therapy targeting the OTOF gene successfully restored hearing in most participants, with significant improvements in speech perception and language skills. The treatment remained safe and effective for up to 2.5 years, offering new hope for individuals with inherited deafness.
Researchers found that a deaf person's brain can reorganize sensory systems through selective deactivation, not just increased activation. The auditory cortex in deaf individuals responds to visual stimuli with organized deactivations, representing visual spatial features.
The USF Health Institute for Voice and Hearing Innovation is a state-of-the-art facility that combines clinical research and comprehensive patient care for voice, hearing and swallowing disorders. Every patient becomes a research partner, driving innovations from lab to real-world clinical practice.
The study reveals that higher language proficiency is associated with stronger functional connectivity within the brain network responsible for cognitive task performance. Deaf and hearing participants performed tasks similarly, but differences were observed in brain activity patterns.
Researchers have developed a new AI tool called VASCilia that provides unprecedented 3D views of cochlear hair cells. The tool accelerates the imaging process by 50-fold, allowing scientists to analyze cells with greater precision and accuracy. This advancement offers new insights into hearing loss caused by damaged inner ear hair cells.
Researchers identified over 200 distinct mutations associated with congenital deafness, including new and family-specific variants. The study provides guidance on communication methods and supports regular ophthalmological follow-up.
A new AI model using deep transfer learning accurately predicted spoken language outcomes in deaf children after cochlear implants. The 'predict-to-prescribe' approach allows for earlier intensified therapy for children forecast to struggle with spoken language.
Research finds infants with sensorineural hearing loss lack normal left-hemisphere language specialization. Early auditory stimulation and language exposure can help preserve brain development.
International experts have established guidelines for gene therapy in hereditary hearing loss, emphasizing patient-centered care and respect for diversity. The guidelines outline frameworks for clinical trials, including patient selection criteria, surgical procedures, and safety evaluations.
Researchers have introduced a novel gene therapy method to treat impairments in hearing and balance caused by inner ear dysfunction. The treatment, utilizing an advanced AAV vector, prevents hair cell degeneration and preserves normal hearing and balance.
Researchers developed a one-time gene editing treatment that restored hearing and balance in adult mice with DFNA41, a genetic form of progressive deafness. The therapy successfully disabled the harmful mutation while preserving the normal gene, leading to long-term hearing and balance restoration.
A UNIGE team analyzed data from 33,000 Europeans to examine the impact of hearing loss and loneliness on memory. The findings show that hearing loss accelerates cognitive decline particularly among individuals who feel lonely, regardless of social isolation.
Research suggests that linear amplification can improve vocal emotion recognition in individuals with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The study found that amplification across all sound levels can enhance the ability to recognize emotions in voices, particularly in middle-aged and older adults.
A new study conducted at Karolinska Institutet reports that gene therapy improved hearing in all ten patients with congenital deafness or severe hearing impairment. The treatment was well-tolerated and showed remarkable results, with the majority of patients recovering some hearing after just one month.
A recent study found that 85% of commercially insured deaf children with cochlear implants use spoken language, compared to 33% of Medicaid-eligible children. Family language was not a significant factor in spoken language development.
A new study describes a promising new type of auditory brainstem implant that could benefit people who are deaf due to NF2 and other severe inner ear abnormalities. The soft, flexible implant bypasses damaged auditory structures and directly stimulates the brainstem's sound-processing region.
A study found significant communication barriers in NHS care for patients who are deaf or have hearing loss, with many missing half or more of crucial information. The research team recommends improvements, such as better access to British Sign Language interpreters and accessibility accommodations.
A new brain-inspired algorithm developed at BU can help hearing aids tune out interference and isolate single talkers in a crowd of voices. In testing, researchers found it could improve word recognition accuracy by 40 percentage points relative to current hearing aid algorithms.
A cross-sectional study found that 55.6% of individuals with hearing impairment experienced communication difficulties caused by others wearing face masks during the pandemic. Those with daily support and older adults were less affected, while those who went out more or had more severe hearing loss reported greater difficulty.
Researchers have identified new candidate genes that could be responsible for congenital deafness, a condition affecting around one in 1,000 babies born in the UK. The study suggests that understanding these gene mutations may hold the key to devising effective treatments.
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University developed an innovative real-time ASL interpretation system using AI and deep learning. The system achieved a 98.2% accuracy rate with minimal latency, enabling fast and reliable performance for applications such as live video processing and interactive technologies.
A Cambridge study highlights the need for India to recognize its own sign language, Indian Sign Language (ISL), as a constitutional right. The study also calls for increased investment in education and training programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, including more schools and higher education institutions.
SignGPT aims to create a sign language AI model that translates between signed and spoken language, benefiting the Deaf community with enhanced accessibility and inclusivity. The project will produce open-source toolkits, web-based demonstrations, and outreach programs to promote equal access to information.
Researchers from Lancaster University found a significant link between hearing impairment and an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The study analyzed data from the UK Biobank, revealing a 57% higher risk for every 10-decibel increase in baseline hearing loss.
A team led by University of Rochester professor Edmund Lalor aims to understand how the brain processes audiovisual information to improve speech comprehension for individuals with cochlear implants. They will use noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG) brainwave measurements to study how people respond to multisensory speech.
A new paper in JCOM describes the development of an automatic translation app for sign language, designed through co-creation with deaf communities. The research team used a theatrical performance and AI tools to gather feedback from audiences, informing the app's design and features.
Researchers used gene editing to restore hearing in adult mice with a form of inherited deafness called autosomal dominant deafness-50 (DFNA50). The approach involved shutting down a damaged copy of the microRNA (miRNA) gene, which enabled the animals to regain hearing. This method may eventually lead to potential treatments for inheri...
Researchers developed a CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing approach to target and disrupt a specific mutation causing progressive hearing loss. The study found robust preservation of auditory function, with earlier intervention proving most optimal.
Researchers found ChatGPT consistently ranks resumes with disability-related honors and credentials lower than the same resumes without those honors. However, when trained to prioritize disability justice and DEI principles, the system improved its rankings for most disabilities, except for autism and depression.
A novel gene therapy has restored hearing function in five children with DFNB9 who were treated in both ears, demonstrating additional benefits compared to a previous trial. The treatment also improved speech perception and sound localization abilities, including the ability to appreciate music.
A recent study by Shinshu University researchers found that 1.62 per 1,000 live births have congenital deafness, with bilateral HL affecting 0.84% and unilateral HL affecting 0.77%. The main causes of these conditions were identified as hereditary factors and cochlear nerve deficiency.
A novel gene therapy has been shown to restore hearing function in six children with DFNB9, a form of autosomal recessive deafness. The treatment, which uses an adeno-associated virus carrying a version of the human OTOF gene, demonstrated significant improvements in speech perception and ability to conduct normal conversation.
Researchers have identified a gene that links deafness to cell death in the inner ear, creating new opportunities for preventing hearing loss. The discovery suggests that UPR-blocking drugs could prevent deafness caused by loud noise exposure or aging.
The study reveals that race and ethnicity, as well as neighborhood disadvantage, are significantly associated with hearing-related quality of life in deaf or hard-of-hearing children. In older children over 13 years, neighborhood disadvantage has the broadest impact on their overall well-being.
Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered a key signaling pathway that influences auditory sensory cell function and is downregulated with age. Removing this pathway from mouse hair cells leads to rapid hearing loss, highlighting its importance.
Researchers at UCL and NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre have developed a gene therapy that significantly reduces hearing loss in mice with Norrie disease. The treatment, which restores the missing norrin protein, has shown improved blood vessel structure and protected sensory hairs in the inner ear.
Morphological awareness plays a crucial role in deaf children learning to read and expand their vocabulary. The study found that this knowledge is more important for deaf students than phonology or phonics, offering opportunities for them to actively construct words.
New research published in Human Brain Mapping indicates that deafness does not affect the mechanisms and brain circuits supporting social skills. Deaf individuals show greater activation in regions involved in processing visual inputs like signs and lip reading.
The study found that individuals with hearing difficulties, vision impairments, and cognitive disabilities had the highest employment rates, with 52%, 40.3%, and 31.9% respectively. Remote work became essential during the pandemic, contributing to the surge in employment-to-population ratios for people with disabilities.
Researchers found that epigenetic silencing shuts off key genes required for sensory cell conversion. Enzyme TET can remove methyl groups to reverse gene silencing and restore hearing capability. Progenitor cells in deaf ears may already be primed to convert into sensory hearing cells.
A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences successfully reversed hearing loss in mice by activating a defective gene. The researchers found that introducing a special enzyme at a young age significantly improved hearing, with positive effects becoming less potent with time.
A recent study suggests that increasing omega-3 intake, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), may help reduce the risk of hearing problems in middle-aged adults. The study found that individuals with higher DHA levels were less likely to experience age-related hearing issues.
Researchers developed a new method to deliver drugs into the inner ear, using the cerebrospinal fluid flow. This innovation restored hearing in deaf mice and may pave the way for gene therapy to treat human hearing loss.
A study published in PLOS Biology found that deaf mice develop normal auditory circuitry until the ear canal opens and hearing begins. This spontaneous activity is necessary for training the auditory system to respond correctly to sounds of different frequencies, potentially preparing it for cochlear prostheses.
Researchers found that deaf mice have nearly normal neural activity in the auditory system for two weeks after birth, suggesting a molecular mechanism for improved outcomes with early cochlear implants. This spontaneous activity helps train the brain to process sound before the ear canal opens.
The study uses neural recordings and computer modeling to show that phonetic information is encoded differently when speech stands out versus being drowned out. This finding could help develop more accurate hearing aids.
A specialized weight loss program for Deaf people, designed and led by Deaf individuals, resulted in significant weight loss among participants. The Deaf Weight Wise program focused on lifestyle changes, social support, and cultural relevance, leading to a higher retention rate and better outcomes compared to mainstream programs.
Scientists design a mini gene therapy to replace the mutated gene in Usher 1F, increasing protein production and restoring hearing in mice. The approach may also prevent blindness by targeting a different form of the protein involved in vision loss.
Researchers have built a new model to examine Usher Syndrome, a leading cause of combined deafness and blindness. The model replicates the visual problems not addressed by previous models, offering insight into strategies for designing therapeutic interventions.
A nurse has shared her experience of developing sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) after a mild COVID-19 infection. She highlights the importance of clinicians including SSNHL as a potential side effect of COVID-19 and recommends high-dose corticosteroids as treatment.
Researchers analyzed DNA from Beethoven's hair to shed light on his chronic health problems, including progressive hearing loss. They found genetic risk factors for liver disease and evidence of a hepatitis B virus infection, which likely contributed to his death.
Researchers found broad similarities in how deaf homesigners and hearing adults describe tool-related events, suggesting universal aspects of human thinking. The study suggests that these similarities reflect the extent to which a tool shapes the object it is being used on.
Scientists identify ERBB2 pathway as key to promoting regeneration of cochlear hair cells, a crucial step towards treating hearing loss. The study's findings offer new hope for restoring auditory function after damage in mammals.
Researchers found that the severity of an employee's hearing loss influences their reliance on professional connections, which affects career outcomes. Managers can offer tailored support to help employees build professional connections, such as providing accommodations and creating a culture of respect. This study suggests that even e...
A recent study published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology has found that the unique checkerboard pattern of cells in the organ of Corti is essential for proper hearing. The researchers discovered that when hair cells adhere to each other abnormally, it leads to apoptosis and a decrease in hair cell numbers, resulting in h...
A new study in deaf rats demonstrates that stimulating the locus coeruleus region of the brain can improve how quickly they learn to use their cochlear implants. The findings suggest that differences in neuroplasticity may contribute to variations in hearing improvements among implant recipients.
Researchers discovered the underlying cause of deafness caused by swelling in the inner ear chambers. The study identified two master genes, SOX9 and SOX10, controlling hearing function and providing a new resource for diagnosis and treatment of deafness and balance problems.
A new report explores how to leverage low-cost methods to enable people with visual impairment to move through public, urban indoor and outdoor spaces. Tactile maps were found to be a very useful resource, while an accessible mobile app also showed promise as an orientation and mobility aid.
A University of Essex study found that over 90% of deaf people struggled to communicate while wearing masks, with 76% missing vital information and 59% feeling disconnected from society. The researchers hope their findings will inform public policy in future health emergencies.
Researchers developed assistive devices to streamline ear reconstruction surgery, minimizing tissue waste and operating time. The tools use 3D manufacturing to precision-cut rib cartilage, enabling a faster, more accurate process with better outcomes.