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Researchers develop Rx for deafness, impaired balance in mouse model of Usher syndrome

A new therapy called an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) has been developed by researchers at LSU Health Sciences Center, which partially corrects gene and protein expression and rescues hearing and balance in a mouse model of Usher syndrome. This breakthrough suggests the potential for treating deafness and balance disorders.

Scientists prevent development of deafness in animals engineered to have Usher syndrome

Researchers have developed a novel therapeutic approach to treat deafness and balance impairment by injecting mice with an antisense oligonucleotide that targets a specific gene mutation. The treatment, which was tested on mice engineered to model human Usher syndrome, successfully rescues hearing and cures balance problems.

An important LINC in human hearing

Researchers have discovered a genetic mutation in the NESP4 gene, which disrupts the LINC complex and leads to hearing loss. The study highlights the importance of nuclear positioning for normal hearing.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJan 25, 2013

Speaking skills crucial for hearing impaired children in the classroom

Research suggests that speaking skills play a vital role in closing the gap between hearing-impaired and normal-hearing children in the classroom. Children with better speech intelligibility exhibit higher social competence and reduced feelings of loneliness, according to Tel Aviv University researcher Prof. Tova Most.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalThe Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education·DateDec 17, 2012

New findings on the workings of the inner ear

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet have discovered that the hairs in the inner ear not only move sideways but also change in length when stimulated by sound waves. This finding provides new fundamental knowledge about the mechanisms of hearing and may help develop a new treatment for impaired hearing.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 2, 2012

Where touch meets hearing

A recent study published in PLOS Biology reveals that touch sensitivity is hereditary and linked to genetic mechanisms that support hearing. The research found a strong correlation between touch and hearing acuity in healthy human populations, suggesting that a single mutation may impair both senses.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateMay 1, 2012

Multitasking – not so bad for you after all?

A study by Kelvin Lui and Alan Wong found that frequent media multitaskers outperformed light multitaskers in integrating visual and auditory information. This improvement was attributed to their ability to routinely take in information from multiple sources.

SourceSpringer·JournalPsychonomic Bulletin & Review·DateApr 12, 2012

Turn down the iPod to save your hearing

A recent study by Tel Aviv University researchers found that one in four teenagers is at risk of early hearing loss due to excessive music listening on personal listening devices. The study recommends adopting European standards limiting output to 100 decibels and promoting awareness among schools and parents.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalInternational Journal of Audiology·DateDec 28, 2011

Critical molecules for hearing and balance discovered

Researchers have identified long-sought genes in sensory hair cells of the inner ear that are essential for converting sound waves into electrical signals. By introducing these genes into deaf mice, scientists were able to restore electrical signals and potentially reverse a type of deafness, paving the way for a gene therapy trial.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateNov 21, 2011