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Top priorities named in hearing loss research

The top 10 research priorities for tackling mild to moderate hearing loss include addressing aspects of hearing aid provision, with the majority concerned with improving treatment outcomes. The list aims to re-focus future studies on areas with the greatest potential impact in furthering understanding and developing successful treatments.

SourceUniversity of Nottingham·JournalThe Lancet·DateNov 26, 2015

Helping kids hear better

Researchers found that children with mild to severe hearing loss have poorer language development than their peers, but provide well-fit hearing aids can help. Optimal early services enable hard of hearing children to catch up or close gaps with hearing peers.

SourceUniversity of Iowa·JournalEar and Hearing·DateOct 27, 2015

Antibiotics increase risk of hearing loss in patients with deadly bacterial infections

Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University found that aminoglycoside antibiotics increase susceptibility to hearing impairment due to inflammation from bacterial infections. The study suggests that targeted alternatives are needed to treat life-threatening infections without sacrificing patients' ability to hear.

SourceOregon Health & Science University·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateJul 29, 2015

Early evidence suggests hybrid cochlear implants may benefit millions with common form of hearing loss

A multicenter study found that hybrid cochlear implant devices led to significant improvements in hearing and speech recognition among individuals with severely damaged high-frequency hearing. The study showed that 45 participants experienced overall improvement in their hearing and speech recognition, with some achieving profound gains.

Gene therapy restores hearing in deaf mice

Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School used gene therapy to restore hearing in mice with genetic deafness. The treatment successfully restored the ability of sensory hair cells to respond to sound and partially restored actual hearing in deaf mice.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateJul 8, 2015

Hallucinations and delusions more common than thought

A comprehensive international study found that approximately five percent of the general population experiences hallucinations and delusions at some point in their lives. The study, involving over 31,000 participants from 19 countries, revealed that these experiences can be temporary and not always linked to serious mental illness.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·DateMay 27, 2015

Persuasive power: Members of Congress can sway the public

A study by Ohio State University found that constituents who participated in online town halls with their representatives were more likely to agree with the legislator on important policy issues. These constituents also showed higher levels of trust and approval for their elected official, as well as increased voting intention.

SourceOhio State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 16, 2015

A bodyguard for your ears

Researchers at Northwestern University have found a secret bodyguard for the ears - a newly discovered connection from the cochlea to the brain that warns of intense incoming noise. This novel pain system protects the ear from very loud or damaging noise, which may be why people jam their fingers in their ears when exposed to loud soun...

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Reviews Neuroscience·DateFeb 18, 2015

Researchers reveal how hearing evolved

Studies on lungfish and salamander hearing shed light on the evolution of aerial hearing in early terrestrial vertebrates, suggesting they could have detected airborne sound without a tympanic middle ear. The research provides insight into the development of hearing 250-350 million years ago.

Family income, child behavior factors in legal disputes about kids with autism

A recent survey of parents found that families with higher incomes are more likely to resort to litigation when disagreeing with school officials about their children's education. The study also found links between the strength of parent-school partnerships and greater use of mediation or due process.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·DateJan 12, 2015

Poor hearing confines older adults to their homes

Two studies found that older adults with poor hearing participate less in group activities and meet friends fewer often than those with good hearing. The researchers emphasize the importance of face-to-face conversation to facilitate lip-reading and suggest rehabilitation as a key strategy for supporting socially active lives.