Articles tagged with Inner Ear
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have created the first map of methylation that reflects the functioning of the inner ear, revealing critical genes for hearing development. The discovery may lead to new therapeutics by modifying epigenetic signals to allow regeneration of hair cells.
Researchers discovered that afferent nerves from transplanted otic placodes form functional connections with the brainstem, allowing them to reach their target cells. The study found that these neurons rely on diffusible molecules and other guidance mechanisms to navigate the hindbrain.
University of Utah engineers uncover the reasons behind vertigo caused by specific sounds, linking it to a thinning of the bone enclosing the inner ear. The study reveals pathological fluid mechanical waves in the semicircular canals as the culprit, causing incorrect signals sent to the brain.
Researchers have identified a potential treatment for noise-induced hearing loss, where osmotic stabilization of fluid volume in the inner ear after exposure can prevent subsequent hearing loss. Increasing solute concentration in perilymph reduces endolymph volume and helps preserve synaptic ribbons on hair cells.
Researchers at Kumamoto University successfully grafted human iPS cell-derived inner ear cells into embryonic mice, expressing key proteins essential for hearing development. The study's findings suggest that these cells may compensate for missing proteins and improve hearing loss in hereditary cases.
Researchers have discovered that modern cheetahs possess a distinct vestibular system in their inner ear, which enhances sensitivity and rapid responses to head motions. This unique anatomy allows the cheetah to maintain its gaze locked on prey during high-speed hunts.
Researchers identify Protein Daple as crucial for both single-cell and organ-wide directionality in hair cells of the inner ear. Without Daple, mice exhibit developmental defects in hair bundles, affecting sound wave detection and processing.
A new study reveals that extinct marine reptiles called sauropterygians evolved similar inner ear proportions to modern aquatic reptiles and mammals. The research found that nearshore sauropterygians had ears similar to those of crocodiles, while fully-aquatic plesiosaurs had ears similar to sea turtles.
A new study reveals that extinct sauropterygians evolved inner ear proportions similar to those of modern aquatic reptiles and mammals. Researchers found similarities between the inner ears of ancient sea monsters like plesiosaurs and modern animals such as crocodiles, whales, and sea turtles.
A Rutgers-led study has shown promise in using inner ear stem cells to reverse deafness, but also poses a risk of increased cell division, which could lead to cancer. The researchers discovered that controlling the chromatin state can reduce unwanted stem cell proliferation.
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.
The American Academy of Otolaryngology has released updated guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of BPPV, emphasizing patient education and shared decision-making. The new guidelines aim to reduce unnecessary diagnostic testing and improve quality-of-life outcomes for patients with BPPV.
A new study by Imperial College London suggests that steroid injections into the ear are as effective as gentamicin in treating severe Meniere's disease. Patients who received steroid injections had better speech discrimination and fewer side effects compared to those who received gentamicin.
Scientists have identified two sensory channels that transmit information to the brain about movement using fundamentally different approaches. The discovery suggests a legacy of the differences between navigating in water and air, with one channel sending smooth signals resembling sound waves and another rapid signals like drumbeats.
A Japanese research team has identified the causative gene for a common type of hearing loss, sensorineural hearing loss, which affects one in every 1000 infants. The gene, DIAPH1, is involved in actin filaments and their maintenance in auditory hair cells, leading to progressive deafness in transgenic mice.
USC researchers studied epigenetic signals regulating Atoh1, a critical factor in hair cell development and sensory structure formation. The studies aim to develop new therapies to stimulate hair cell regeneration in individuals with hearing loss or deafness.
Cisplatin kills rapidly dividing cancer cells but also causes permanent hearing loss due to damage to sensory hair cells in the inner ear. Individuals with Cockayne syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting DNA repair, are more susceptible to this side effect.
Researchers use CT scans and 3D models to study a 90-million-year-old skull, revealing that snakes evolved to live in burrows and lost their limbs as a result. The discovery confirms Dinilysia patagonica as the largest burrowing snake ever known.
Inner ear cells in newborn rodents practice processing sounds through a self-stimulation process involving chloride ion channels. This process helps establish and refine connections between the ear and brain, enabling proper hearing from an early age.
Researchers at Mass Eye and Ear found that chronic conductive hearing loss can lead to permanent hearing impairment if left untreated. The study, published in PLOS ONE, showed dramatic changes in the inner ear after a year of sound deprivation.
Researchers found that type II afferent neurons in the inner ear respond to tissue damage similar to pain-sensing nerve cells. This discovery may lead to new treatments for hyperacusis, a condition characterized by increased sensitivity to loud noises.
Scientists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have discovered a repair and renewal mechanism in protein movement within hair cells of the inner ear. The study found that constant movement and replacement of proteins serve a maintenance and even repair function, potentially reversing hearing loss.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified two genes vital for hair cell production in young mice. Altering these proteins' expression can induce new hair cells in matured utricles, providing a potential target for regenerating lost sensors in humans.
Research suggests that increased connections between sensory cells and nerve cells in the inner ear of aging mice may be contributing to age-related hearing loss. This finding could lead to new ideas for treating or preventing this condition in humans.
Researchers at the Molecular Medicine Institute and University College London Ear Institute have created a protocol to produce inner ear hair cells, crucial for hearing and balance. The study's success suggests that similar strategies might work in humans, paving the way for cell transplantation therapies or high-throughput drug screens.
The Bertarelli Program has awarded $3.6 million in grants to five research projects focused on diagnosing and treating hearing loss, as well as developing new treatments for blindness. The projects aim to combine technologies and approaches to accelerate the delivery of new treatments to the clinic.
Researchers have restored hearing in mice with partial deafening caused by noise exposure using advanced tools to increase NT3 protein production. The study demonstrates the critical role of NT3 in maintaining communication between the ears and brain, offering a potential target for future treatments.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that DNA therapy can preserve inner ear nerve cells in humans with certain types of progressive hearing loss. The study uses a protein growth factor to block degeneration and has important implications for enhancing sound perception with cochlear implants.
Researchers found that people with inner-ear disturbances exhibit distinct eye movements when exposed to MRI magnets, potentially allowing for diagnosis and treatment. Zebrafish also showed dramatic reactions to strong magnetic fields, offering a model for studying genetic factors behind balance disorders.
Meniere's disease affects 3-5 million people in the US, causing dizziness, ringing, and hearing loss. Researchers suggest a new theory linking the disorder to low blood flow in the brain and inner ear, offering a potential treatment avenue by addressing vascular risk factors.
A new mouse model suggests that overexpressing the Isl1 gene can protect hair cells from degeneration and promote survival after loud noise exposure. This finding has implications for treating age-related and noise-induced hearing loss in humans.
The use of stem cells, gene therapy, and neurotrophic factors has been shown to play a crucial role in the regeneration of inner ear hair cells. Cochlear gene therapy has also been successfully used in treating neurosensory hearing loss and other inner ear disorders.
Scientists used X-rays to determine that Gardiner's frogs use their mouth cavity and tissue to transmit sound to their inner ears. The frogs' unique auditory system allows them to hear other frogs despite lacking a traditional middle ear.
Researchers found that excessive noise activates certain cells in the ear, causing them to detach and damage the blood barrier. A new compound, PEDF, shows promise in preventing this type of damage, offering hope for treating tinnitus and sound hypersensitivity.
Researchers have found that supporting cells in the inner ear can actively help repair damaged sensory hair cells, potentially offering a pathway to prevent hearing loss. The study suggests that these cells produce heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), which protects neighboring hair cells from death.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that HSP70 produced by supporting cells in the inner ear prevents antibiotic-induced hair cell death. Extracellular HSP70 has potential to be used therapeutically to prevent aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss, currently without treatments.
Researchers at Indiana University have successfully created the inner ear from stem cells using a three-dimensional cell culture method. The discovery provides insights into the sensory organ's developmental process and offers potential for laboratory models of disease and treatments for hearing loss and balance disorders.
A team of NIH-supported researchers has identified a two-step process that occurs during the growth and regeneration of inner ear tip links. The discovery provides a possible mechanism for potential interventions that could preserve hearing in individuals with genetic disorders related to tip link dysfunction.
Researchers studied 150-million-year-old dinosaur fossils to reconstruct their brain and inner ear anatomy. The study found that the brain underwent significant changes during growth, with important parts for hearing and cognitive processes already well-developed in young dinosaurs.
The CSIC has reconstructed the brain of an ampelosaur in 3D using its fossilized skull, showing a small brain and inner ear. The research suggests that sauropods may not have favored increased brain size during evolution.
A study found that YouTube videos showing the Epley maneuver, a simple treatment for BPPV, are highly accurate and widely used by healthcare providers and people with vertigo. The videos have also helped to educate patients about how to treat this disorder.
A study published in the British Medical Journal found that simple exercises, such as turning head and nodding neck, reduced dizziness within weeks and improved quality of life for over a year. The researchers urge GPs to distribute exercise booklets to patients with persistent dizziness.
Researchers will combine neuroscience and engineering to repair spinal injuries and hearing loss using gene therapy, flexible electronics, optical imaging, and human-machine interfaces. The partnership aims to bring new treatments to the clinic and alleviate human suffering caused by neurological disabilities.
A Johns Hopkins team discovered that MRI's strong magnet pushes on fluid in the inner ear's balance organ, leading to vertigo. This finding may affect results of functional MRI studies and could lead to a non-invasive method for diagnosing balance disorders.
Researchers studied the closest living relative of tetrapods, the African lungfish, and found that they lack sensitivity to airborne sound. The inner ear's structure suggests a high vibration sensitivity but limits hearing to very low frequencies, implying that early tetrapod ancestors were probably deaf to airborne sound.
A 59-year-old patient's vertigo and severe hearing loss were alleviated with surgery, restoring her hearing in an extremely rare occurrence. The case highlights the risks of using cotton swabs to clean ears without medical guidance.
Scientists have discovered a cell-to-cell signaling pathway that designates the future location of ear's sensory organs in embryonic mice. By activating this signal, they were able to induce patches of new sensory tissue with hair cells and support cells. This breakthrough suggests a potential avenue for regenerating sensory organs in ...
A study of 434 patients found that complications from cochlear implants were highly correlated with trauma and inner ear malformations. The majority (65.1%) of delayed complications occurred after an average delay of 2.2 years, while major complications included severe infections and misplacement of the electrode.
The study found that 35% of U.S. adults aged 40 and older have vestibular dysfunction, which can increase the risk of falling. Individuals with vestibular dysfunction are more likely to report dizziness and a history of falls.
A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology found that vertigo can be effectively treated with simple head and body movements. The Epley maneuver was deemed safe and effective for people of all ages, while restrictions on activity after treatment were not supported.
Researchers used zebrafish to screen for genes and chemical compounds that protect against hair cell damage caused by ototoxic medicines. They identified five mutations in genes that provided protection and two compounds that robustly protected hair cells.
A genetic defect in the p22phox protein causes a severe immune deficiency in humans, similar to chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). The study found that mice without this protein also develop a severe balance disorder due to the loss of gravity-sensing crystals in the inner ear.
A new study reveals that certain over-the-counter earwax softeners can cause severe inflammation and damage to the eardrum and inner ear. The products should be used with extreme caution due to their toxic potential.
A new method has been developed to grow inner ear hair cells in the laboratory, providing a reliable source of cells for research. This breakthrough is expected to accelerate therapeutic advancements for millions of people worldwide affected by hearing and balance impairments.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine developed an electrical device that partly restores damaged sense of balance in animals. The multichannel vestibular prosthesis mimics inner ear function and can measure head rotation in all directions, partially regaining vision-stabilizing reflexes in tested chinchillas.
Patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease may experience sudden hearing loss due to endolymphatic sac tumors (ELSTs) associated with significant dysfunction of hearing and balance. Surgical intervention may be warranted for early diagnosis and treatment of ELSTs.
Researchers have shown that bone marrow stem cells can speed up hearing recovery in rats with damaged inner ears. The stem cells repaired the injured cochlear fibrocytes, leading to faster recovery of high-frequency hearing, and improved hearing by 23% compared to natural regeneration.
Researchers discovered a neural computer in the cerebellum that calculates inertial motion by combining rotational and gravity signals. The brain uses this information to determine its movement through space, even when head acceleration is present.
Researchers have identified protocadherin-15 as a likely player in the moment-of-truth reaction in which sound is converted into electrical signals. The findings may help understand why some people temporarily lose their hearing after being exposed to loud noise, only to regain it a day or two later.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have developed a surgery to plug the superior canal in the inner ear, stopping severe symptoms of superior canal dehiscence. The procedure has been successful in treating patients with severe dizziness, loss of balance, and hearing loss.