Could stem cells repair hearing loss?

This might be a good news for people with hearing impairment. Scientists have found that stem cells of spiral ganglion (those present in the inner ear) can be effectively used to restore the hearing a

By: Editorial Team | | Published: June 21, 2014 4:01 pm

This might be a good news for people with hearing impairment. Scientists have found that stem cells of spiral ganglion (those present in the inner ear) can be effectively used to restore the hearing ability. Spiral ganglion cells are necessary for your ears to function properly. The most common cause of hearing impairment is the irreversible damage in the inner ear. (Read: Hearing loss — symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and complications)

Adult spiral ganglion cells are unable to regenerate and thus, cannot be used to repair hearing loss. The recent research evidence in a mouse model showed that stem cells of spiral ganglion are capable of self-renewal and thus, can be grown and induced to differentiate into mature spiral ganglion cells as well as neurons and glial cells. Jane Taylor, the BioResearch Open Access Editor from University of Edinburgh, Scotland said ‘The current findings are of great interest as they show that the stem cells of inner ear can be induced to grow in-vitro.’ He added that the ear cells are generally poorly regenerated in case of the mammalian ear. (Read: How hearing loss can affect your brain)

The researchers concluded that the self-renewing properties of the spiral ganglion stem cells are a ray of hope for those with hearing impairment. They said that these stem cells offer a promising source of replacement therapies that are designed to regenerate the neural structures of the inner ear. The findings appeared in the journal BioResearch Open Access. (Read:Hearing aids: All your common queries answered)

Hearing loss or deafness: 7 facts you ought to know

Did you know that there are 360 million people in the world who suffer from disabling hearing loss? That is 5.3% of the world’s population, out of which 32 million are children. Hearing impairment or deafness is more common in old age people. But, currently one can find the children are also becoming deaf due to various reasons. Read on to find more such facts:

Noise is a major cause of hearing loss, it is also a very easily avoidable: Noise is a cause for concern in both, developed and developing countries. In many countries, excessive noise has become the most compensated occupational hazard.

Hearing loss can be due to the use of ototoxic medications: Some commonly used medications (such as aminoglycosides, anti-malarial drugs) can lead to irreversible hearing loss. Read more about 5 facts you ought to know: hearing loss or deafness

With inputs from IANS

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Published: June 21, 2014 4:01 pm

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