Hearing Loss News and Research

Latest Hearing Loss News and Research

BHI, NHLBI and AHA join to promote American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day

The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) announced today that it is joining with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the American Heart Association (AHA) to promote American Heart Month in February and to celebrate National Wear Red Day® on February 4, 2011.

19 Jan 2011

New study reveals measles viral gene plays key role in development of PD

A gene from the measles virus plays a key role in the development of Paget's disease of bone, according to a team of researchers led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

18 Jan 2011

Hybrid cochlear implant may benefit patients with profound hearing loss

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of nine centers in the U.S., and the only in Illinois, that is participating in a study investigating the effectiveness of a new cochlear implant device that aims to restore hearing for individuals with high-frequency hearing loss and functional low-frequency hearing.

12 Jan 2011

Driving convertible cars with top open may increase risk of noise-induced hearing loss

Driving convertible cars with the top open at speeds exceeding 88.5 kilometres per hour may put drivers at increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss, according to new research published in The Journal of Laryngology and Otology, by Cambridge University Press on behalf of JLO Ltd from the Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri and The Ear Institute of Texas, San Antonio.

7 Jan 2011

Scientists perform surgery on single cell to extract and examine mitochondria

Medical researchers who crave a means of exploring the genetic culprits behind a host of neuromuscular disorders may have just had their wish granted by a team working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where scientists have performed surgery on single cells to extract and examine their mitochondria.

7 Jan 2011

Sound masking therapy is of uncertain benefit when used alone to treat tinnitus

Tinnitus — what many think of as "ringing in the ears" — is the perception of sound without any real acoustic stimulation. Sound masking therapy, a common component of tinnitus treatment, is of uncertain benefit when used on its own, a new evidence review finds.

10 Dec 2010

European researchers develop new form of therapy for Alpha-mannosidosis

Alpha-mannosidosis is a rare childhood disease which causes symptoms such as mental retardation or hearing loss and is linked to a lower life expectancy. A European research team headed by Professor Paul Saftig from Christian-Albrechts-Universit-t zu Kiel has developed a form of therapy as part of the Alpha-Man project, which will receive around six million euros from the European Union for its next stage of trials.

9 Dec 2010

Microsurgical technique effective in removing acoustic tumors

Surgery to remove tumors under the brain known as acoustic neuromas produces favorable outcomes in the "vast majority" of patients, according to one of the largest studies of its kind.

8 Dec 2010

Encouraging GenVec RSV vaccine program data presented at International Respiratory Syncytial Virus Symposium

GenVec, Inc. announced today that data were presented on GenVec's respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine program at the International Respiratory Syncytial Virus Symposium, which took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands on December 2-5, 2010. The presentation was given by Barney S. Graham, MD, PhD, Chief, Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory and Chief, Clinical Trials Core, at the Vaccine Research Center (VRC) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

7 Dec 2010

New study reveals that sick teens are more isolated than other kids

A new study reveals that sick teens are more isolated than other kids, but they do not necessarily realize it and often think their friendships are stronger than they actually are.

7 Dec 2010

MenAfriVac to help health workers eliminate meningococcal A epidemics

The West African nation of Burkina Faso today became the first country to begin a nationwide campaign to introduce a new meningitis vaccine that promises to rid the entire region of the primary cause of epidemic meningitis. The first vaccine designed specifically for Africa, MenAfriVac is expected to help health workers eliminate meningococcal A epidemics in the 25 countries of the meningitis belt, stretching from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east.

6 Dec 2010

Age-related hearing loss associated with low serum levels of folic acid in the elderly

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), one of the four most prevalent chronic conditions in the elderly, is associated with low serum levels of folic acid, according to new research published in the December 2010 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

1 Dec 2010

Researchers find IGF1 topical gel can treat sudden sensorineural hearing loss

A new treatment has been developed for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), a condition that causes deafness in 40,000 Americans each year, usually in early middle-age.

24 Nov 2010

Scientists discover bone matrix plays a vital role in tissue hardening

Scientists are reporting the first direct evidence that a subtle change in the physical properties of a tissue can affect its function. The finding has immediate implications for understanding several rare hearing disorders, they said, and ultimately could offer insight into such conditions as osteoporosis, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

19 Nov 2010

Scientists solve structure of key protein from Lassa virus

Scientists at Emory University and the University of St. Andrews have solved the structure of a key protein from Lassa virus, which is endemic to West Africa and can cause a deadly hemorrhagic fever.

18 Nov 2010

Selenium secures NIH grant to apply patented antimicrobial technology for ear infections

Selenium, Ltd., a biopharmaceutical company focused on unique solutions to meet antimicrobial coating and therapeutic needs, has been awarded a research grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, one of the National Institutes of Health. With the $155,387 NIH grant the company will apply its proprietary antimicrobial technology to researching the inhibition of biofilms on tympanostomy tubes.

18 Nov 2010

Studies explore lifestyle's influence on wellness and brain health

New research is providing a deeper understanding of how individual actions - such as exercising, sensory stimulation, or drinking - influence brain health and outcomes. This new knowledge could ultimately lead to interventions in age-related cognitive declines, drug abuse, stroke, and brain injury, separate from or in combination with traditional pharmacological approaches. These findings were presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news on brain science and health.

17 Nov 2010

OtoSCOPE method offers single-run genetic testing for hearing loss

Pinpointing the exact genetic cause of inherited deafness has always involved sequencing one gene at a time, a process that can take up to a year and cost roughly $1,000 per gene. It would cost around $75,000 to test all known deafness causing genes using this approach. Now University of Iowa researchers working with colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a test that can screen all of the genes known to cause deafness in a single run, in one to three months and for about $2,000.

16 Nov 2010

GenVec receives $244,479 grant under QTDP program

GenVec, Inc. announced today that it was awarded a cash grant of approximately $244,479 under the U.S. Government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project program.

3 Nov 2010

Racial disparities among children with frequent ear infections can influence access to health care resources

Ear infections are one of the most common health problems for children, with most kids experiencing at least one by their third birthday. Annual costs in the United States alone are in the billions of dollars.

26 Oct 2010