Breakthrough brings hearing treatment hope
Thursday September 13th, 2012
British scientists have made a breakthrough in the search for new treatments for hearing loss, it was announced last night.
The
researchers at Sheffield University have successfully used stem cells
to generate new cells in laboratory studies.
The research involved gerbils and showed improvements that emerged about four weeks after treatment.
The scientists say the treatment seemed to cut hearing loss by nearly one half.
They used embryonic stem cells which they had converted to neurons, which connect the ear to the brained.
The treatment, reported in the journal Nature, is aimed at a hearing loss condition called auditory neuropathy, which involves the cochlear cells, which connect hair cells, which detect sound, to the brain.
Some patients might get the treatment together with well-established cochlear implant devices, which connect the outside world directly to cochlear cells.
Researcher Dr Marcelo Rivolta said: "We believe this an important step forward. We have now a method to produce human cochlear sensory cells that we could use to develop new drugs and treatments, and to study the function of genes.
"And more importantly, we have the proof-of-concept that human stem cells could be used to repair the damaged ear."
He added: "More research is needed. For instance, we want to understand the long term implications of this treatment and its safety."
Dr Ralph Holme, of Action on Hearing Loss, which has backed the scientists, said: “The research we have funded at the University of Sheffield is tremendously encouraging and gives us real hope that it will be possible to fix the actual cause of some types of hearing loss in the future.
"For the millions of people for whom hearing loss is eroding their quality of life, this can’t come soon enough."
Nature September 12 2012
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