http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/hearing_loss/ Read the latest medical research on hearing, hearing loss and related stem cell research. Genetic hearing loss could be reversed by compensating for a missing protein. Full text free. en-us Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:05:01 EST Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/hearing_loss/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081201144731.htm A new study shows for the first time how microscopic crystals form sound and gravity sensors inside the inner ear. Located at the ends of cilia -- tiny cellular hairs in the ear that move and transmit signals -- the crystals play an important role in detecting sound, maintaining balance and regulating movement. The findings suggest a potential gene target for the treatment of people suffering from vertigo and common hearing problems related to cilia disorders. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081201144731.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081202133230.htm Researchers have studied the level of comprehension of subtitled television programs by groups of students who have a severe or profound hearing impairment. The results demonstrate that deaf children and adolescents have difficulties in following subtitles and images together, due to the speed at which the subtitles appear and the literal transcription of the dialogues. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081202133230.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119175851.htm New research has helped understanding of the so-called 'cocktail party effect' -- how our brains develop the ability to pinpoint and focus on particular sounds among a background of noise. Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119175851.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081120175851.htm A remarkable number of patients with tinnitus demonstrate withdrawal behavior and have a negative view of life. Feelings of anxiety and depression result in patients experiencing the complaint as a major burden on their quality of life. In addition to psychological treatment, neurostimulation now also appears to be a very promising therapy. Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081120175851.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002211401.htm Developing neurons tend to play the field, making more connections than they will ever need. Then the weakest are cut. But scientists now show that neurons in young zebrafish -- vertebrates, like humans -- behave differently: They immediately find a cluster of specialized cells and make the right match. The findings may help reveal the mechanism by which analogous cells are wired in the human ear and eventually help those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081002211401.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923125136.htm The number of hearing impaired infants and toddlers who are successfully aided by technological devices, such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, continues to grow, but there are still unknowns about these children's speaking abilities. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923125136.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922122415.htm Despite previous inconclusive research, geriatric patients do experience significant quality of life improvement after receiving cochlear implants for hearing loss, says new research. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080922122415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915165822.htm Prosthetic ears appear to improve hearing and speech recognition in noisy environments, according to a new report. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080915165822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080903134211.htm Hearing loss due to cochlear damage may be repaired by transplanting human umbilical cord hematopoietic stem cells. This study, using animal models of chemical and auditory cochlear damage, found that when transplanted stem cells migrated to the damaged area, "surprisingly few" transplanted cells were necessary to help repair sensory hair cells and neurons. Researchers say transplanting umbilical cord stem cells provides hope for the repair of human hearing impairments rising from cochlear damage. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080903134211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080828220515.htm Scientists have created a biophysical methodology that may help to overcome hearing deficits, and potentially remedy even substantial hearing loss. The authors propose a method of retuning functioning regions of the ear to recognize frequencies originally associated with damaged areas. Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080828220515.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080821164609.htm A group has demonstrated software that for the first time enables deaf and hard of hearing Americans to use sign language over a mobile phone. Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080821164609.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080821164607.htm In complex scenes such as noisy parties or crowded restaurants, it is more difficult to follow a conversation involving many people, than to focus on one talker at one location. This auditory ability to switch attention and, in the next instant, reset focus to a new speaker, is something about which little is known -- until now. Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080821164607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814154321.htm Ear infections are a painful rite of passage for many children. New research suggests the damage caused by chronic ear infections could be linked to people's preference for fatty foods, which increases their risk of being overweight as they age. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080814154321.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080813164634.htm Consumers with hearing loss might think they are saving significantly more by purchasing over-the-counter hearing aids, but they most likely will be disappointed -- or could be taking risks -- when purchasing such aids, according to new research. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080813164634.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080811200557.htm The traditional view of individual brain areas involved in perception of different sensory stimuli -- i.e., one brain region involved in hearing and another involved in seeing -- has been thrown into doubt in recent years. A new study shows that, in monkeys, the region involved in hearing can directly improve perception in the visual region, without the involvement of other structures to integrate the senses. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080811200557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080805214404.htm New research has shown that exposure to a changed acoustic and social environment can rewire the way the brain processes sounds. Study of the responses of individual brain cells has shown that they respond best to a particular frequency (pitch) of sound, less well to nearby frequencies, and poorly to distant sound frequencies. Sat, 09 Aug 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080805214404.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080728192805.htm Hearing loss may be more prevalent in American adults than previously reported, according to a study in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080728192805.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721162314.htm Mild memory impairment may be associated with central auditory processing dysfunction, or difficulty hearing in complex situations with competing noise, such as hearing a single conversation amid several other conversations, according to a new article. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721162314.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710161821.htm The sound of a noisy Chicago restaurant during the breakfast rush -- the clang of plates and silverware and the clamor of many voices -- was the crucial test of new hearing aid technology in a study conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study showed that the hearing aids worked well in a noisy environment -- the most challenging test for a hearing aid. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080710161821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080630173943.htm The mind apparently has a consistent way of ordering an event that defies the order in which subjects, verbs and objects typically appear in languages. Although speakers of different languages describe events using the word orders prescribed by their language, when the same speakers are asked to "speak" with their hands and not their mouths, they ignore these orders -- they all use exactly the same order when they gesture. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080630173943.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080626165110.htm Patients hospitalized for sudden hearing loss were more likely to suffer a later stroke than some other patients. The findings haven't been duplicated in other research and should be interpreted cautiously. Researchers suggest patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss be evaluated for stroke risk factors. Sat, 28 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080626165110.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610092641.htm Smoking and body mass index are risk factors in the development of age-related hearing loss, says one of the largest-ever studies into risk factors for hearing loss -- but alcohol has a protective effect. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610092641.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610212416.htm People with tune deafness, an auditory processing disorder in which a person with normal hearing has trouble distinguishing notes in a melody, are able to detect a wrong note unconsciously, researchers have found. Because tune deafness is a commonly occurring phenomenon that is largely inherited, the study of this disorder could enable scientists to use the tools of genetic research to better understand the differences between conscious and unconscious thought. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610212416.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080529162930.htm A study of cochlear implant patients seen by physicians shows evidence that cochlear implants in both ears significantly improves quality of life in patients with profound hearing loss and that the cost of the second implant is offset by its benefits. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080529162930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080526171412.htm A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology found that the best treatment for vertigo is the easiest and quickest one. The disorder causes a feeling of spinning or whirling when the head is moved in certain ways, such as looking up or bending. The feeling lasts a short time but can be severe. Tue, 27 May 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080526171412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515092610.htm New research findings from the world's largest study on language emergence have revealed that one in four late-talking toddlers continue to have language problems by age seven. Fri, 16 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515092610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430140349.htm Ever since Ernest Moore's ears began ringing with tinnitus, he has been researching a cure. There's a lot riding on his work. Tinnitus is the top disability of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, caused by the noise of explosive devices. Moore, a former soldier and an audiologist, is doing cutting edge research with zebrafish that may offer a solution as new funding from the Department of Defense opens up. Fri, 02 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080430140349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425151819.htm Shape matters, even in hearing. Specifically, it is the shape of the cochlea -- the snail-shell-shaped organ in the inner ear that converts sound waves into nerve impulses that the brain deciphers -- which proves to be surprisingly important. A direct link was found between the cochlea's curvature and the low-frequency hearing limit of more than a dozen different mammals. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425151819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425164738.htm A patient who is completely deaf in his right ear, he still can hear from that side. A sound processor he wears just behind his right ear converts sound waves into tiny vibrations that move through his skull. The vibrations are detected by his good left ear, so it sounds to him like he can hear from both sides. A new study has found that this system of conducting sound through skull bone is a big boost to people who are deaf in one ear and can't be helped by hearing aids or cochlear implants. Sat, 26 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080425164738.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417105449.htm Sign language interpreting is one of the highest-risk professions for ergonomic injury, according to a new study. The research indicates that interpreting causes more physical stress to the extremities than high-risk tasks conducted in industrial settings, including assembly line work. Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417105449.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095216.htm Do humans hear better than animals? It is known that various species of land and water-based living creatures are capable of hearing some lower and higher frequencies than humans are capable of detecting. However, scientists have now for the first time demonstrated how the reactions of single neurons give humans the capability of detecting fine differences in frequencies better than animals. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080401095216.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303120346.htm Researchers have long agreed girls have superior language abilities to boys, but haven't clearly provided a biological basis to account for their differences. For the first time and in unambiguous findings, researchers show both that brain areas associated with language work harder in girls during language tasks, and that boys and girls rely on very different parts of the brain when performing these tasks. Language processing is more abstract in girls, more sensory in boys. Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080303120346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080304103313.htm Cochlear implant recipients experience a significant improvement in their quality of life, and have improved speech recognition, according to new research published in the March 2008 issue of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery. Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080304103313.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080227121905.htm Researchers have discovered that neurons can use two different neurotransmitters that target the same receptor on a receiving neuron to shape the transmission of a nerve impulse. Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080227121905.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080226101342.htm Surgeons have successfully operated on a 13 month-old girl from Murcia, who had been born deaf due to the lack of auditory nerves. She is the youngest patient in the world who has received an auditory implant in the brain stem. Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080226101342.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080214153532.htm Tools developed by researchers exploring language and speech comprehension can be powerful aids for remedial readers, children with language challenges, and anyone learning a second language, according to psychologists. Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080214153532.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212144504.htm A healthy ear emits soft sounds in response to the sounds that travel in. Detectable with sensitive microphones, these otoacoustic emissions help doctors test newborns' hearing. A deaf ear doesn't produce these echoes. New research shows that, contrary to the current scientific thought, the emissions don't leave the ear the same way they entered. Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080212144504.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130175721.htm A delicate surgery that involves placement of tiny electrodes onto the brainstem is helping some people avoid total hearing loss. The electrodes, connected to a device known as an auditory brain implant, are being placed in patients who require surgery to remove noncancerous tumors associated with a disorder called neurofibromastosis type II. The tumors are often entwined around the nerves that facilitate hearing. Over time the tumors -- or the surgical intervention to remove them, can result in fractional or total hearing loss. Thu, 31 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130175721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113212.htm A new study has revealed that certain over-the-counter earwax softeners containing the active ingredient triethanolamine polypeptide oleate condensate (10%) can cause severe inflammation and damage to the eardrum and inner ear. "Because some of these products are readily available to the public without a consultation with or prescription from a physician, it is important to make sure they are safe to use. Our study shows that in a well-established animal model, one such product, Cerumenex, is in fact, toxic to the cells of the ear," says Dr. Daniel of The Montreal Children's Hospital. Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080128113212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110114501.htm Baby boomers know all too well that "ringing in the ears" often comes with aging and hearing loss. Tinnitus can be the buzz that somatosensory neurons from the head and neck, like too many phone callers, create when they overcompensate for lost auditory signals from the ear, an animal study suggests. This nimble response to hearing loss, in which neurons adapt to changed conditions, is an example of the brain's "plasticity." Results in animals suggest that acupuncture and trigger point therapy may be effective treatments for people plagued by tinnitus. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080110114501.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080113212745.htm Scientists have found that the part of the brain that deals with sound, the auditory cortex, is adapted in each individual and tuned to the world around us. We learn throughout our lives how to localize and identify different sounds. It means that if you could hear the world through someone else's ears it would sound very different to what you are used to. Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080113212745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101093825.htm Phantom noises, that mimic ringing in the ears associated with tinnitus, can be experienced by people with normal hearing in quiet situations, according to new research. Tinnitus, an auditory perception that cannot be attributed to an external source, affects at least 36 million Americans on some level, with at least seven million experiencing it so severely that it interferes with daily activities. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080101093825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219154746.htm A new neuroimaging study has found that tone-deaf or amusic individuals have more gray matter in specific regions of the brain related to processing musical pitch (the right interior frontal gyrus and the right auditory cortex), as compared to those who are musically intact. Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071219154746.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192056.htm Researchers can show the way to new cochlear implant technology. They researchers found that two neurotrophin proteins in the cochlea -- brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 -- figure prominently in the relay of sound messages to the brain. The research is showing precisely how these multidimensional proteins operate in the cochlea. Their findings could lead to a new generation of cochlear implants. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071218192056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214183442.htm Levels of cholesterol in the membranes of hair cells in the inner ear can affect your hearing according to an article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. There are two types of sensory hair cells in the inner ear called the inner and outer hair cells. It is the outer hair cells that are affected by cholesterol levels and produce the inaudible sounds in the ear canal. Sat, 15 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071214183442.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204122004.htm The High School Musical Rockerz Jammin' Guitar and the Cheetah Girls In Concert Collection Doll may be what kids want most this holiday season, but if parents aren't careful about how these and other popular toys are used, a season of joy might turn into a lifetime of hearing loss for their children. Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204122004.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071114183244.htm A new study of twins shows that genes play a significant role in the level of hearing loss that often appears in late middle age. The research examined genetic and environmental factors affecting hearing loss in the frequency range of speech recognition. Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071114183244.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071104191553.htm New research comparing music conductors and non-musicians shows that both the conductors and the non-musicians "tuned out" their visual sense while performing a difficult hearing task. As the task became harder, however, only the non-musicians tuned out more of their visual sense, indicating that the training and experience of the conductors changed how their brains work. Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071104191553.htm