July 16, 2014

Specific gene may preserve hearing

A gene preserving hearing in mice may be extended to humans in the future, according to researchers from Harvard Medical School

Hearing loss is a serious public health issue. Nearly one-third of all 64-year-old adults have significant age-related hearing loss and that number almost doubles to 64% after the age of 85. In relation, noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common self-reported occupational injuries.

The researchers investigated whether over expression of the ISL1-gene in the inner ear of mice could be effective in protecting the inner ear.

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