Study: Hearing develops in tandem with form and function

Health Problems

New research reveals a key insight into the development of hair bundles, the intricately complex assemblies in the inner ear responsible for hearing. Hair bundles are precisely arranged cellular structures deep within the spiral cavity of the inner ear. Together, they convert vibrational energy into electrical signals in the brain that translate into the sensation of hearing. Once they’re lost—whether […]

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Hear this: Healthful diet tied to lower risk of hearing loss

Health Problems

Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital have found that eating a healthy diet may reduce the risk of acquired hearing loss. Using longitudinal data collected in the Nurses’ Health Study II Conservation of Hearing Study (CHEARS), researchers examined three-year changes in hearing sensitivities and found that women whose eating patterns more closely adhered to commonly recommended healthful dietary patterns, such […]

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Discovery of new neurons in the inner ear can lead to new therapies for hearing disorders

Health Problems

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have identified four types of neurons in the peripheral auditory system, three of which are new to science. The analysis of these cells can lead to new therapies for various kinds of hearing disorders, such as tinnitus and age-related hearing loss. The study is published in Nature Communications. When sound reaches the inner ear, […]

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Preterm newborns sleep better in NICU while hearing their mother’s voice

Kids Health

Hearing a recording of their mother’s voice may help neonates maintain sleep while in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), according to preliminary data from a new study. About 10 percent of U.S. newborns require treatment in a NICU, which is a noisy environment that could influence the development of newborn sleep patterns. This study explored the possibility that infants’ […]

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