Cochlear implants – transforming the lives of individuals with severe hearing loss
While hearing aids benefit millions of people experiencing hearing loss, for those with some forms of severe to profound hearing loss they may not provide adequate amplification. Cochlear implants are designed to help those who receive limited benefit from hearing aids by bypassing the damaged parts of the inner ear and directly stimulating the auditory nerve. The implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second portion that is placed under the skin via a quick and straightforward operation. Used safely in both children and adults, studies have shown that not only does speech intelligibility and communication improve after cochlear implantation, hearing-related and overall quality of life is also better.
Regenerative medicine – a new frontier in restoring hearing loss
While cochlear implants have been transformative for the more than one million people who have them, developments in gene therapy and biotechnology are promising to go even further by potentially restoring hearing.
Regenerative medicine, which combines technologies of stem cells and gene therapies, is showing significant promise in the treatment of numerous conditions, from Parkinson’s to diabetes to arthritis. Scientists are hopeful that hearing loss that has resulted from the death or damage of the tiny hair cells within the ear such as from excess noise could be restored by using stem cells – the body’s unspecialised cells – to regenerate or regrow new, fully functioning hair cells.
Research breakthroughs – exploring the possibilities of hearing regeneration
Many of these studies have been carried out in just animal models so far, but the success of stem cell therapy in other areas of medicine means there is significant optimism that this research will succeed. Researchers at Harvard University’s Stem Cell Institute in Massachusetts are engaged in a study that uses small molecules to reach the stem cells and stimulate the progenitor cells in the inner ear to grow new hair cells. This one-time treatment, which has been trialled in over 200 people so far, showed striking improvements in speech perception that could last up to two years. Other approaches are focusing on gene therapy, targeting the genes involved in hair cell activation.
While the majority of noise-induced hearing loss is preventable, advances in science and technology mean that the hope of restoring this hearing loss is not as fantastical as it was even a few years ago. Clinical trials into gene therapies and regenerative medicine are showing promising results, offering hope to people with severe and profound hearing loss.
Present solutions and future horizons – existing technology remains the best treatment option for most hearing loss
The burgeoning field of regenerative medicine offers hope for a future where hearing loss could be not just managed but potentially reversed. While research advancements hold promise, for the foreseeable future hearing aids and implants will remain the cornerstone of managing most kinds of hearing loss. As we await further developments, hearing aids and implants continue to provide effective treatment and improved quality of life for millions of people living with hearing loss and impairment.
