My patients with hearing loss often ask me if there are any new medical ear treatments on the horizon. One promising study is being conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis and focuses on the possible use of stem cells from another part of the brain that can develop into cells that perform the sound-sensing functions needed for hearing.
The damage or death of specialized hair cells found in the inner ear is a primary cause of hearing loss. Hair cell vibrations transmit the electrical signals interpreted by the brain as sound.
In a study recently published in "The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences," UC Davis scientists reported on the first evidence that stem cells taken from the lateral ventricle area of the brain can be successfully transformed to function like the sensory cells of the inner ear. If so, there is hope that these cells can replace inner-ear hair and sensory cells that no longer work.
Current research now focuses on whether the replacement ear cells will work in animal models. Although these studies show promise, they are many years away, if not decades, from delivering a treatment for hearing loss. For now, most hearing loss remains irreversible and the best course of action you can take now is to protect your ears, and your hearing.