Age-related hearing loss is in the future, be cured?

In fruit flies, a number of regulatory genes have been identified, which are important for the maintenance of a healthy hearing responsible. This new discovery could contribute to the treatment of age-related hearing loss in humans.

In the current study of the University College London, Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh genes have been identified from fruit flies, which are important for healthy hearing responsible. The results of the study were published in the English scientific journal “Scientific Reports”.

Hearing loss occurs in old age very often

Many people develop with increasing age, problems with your hearing. According to the researchers, a third of the people (1.23 billion) falls ill even in the over 65 years of age on hearing loss. It is assumed that there are more than 150 genes, which can have an impact on the hearing loss. Nevertheless, there is no uniform opinion about how these can be used for the development of new hearing loss therapies.

Why study the fruit fly?

Although humans and fruit flies is very different, and has the ear of the fruit of many molecular Similarities with the ears of the people on-the-fly, which makes them ideal for the study of human hearing loss. So far, however, there was still no study that has examined the ear of the fruit fly’s entire life cycle.

Hearing the fruit fly examined

In the current study for the first time, the hearing of the common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) has been analyzed over their entire life span (approximately 70 days). It should be noted that your hearing decreases with age.

What is the role played by genes in the inner ear?

With the help of advanced methods, the researchers found that the ears of the fruit fly is also age-related hearing loss have. The hearing of the flies deteriorated from about the age of 50. Day of your life. The researchers then attempted to find out whether there are genes in the inner ear of the fly, which change with age.

Certain genes hold the ear sensitive

The research group identified in their work for the first time, a set of so-called transcription regulator genes. There are certain genes that control the activity that holds the ear sensitive.

Age-related hearing loss can be avoided?

An advantage in the fly model is that the role of individual genes can be easily tested, either by their functions or to be switched off. The researchers found that the Manipulation can prevent some of the Gene, the flies develop an age-related hearing loss.

Accelerated development of new strategies against hearing loss

The discovery that fruit flies suffer age-related hearing loss and that their previous hearing health care is controlled by a specific set of genes, is a major breakthrough, says the research group. The fact that these genes are conserved in humans, will help to focus future clinical research on human beings, and thereby to accelerate the discovery of new pharmacological or gene therapeutic strategies, adds the Team.

Further research is already being carried out

Based on the findings already a follow-up was started by the research group of the project for the identification of new drugs for the treatment of age-related hearing loss. The results of the current study not only promote the understanding of why hearing decreases with age, but also open the door for the future development of treatments for the prevention of hearing loss, report the researchers. (as)

Authors and source of information

This Text meets the requirements of the medical literature, medical guidelines, as well as current studies and was examined by doctors and Medical scientists.