Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common types of hearing loss among adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 10% of the world’s population are exposed to sound levels that could potentially cause NIHL. The sources of noise exposure are extensive and may stem from everyday occurrences, for example, factories, farms, concerts, portable media players, and public transport being just a few, and there is growing concern about the increasing incidence of NIHL in children and adolescents who are exposed to many sources of noise exposure on a daily basis.
It has been widely accepted that NIHL is a complex disease mainly caused by loud sound damage and is likely influenced by age, sex, genetics, underlying diseases, personal behaviors, and other physical and chemical hazards. In recent years, a number of animal and human studies indicated that even moderate noise exposure could result in hearing difficulties in individuals with normal hearing thresholds, which has been referred to as “hidden hearing loss”. In addition, cumulative damage from chronic noise exposure is also a major cause of age-related hearing loss, tinnitus, and even degraded learning and memory abilities. However, the mechanisms of NIHL remain unclear, and treatment options for NIHL are still limited. Recent studies suggested that several possible pathways are involved in NIHL, including oxidative stress, calcium overload injury, potassium recycling, heat shock protein, cadherin protein, apoptosis, autophagy, and etc.
In this Research Topic, we encourage submissions contributing to the exploration of NIHL. We welcome reviews, basic research, clinical research, and translational research around, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Animal models in NIHL studies
• Biomarkers and mechanisms of NIHL
• Diagnosis, preventions, and interventions of NIHL
• Daily noise exposure (recreational, transport, etc.) induced hearing impairment
• Occupational noise exposure induced hearing loss
• Noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy/hidden hearing loss
• Noise-induced tinnitus
• Influences of noise exposure on the auditory speech processing and cognition ability/noise-induced damage beyond ear
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common types of hearing loss among adults. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 10% of the world’s population are exposed to sound levels that could potentially cause NIHL. The sources of noise exposure are extensive and may stem from everyday occurrences, for example, factories, farms, concerts, portable media players, and public transport being just a few, and there is growing concern about the increasing incidence of NIHL in children and adolescents who are exposed to many sources of noise exposure on a daily basis.
It has been widely accepted that NIHL is a complex disease mainly caused by loud sound damage and is likely influenced by age, sex, genetics, underlying diseases, personal behaviors, and other physical and chemical hazards. In recent years, a number of animal and human studies indicated that even moderate noise exposure could result in hearing difficulties in individuals with normal hearing thresholds, which has been referred to as “hidden hearing loss”. In addition, cumulative damage from chronic noise exposure is also a major cause of age-related hearing loss, tinnitus, and even degraded learning and memory abilities. However, the mechanisms of NIHL remain unclear, and treatment options for NIHL are still limited. Recent studies suggested that several possible pathways are involved in NIHL, including oxidative stress, calcium overload injury, potassium recycling, heat shock protein, cadherin protein, apoptosis, autophagy, and etc.
In this Research Topic, we encourage submissions contributing to the exploration of NIHL. We welcome reviews, basic research, clinical research, and translational research around, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Animal models in NIHL studies
• Biomarkers and mechanisms of NIHL
• Diagnosis, preventions, and interventions of NIHL
• Daily noise exposure (recreational, transport, etc.) induced hearing impairment
• Occupational noise exposure induced hearing loss
• Noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy/hidden hearing loss
• Noise-induced tinnitus
• Influences of noise exposure on the auditory speech processing and cognition ability/noise-induced damage beyond ear
