The degree of hearing loss is of growing concern, with 1.5 billion people worldwide being affected to some degree. This is estimated to grow to nearly 2.5 billion people by 2050 (1 in every 4), with at least 700 million people having a disabling hearing loss that requires hearing rehabilitation. Unaddressed hearing loss is of wide concern and causes excessive costs to communities worldwide. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the most common type of hearing loss, and its etiology is complex and multifactorial. SNHL arises from congenital and acquired causes, such as age-related cochlear degeneration (presbyacusis), acute or chronic exposure to noise, disease, or ototoxic drugs. Intensive research using preclinical models to understand the cochlear capacity for repair and regeneration has advanced this field, with some novel therapeutics already at the stage of clinical testing in humans. However, despite this, there is a paucity of clinically approved pharmacological or biological interventions for hearing loss. Bringing together the most current knowledge and advancements in the field of SNHL is vital to the future development of treatments for hearing loss.
With an aging population and increased exposure to excessive noise, there has never been a higher demand for understanding the underlying mechanisms of SNHL and how the cochlea can protect itself to prevent further hearing loss and restore function. In addition, each year, more individuals, and families are identified as having a genetic mutation linked to SNHL. Considerable progress has been made in understanding hearing loss in recent years, and this Research Topic will highlight this progress. We hope to advance the understanding of the causes and mechanisms of hearing loss and propose novel molecular and cellular strategies to protect and restore hearing, including targeted gene- and cell-based therapies, regenerative medicine using small molecules to target progenitor cells and novel biomaterials to deliver drugs and gene therapies to the cochlea.
We invite investigators to contribute original research articles and review articles addressing the mechanisms of SNHL caused by genetic mutations, excessive noise, age, or ototoxic drugs. Of particular interest are articles proposing novel strategies for cochlear rescue from injury or biological restoration of hearing. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
• Molecular and cellular mechanisms of SNHL
• Age-related and noise-induced hearing loss
• Ototoxicity
• Cochlear neuropathy and synaptopathy
• Genetic causes of hearing loss
• Biomarkers of hearing loss
• Molecular and cellular approaches to cochlear protection
• Cell-, drug-, and gene-based therapies to restore hearing
The degree of hearing loss is of growing concern, with 1.5 billion people worldwide being affected to some degree. This is estimated to grow to nearly 2.5 billion people by 2050 (1 in every 4), with at least 700 million people having a disabling hearing loss that requires hearing rehabilitation. Unaddressed hearing loss is of wide concern and causes excessive costs to communities worldwide. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the most common type of hearing loss, and its etiology is complex and multifactorial. SNHL arises from congenital and acquired causes, such as age-related cochlear degeneration (presbyacusis), acute or chronic exposure to noise, disease, or ototoxic drugs. Intensive research using preclinical models to understand the cochlear capacity for repair and regeneration has advanced this field, with some novel therapeutics already at the stage of clinical testing in humans. However, despite this, there is a paucity of clinically approved pharmacological or biological interventions for hearing loss. Bringing together the most current knowledge and advancements in the field of SNHL is vital to the future development of treatments for hearing loss.
With an aging population and increased exposure to excessive noise, there has never been a higher demand for understanding the underlying mechanisms of SNHL and how the cochlea can protect itself to prevent further hearing loss and restore function. In addition, each year, more individuals, and families are identified as having a genetic mutation linked to SNHL. Considerable progress has been made in understanding hearing loss in recent years, and this Research Topic will highlight this progress. We hope to advance the understanding of the causes and mechanisms of hearing loss and propose novel molecular and cellular strategies to protect and restore hearing, including targeted gene- and cell-based therapies, regenerative medicine using small molecules to target progenitor cells and novel biomaterials to deliver drugs and gene therapies to the cochlea.
We invite investigators to contribute original research articles and review articles addressing the mechanisms of SNHL caused by genetic mutations, excessive noise, age, or ototoxic drugs. Of particular interest are articles proposing novel strategies for cochlear rescue from injury or biological restoration of hearing. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
• Molecular and cellular mechanisms of SNHL
• Age-related and noise-induced hearing loss
• Ototoxicity
• Cochlear neuropathy and synaptopathy
• Genetic causes of hearing loss
• Biomarkers of hearing loss
• Molecular and cellular approaches to cochlear protection
• Cell-, drug-, and gene-based therapies to restore hearing
