Repairing Damaged Hearing Cells

UVA SCIENTISTS DISCOVER REPAIR PROCESS THAT FIXES DAMAGED HEARING CELLS

July 6, 2023 Josh Barney • UVA Today

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have discovered how cells that let us hear can repair themselves after being damaged, an insight that could benefit efforts to treat and prevent hearing loss.

“Hair cells” found in the inner ear are important both for the ability to hear and for a sense of balance. They are known as hair cells because they are covered in hair-like structures that serve as mechanical antennas for sound detection. When auditory hair cells are killed, they are gone for good, but the new UVA Health research shows these delicate cells can repair themselves from damage caused by loud noises or other forms of stress.

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Photo credit: Researcher Jung-Bum Shin, of UVA’s Department of Neuroscience, says the discovery could lead to hearing loss treatments that involve stimulating the nerves to repair themselves. (Photo by Dan Addison, University Communications)