Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Drug Allows Deafened Mice to Regrow Inner Ear Hair

Posted by Unknown on from the turn-it-up-to-11 dept.

sciencehabit writes "All you graying, half-deaf Def Leppard fans, listen up. A drug applied to the ears of mice deafened by noise can restore some hearing in the animals. By blocking a key protein, the drug allows sound-sensing cells that are damaged by noise to regrow. The treatment isn't anywhere near ready for use in humans, but the advance at least raises the prospect of restoring hearing to some deafened people."

7 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. But... by bmo · · Score: 4, Funny

    But I have hair in my ears. I need it under my hat!

    --
    BMO

  2. Sweet. by geekoid · · Score: 5, Insightful

    maybe they can cure tinnitus .

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    1. Re:Sweet. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      This.

      Advice to those younger than me: WEAR FRIGGEN EAR PLUGS. It doesn't matter how dorky you think it looks. You WILL regret it if you don't.

      A few years in college of night clubs, concerts, and parties was enough to set off a lifetime of tinnitus.

      My ears ring constantly and it will never, ever stop.

    2. Re:Sweet. by mandginguero · · Score: 3, Interesting

      it may not be a cure, but Otosound (http://www.otosound.com/) has a therapy device they are working on, and I've overheard some talk of clinical trials in Europe.

      --
      i don't know karate, but i know ca-razy
    3. Re:Sweet. by Hatta · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Ear plugs are the greatest. I wear Ety plugs whenver I go to a concert. These have fairly flat frequency response, and are pretty comfortable too. I was third row center at Phish with these, and had no ringing, fuzziness or any other hearing problems immediately afterwards. I've seen other LOUD concerts in small venues, P-Funk, Buckethead, shitty local punk bands, etc. with similar results. Honestly, once the levels get high enough you get more distortion without earplugs than with them.

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  3. All a matter of time.... EXCEPT... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Deaf people re-growing inner ear parts...
    Blind people re-growing eyes and optic nerves...
    Alcoholics re-growing a liver...
    Soldiers re-growing limbs....

    It's all possible, given time to develop these things... EXCEPT...

    I just can't grow a set of balls and stand up to my wife!

  4. Alternate use. by SuricouRaven · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Could this be used to reverse or at least slow down age-related hearing loss? People are living so much longer than they used to, so we need every medical trick we can devise to lessen the detriments of age.