A Cure For Deafness

Thanks to our love of loud music many people are into hearing difficulties as they reach middle and early old age. In addition with repeated ear infections hearing can gradually decline. Up until now this has been thought to be permanent with treatment limited to various types of hearing aids. But nos scientists think they may have found a drug that could reverse deafness.

Some Loud Status Quo!

Harvard medical school are investigating a drug called LY411575. It tricks the inner ear into growing more hairs. Yes, you read that right. But how does more hairs help hearing?

Well sounds are transmitted in the inner ear and hairs play a vital part in the process. Loss of hairs results in loss of hearing.

Early work has regrown hairs in animals so now it needs to be looked at in humans, potentially helping millions of people to hear again.