Lack Of Key Molecule Leads To Deafness

Saturday, April 18, 2009 - 21:28 in Biology & Nature

Researchers have identified tiny molecules that may lead to big breakthroughs in the treatment of hearing loss and deafness. Despite modern medicine, one in 1,000 American babies are born deaf. The numbers increase markedly with age, with more than 50% of seniors in the United States experiencing some form of hearing loss. Scientists have now discovered that microRNAs, tiny molecules that regulate cell functions, help us hear. Found in "hair" cells of the ear, this discovery opens an entirely new window for possible treatments, and a cure for all types of deafness, age-related or genetic.

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