A Novel Strategy to Prevent Central Auditory Disorders After Blast Exposure
Abstract
Rationale: Bomb blasts occur frequently in battlefield. Ear injuries and hearing impairment are a primary blast injury obtained during combat deployment. Up to 30% of Soldiers that participate in battle report blast damage to their sense of hearing. Our more recent conflicts have seen an increase in hearing troubles has been problematic for military Service Members returning with battlefield blast-injury, as well as for Veterans. The most recent data from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) indicates that there are 1.1 million Veterans with service-connected disability due to hearing loss. In 2009, the VA paid about $1.1 billion in disability compensation for hearing loss and auditory-related deficits. Blast-related auditory wounds frequently develop tinnitus, dizziness, eardrum perforations, speech-language disorders, and hearing loss. Victims of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), on the battlefield frequently suffer hearing loss. Acoustic trauma by blast exposure causes hidden hearing loss and long-term deficits on the auditory nervous system, which utilizes and processes auditory information, beyond the outer and inner ear. For example, even with normal hearing sensitivity, one shows impaired capacity to listen and understand speech that is referred to as hidden hearing loss. In addition, potential long-term impact of blast exposure on auditory processing includes deficits in sound localization and spatial processing with normal hearing sensitivity. The ability to localize sounds is crucial for tracking threats or prey, and understanding speech in noisy settings, and analyzing complex acoustic scenes are important for Soldiers in the battlefield. If Warfighters cannot effectively hear battlefield communication or cannot recognize sound location, s/he may pose a danger to himself/herself, others in the unit, and the mission. However, there is currently no cure or reliable biomarker for these auditory processing disorders available. The objective is to develop an acute and efficient therapy for targeting the auditory nervous system both peripheral and central systems after blast exposure. Using the blast-injured mouse model, we will test the treatment efficacy of the novel therapeutic strategies for auditory deficits such as blood brain barrier-permeable drugs and non-viral nano-carriers to transport drugs specifically to the auditory nervous system. The results will reveal the effects of therapeutic strategies using a non-invasive drug delivery tool for preventing hearing loss and central processing disorders immediately after blast damages. The short-term outcome is to develop potential drugs and local delivery using a non-viral nano-carrier, which are safe, effective, and immediately applicable in the battlefield. Our research application is developing a non-invasive, field deployable, rapid therapeutic to prevent, manage, and treat hidden hearing loss and auditory processing disorders caused by acoustic trauma after blast exposure. Ultimately, the novel therapeutic strategy with efficiency and safety will help Service Members, Veterans, and the American public suffering hearing loss or auditory processing disorders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 04, 2024
- Source ID
- HT94252311041
Entities
People
- Jun Hee Kim
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio