Repurposing a Therapeutic Candidate to Mitigate Synaptopathy and Associated Hearing Loss
Abstract
Hearing loss robs one of the situational awareness that comes from hearing, through the perception of the world around us or communication with others. Noise-induced hearing loss is recognized as a major public health issue for men and women in uniform and the American worker. It affects their performance and quality of life. Even during peace time, Service Members and civilians are chronically exposed to noisy machinery, engines, and airplanes that can negatively impact hearing. What is more alarming is that many individuals may have hidden hearing loss. This type of hearing is defined as hearing loss that is not detectable using standard tests, such as auditory brainstem responses or distortion product of otoacoustic emission. Long-term studies show that approximately 1 out of 10 patients had a normal audiogram, despite complaints about hearing issues. Hidden hearing loss is thought to arise due to loss of synapses, which is termed cochlear synaptopathy. There is no Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to prevent or slow down the progression of synaptopathy and associated hearing loss. Our goal is to identify a treatment for synaptopathy and hidden hearing loss. To this end, we propose to explore the efficacy of a novel and safe compound to prevent synaptopathy and associated hearing impairment in an established mouse model and noise paradigm that induces synaptopathy. Available information in the literature suggests that this novel compound could block the molecular source of hidden hearing loss, and our preliminary data are consistent with that hypothesis. If successful, this study would lead to new avenues of investigation and further research toward clinical translation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110776
Entities
People
- Alagramam Kumar
Organizations
- Case Western Reserve University
- United States Army