HHIssues

Source: [HOH-LD-News] Volume 5 Issue 13

You may know that free radicals have been implicated as one of the causes of
signs of aging. They are highly reactive molecules that disrupt the structure
of normal cellular components. One of the activities of free radicals is to
destroy cochlear hair cells, which transmit acoustic information to the auditory nerve. Recent investigations demonstrate that loud noises and certain chemicals cause the production of free radicals within the ear.

As you might expect, there are lots of loud noises in the military, and the resulting free radical production degrades the hearing of an estimated ten percent of active duty servicemen and costs the various military agencies over a billion dollars a year. So, military researchers are very interested in understanding this phenomenon and doing something about it.

They have recently come up with a promising treatment. Scientists at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego have developed a tiny catheter that they insert between the middle ear and the inner ear. The catheter releases antioxidants, which neutralize the free radicals and prevent damage to the hair cells. Initial tests have successfully restored hearing and balance in some individuals; larger tests are planned.

** HHIssues **