The Audiologist Informer

Can virtual reality (VR) be used as a tool, in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy, to help people with chronic subjective tinnitus? In this study, tinnitus patients captured and trashed an avatar representing their tinnitus. The VR-based intervention helped relieve symptoms and change in EEG patterns related to tinnitus, but did not produce the big changes expected possibly due to some study limitations.

A new study involving mice may lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for hearing losses induced by conditions known to cause cochlear inflammation, such as noise or ototoxic drugs.

An RNA base editing strategy prevented hair cell loss and rescued auditory function in mice for up to 3 months after injection, suggesting that RNA editing might be effective for treating hearing-related genetic disorders.

Endothermy, or warm-bloodedness, is the ability of mammals and birds to produce their own body heat and control their body temperature. Through evidence of fossil remains of the inner ear and vestibular system, scientists have found new clues about the switch from cold-blooded creatures to warm-blooded mammals.