Gene therapy trial restores hearing

Loosing one of our senses has been a one way street for much of our history, but recent medical breakthroughs are showing very promising results in bringing them back!

Gene therapy restoring hearing

18-month old British girl Opal Sandy has had her hearing restored through a new gene therapy trial. The deafness, in this case, was due to auditory neuropathy, a condition where nerve impulses from the inner ear to the brain are disrupted. To cure her condition a therapy, known as DB-OTO, was used, copying the OTOF gene directly to the ear. Through a minimally invasive procedure, where the gene solution was infused into the inner ear using a catheter, the hearing is potentially restored without any need of repeated treatments.

Future of hearing restoration

While this method was being used in the UK, other parts of the world are doing similar research targeting genetic forms of deafness. Both China and the US are currently working on their own respective delivery method and procedure of targeting the very gene causing deafness.

Not only did the little girl's life change, but it also makes way for many more people being able to appreciate music, bird's song, and the voices of our loved ones. Things the hearing of us takes for granted.