Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention
Long-term noise exposure often results in noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Tinnitus, the generation of phantom sounds, can also result from noise exposure, although understanding of its underlying mechanisms are limited. Recent studies, however, are shedding light on the neural processes involved...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/10/732 |
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| author | Tang-Chuan Wang Ta-Yuan Chang Richard Tyler Ying-Ju Lin Wen-Miin Liang Yio-Wha Shau Wei-Yong Lin Yi-Wen Chen Chia-Der Lin Ming-Hsui Tsai |
| author_facet | Tang-Chuan Wang Ta-Yuan Chang Richard Tyler Ying-Ju Lin Wen-Miin Liang Yio-Wha Shau Wei-Yong Lin Yi-Wen Chen Chia-Der Lin Ming-Hsui Tsai |
| author_sort | Tang-Chuan Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Long-term noise exposure often results in noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Tinnitus, the generation of phantom sounds, can also result from noise exposure, although understanding of its underlying mechanisms are limited. Recent studies, however, are shedding light on the neural processes involved in NIHL and tinnitus, leading to potential new and innovative treatments. This review focuses on the assessment of NIHL, available treatments, and development of new pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments based on recent studies of central auditory plasticity and adaptive changes in hearing. We discuss the mechanisms and maladaptive plasticity of NIHL, neuronal aspects of tinnitus triggers, and mechanisms such as tinnitus-associated neural changes at the cochlear nucleus underlying the generation of tinnitus after noise-induced deafferentation. We include observations from recent studies, including our own studies on associated risks and emerging treatments for tinnitus. Increasing knowledge of neural plasticity and adaptive changes in the central auditory system suggest that NIHL is preventable and transient abnormalities may be reversable, although ongoing research in assessment and early detection of hearing difficulties is still urgently needed. Since no treatment can yet reverse noise-related damage completely, preventative strategies and increased awareness of hearing health are essential. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:40:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-54a347995a6f4c4f84ab0adabc8b693e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:40:22Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-54a347995a6f4c4f84ab0adabc8b693e2023-11-20T16:54:38ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252020-10-01101073210.3390/brainsci10100732Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and PreventionTang-Chuan Wang0Ta-Yuan Chang1Richard Tyler2Ying-Ju Lin3Wen-Miin Liang4Yio-Wha Shau5Wei-Yong Lin6Yi-Wen Chen7Chia-Der Lin8Ming-Hsui Tsai9Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanDepartment of Occupational Safety and Health, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242-1396, USASchool of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanDepartment of Health Services Administration, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanCollege of Biomedical Engineering, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanSchool of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City 40402, TaiwanLong-term noise exposure often results in noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Tinnitus, the generation of phantom sounds, can also result from noise exposure, although understanding of its underlying mechanisms are limited. Recent studies, however, are shedding light on the neural processes involved in NIHL and tinnitus, leading to potential new and innovative treatments. This review focuses on the assessment of NIHL, available treatments, and development of new pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments based on recent studies of central auditory plasticity and adaptive changes in hearing. We discuss the mechanisms and maladaptive plasticity of NIHL, neuronal aspects of tinnitus triggers, and mechanisms such as tinnitus-associated neural changes at the cochlear nucleus underlying the generation of tinnitus after noise-induced deafferentation. We include observations from recent studies, including our own studies on associated risks and emerging treatments for tinnitus. Increasing knowledge of neural plasticity and adaptive changes in the central auditory system suggest that NIHL is preventable and transient abnormalities may be reversable, although ongoing research in assessment and early detection of hearing difficulties is still urgently needed. Since no treatment can yet reverse noise-related damage completely, preventative strategies and increased awareness of hearing health are essential.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/10/732central auditory systemcochlear damagedeafferentationhidden hearing lossmaladaptive plasticityneural plasticity |
| spellingShingle | Tang-Chuan Wang Ta-Yuan Chang Richard Tyler Ying-Ju Lin Wen-Miin Liang Yio-Wha Shau Wei-Yong Lin Yi-Wen Chen Chia-Der Lin Ming-Hsui Tsai Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention Brain Sciences central auditory system cochlear damage deafferentation hidden hearing loss maladaptive plasticity neural plasticity |
| title | Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention |
| title_full | Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention |
| title_fullStr | Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention |
| title_full_unstemmed | Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention |
| title_short | Noise Induced Hearing Loss and Tinnitus—New Research Developments and Remaining Gaps in Disease Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention |
| title_sort | noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus new research developments and remaining gaps in disease assessment treatment and prevention |
| topic | central auditory system cochlear damage deafferentation hidden hearing loss maladaptive plasticity neural plasticity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/10/732 |
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