Cure for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Normally, when mammals (including humans) are exposed to very loud sounds, permanent hearing loss may result due to cochlear hair cell injury. However, an experimental drug code-named LY411575 was found to regenerate new hair cells by suppressing a protein called Notch.

In essence, this drug restored hearing to mice deafened by loud noise.

Listen to an explanation by Harvard researcher Dr. Edge in this video.

However, human trials are a very long way off… so prevention is still the best way to avoid permanent noise-induced hearing loss. Wear hearing protection whenever loud sounds may be present!

Reference:
Notch Inhibition Induces Cochlear Hair Cell Regeneration and Recovery of Hearing after Acoustic Trauma. Neuron Volume 77, Issue 1, 58-69, 9 January 2013