In people aged 65 years or older, approximately 50% of them are suffering from some degree of hearing loss. However, this disability is not restricted to the elderly. Hearing loss is mostly the result of degeneration of inner ear cells such as cochlea...
In people aged 65 years or older, approximately 50% of them are suffering from some degree of hearing loss. However, this disability is not restricted to the elderly. Hearing loss is mostly the result of degeneration of inner ear cells such as cochlea hair cells and sensory neurons, and incurable because loss of the cells is irreversible as of now. Currently, hearing aids and cochlear implants are available for treatment of hearing loss. But, they are not completely to cover various patterns of hearing loss. Recently, cell replacement therapies using stem cells hold the promise for a cure of hearing loss. In this review, we will discuss the hearing loss, ear structure and introduce current insights of research in cell replacement therapy for treatment of the hearing loss.