Recent Advances in Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensory and Motor Neuroscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 329

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Guest Editor
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
Interests: hearing research; inner ear immunology; ototoxicity
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hearing impairment is a common communication disorder, and is being increasingly acknowledged for its link to untreated hearing loss and dementia. Key contributors include noise exposure, aging, genetic factors, ototoxic agents, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, autoimmune diseases, and specific cancers. The most prevalent symptom is tinnitus. It is essential to stay informed about the latest developments in this evolving field.

This Special Issue aims to compile recent research on the ototoxic effects of medications and conditions associated with hearing loss and tinnitus, such as temporomandibular joint disorders, kidney diseases, and mitochondrial disorders. We look forward to papers exploring the neurobiological and molecular mechanisms leading to hearing loss and associated symptoms, new biomarkers related to hearing loss, and the relationship between stress and hearing disorders. We also invite descriptions of innovative experimental techniques for treating hearing disorders.

We encourage submissions of original research articles (both clinical and basic), case reports, and review papers, with opinion pieces accepted in certain circumstances.

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Szczepek
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • hearing loss
  • ototoxicity
  • autoimmune disease
  • cochlear synaptopathy
  • hair cell loss
  • spiral ganglion damage
  • translational research
  • audiology
  • animal models
  • biomarkers for hearing loss

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 1530 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Intracochlear Pressure and Fluid Distribution in 3D-Printed Artificial Cochlear Models and Human Petrous Bones
by Rayoung Kim, Matthias Schürmann, Lars-Uwe Scholtz and Ingo Todt
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(7), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15070771 - 20 Jul 2025
Viewed by 251
Abstract
Introduction: The important factor in applying substances for inner ear therapy is the atraumatic execution, as well as effective concentration uniformly distributed in all regions of the cochlea within a reasonable time frame. This study investigates whether an additional cochlear opening (“second-hole technique”) [...] Read more.
Introduction: The important factor in applying substances for inner ear therapy is the atraumatic execution, as well as effective concentration uniformly distributed in all regions of the cochlea within a reasonable time frame. This study investigates whether an additional cochlear opening (“second-hole technique”) can improve fluid distribution and reduce intracochlear pressure during dye delivery into the cochlear models and human petrous bone. Material and Methods: Three experimental setups were used: an uncoiled scala tympani model, a full-scale 3D-printed cochlear model, and a human petrous bone. In all cases, 1% methylene blue-stained saline was infused using a cochlear catheter (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria) through the round window. Intracochlear pressure was measured via fiberoptic pressure sensors inserted through a burr hole (artificial cochlear models) or at the lateral semicircular canal (human petrous bone). A second hole was made on the helicotrema in the inner ear models or at the oval window of the human petrous bone to examine the effect of a second hole on intracochlear pressure and fluid distribution. Dye distribution and intracochlear pressure were measured in 3D artificial models at two flow rates (0.2 and 0.4 mL/h). The intracochlear pressure were measured in the human petrous bone at a fixed rate (0.4 mL/h). Results: The use of a second hole significantly improved dye distribution in 3D models at both flow rates (p < 0.05) and led to earlier saturation-level distribution. Intracochlear pressure remained significantly lower and more stable in models with a second hole (p < 0.05). In human petrous bones, pressure fluctuation was reduced by the second hole, though pressure still increased over time. Conclusions: Using a second-hole technique leads to a faster, uniform level of dye distribution throughout the cochlear models, as well as a lower intracochlear pressure, which can be assumed to be an essential factor for hearing preservation during dye application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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