Development of an objective cochlear health measure
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Objective measurements of cochlear health using a cochlear implant: towards a biological therapy for hearing loss
IRAS ID
276568
Contact name
Douglas Hartley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Nottingham
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
Over 5% of the world’s population has disabling hearing loss, and this number is set to double over the next 30 years. Currently hearing devices are the therapy of choice for hearing loss. However, the sound from a hearing device will never reach the quality of natural, biological hearing. Whilst humans have no natural ability to replace the damaged inner ear, regenerative medicine provides the most promising strategy to restore normal hearing to the half a billion deaf individuals worldwide. Our long-term aim is to develop the first human trial of regenerative treatment for hearing loss. Towards this aim, this present study will monitor the health of the inner ear for safety and efficacy using a cochlear implant, which is a device that is implanted into the inner ear to restore the sensation of hearing. The cochlear implant is the current standard of care for individuals with profound hearing loss, and we propose to use existing technology that is currently primarily used to assist during cochlear implant surgery, and repurpose it to monitor the health of the inner ear after surgery in groups of new and existing cochlear implant recipients. Upon successful completion, this work will inform an early-phase trial of combining a cochlear implant with regenerative therapy. Our goal is to transform treatment for the looming global epidemic of hearing loss.
Note that this study does not involve any clinical intervention or novel treatments. Our aim is to collect information about cochlear health from cochlear implant recipients to inform future research. We will only be testing individuals who have already received or are due to receive cochlear implants for their hearing loss.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/WM/0113
Date of REC Opinion
30 Apr 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion