Listen up: Improving neurons for cochlear implants
Hearing loss will affect many of us in our lives. In the US between 25-48 million are currently affected by sensorineural hearing loss. This is typically a result of the loss of hairs in the inner ear which initiates a cascade of secondary events including loss of specialized neurons called spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) which link these hairs to the brain. Cochlear implants can help restore hearing, but without functional SGNs to integrate the implant with the brain, their performance is limited.