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Blake, Wm. Trying to Trace the Sound, object 5. 1791.

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Researchers have made a landmark discovery: a gene that links deafness to cell death in the inner ear in humans—creating new opportunities for averting hearing loss.

The study bridges animal research on hearing loss with a rare form of inherited deafness in humans. It revolves around a gene called TMTC4. When it’s mutated, a process known as UPR is triggered which causes the death of vital cells in the inner ear.

Scientists believe that if the process is blocked, hearing loss could be prevented. There are currently several drugs that block that process, and researchers hope they can start being tested on humans.

Dr. Dylan Chan, researcher: “Millions of American adults lose their hearing due to noise exposure or aging each year, but it’s been a mystery what was going wrong. We now have solid evidence that TMTC4 is a human deafness gene and that the UPR is a genuine target for preventing deafness.”