An 18-month-old in London, England, is one of the youngest children to receive gene therapy to treat hearing loss caused by a mutation in the OTOF gene. This gene produces a protein called Otoferlin that allows for communication between cells of the cochlea and the brain.

The recipient received an infusion of a functional copy of the OTOF in her ear. The procedure was completed in just 16 minutes. Reportedly, it only took a few weeks for the child to begin to hear and respond to sounds without the help of her cochlear implant.

Read the full article

References

Afzali K. (2024) Toddler born deaf can hear after gene therapy trial breakthrough her parents call “mind-blowing.”CBS News(accessed May 13, 2024).

Share this

Related Posts

Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease with Virtual Reality

Aerobic Physical Activity in U.S. Adults: An Updated Report

Adding Vestibular Training to Post-Stroke Care

Recent Posts

Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease with Virtual Reality

In a recent article by Mahato et al. (2026), 250 individuals with Parkinson’s disease were assigned to either traditional physical therapy or virtual reality (VR)-based…

Read More

SPAN Q4 Meeting Reminder

The American Academy of Audiology’s State Policy Advocate Network (SPAN) will hold its fourth-quarter meeting next week, on October 28, 2026, from 8:00–9:00 pm ET….

Read More

Virginia Audiology Regulations Open for Public Comment

The Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology published a proposed rule allowing for ABA certification to serve as an alternative pathway for audiology licensure….

Read More