Genetics of NIHL

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a prevalent hearing disorder among adults. At least 10 million adults (6%) in the US under 70 years show NIHL. Although a great deal of research has been done on the environmental and health-related risk factors, very little has been done on the question of why some people seem to be more susceptible to NIHL and other not susceptible at all. As the field of genetics is on the cusp of providing the knowledge that will allow personalized care of health, our research is investigating the genetic bases of NIHL in young musicians. The genetic factors underlying NIHL can be instrumental for prevention and treatment.