Author(s)

Henrique F. Pauna^1,2, Maria Stella A. Amaral¹, Steven K. Juhn^2,3, Walter C. Low^4,5, Miguel A. Hyppolito¹

¹Department of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.
²Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
³Auditory Biochemistry Laboratory, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, USA.
⁴Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
⁵Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.

Age-related hearing loss is the most common cause of adult auditory dysfunction. It is characterized by bilateral, progressive auditory deterioration associated with the aging process. There currently are limited options for the treatment as hearing aids or cochlear implants. To establish novel strategies for the treatment of this entity, it is crucial to elucidate the mechanisms of age-related hearing loss. Its etiology is believed to be multifactorial including both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Oxidative damage, as seen in other aging organs systems, may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of the age-related hearing loss. Studies on animal models and human temporal bones have indicated a close relationship between degeneration of the cochlear lateral wall and hearing loss. Additional therapies that may prove beneficial in the treatment of age-related hearing loss include stem cell therapy, which we intend to review in this manuscript.

Aging, Presbycusis, Age-Related Hearing Loss, Stem Cell, Homeostasis

Pauna, H. , Amaral, M. , Juhn, S. , Low, W. and Hyppolito, M. (2019) Auditory Dysfunction in Aging: Prospects for Stem Cell Therapy. Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, 10, 13-31. doi: 10.4236/abb.2019.102002.