SBIR-STTR Award

In this project, a system for reversing strial hearing loss by increasing endocochlear potential will be constructed and evaluated in vitro. Strial presbycusis is estimated to affect as many as 7 million people in the US. Recent research has shown that when positive current is injected into the scalae media of quiet-aged gerbils, the endocochlear potential is increased and the hearing thresholds approach normal values of less than 15 dB across all frequencies. The proposed system will increase the endocochlear potential by applying direct current to the scala media, while managing electrode polarization and plating effects. The system will consist of a micro-fluidic electrode, electrode driver, and feedback mechanism to control the endocochlear potential over time. Advanced multi-layer circuit fabrication techniques and UV laser micro-machining will be used to construct various micro-electromechanical (MEM) prototypes. Plating effects will be determined by investigating changes in charge capacity using cyclic voltammetry. Successful completion of the Phase I research will allow in vivo characterization of the electrode system in Phase II. A commercial implant system based on this research could ultimately treat strial-based hearing loss in millions of individuals.

Thesaurus Terms:
auditory stimulus, biomedical equipment development, cochlear implant, cochlear microphonic potential, hearing aid, microelectrode, presbycusis assistive device /technology, molecular polarity medical implant science

The overall objective of this proposal is to develop a novel implanted auditory assist device that will specifically address age related strial hearing loss. As people age, many experience a hearing loss, strial presbycusis, across all frequencies. The relationship between the rise in hearing thresholds and the corresponding reduction in the endocochlear potential is well documented. Recent research on animals demonstrates that increasing the endocochlear potential back to its normal value results in the decrease of hearing thresholds back towards their normal values. We propose to develop a hearing assist device based on this new research. The implanted device will maintain the endocochlear potential at near normal values in the ears of older people who suffer from strial hearing loss, thereby reversing their hearing impairment. In addition, there are early indications that this device will not only reverse hearing loss, but also serve as a therapy for strial presbycusis by preventing further deterioration of the scala media.

Thesaurus Terms:
biomaterial development /preparation, biomedical equipment development, electrode, hearing aid, miniature biomedical equipment, presbycusis gerbil /jird, medical implant science, medical rehabilitation related tag