Echoes of Renewal: Rebuilding the Mammalian Inner Ear

Hearing loss and dizziness are the most common sensory disorders worldwide. About 5% of the world's population is affected by disabling hearing loss, and the prevalence is projected to increase over the next several decades. Cochlear hair cells are essential in converting sound vibrations into electrical signals, which are then relayed centrally via the spiral ganglion neurons and lead to sound perception....

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No actionable change — inner ear regeneration strategies covered in this review are still largely experimental and have not reached routine clinical practice.

With global hearing loss and vestibular (balance) disorder prevalence projected to rise, inner ear regeneration research is critical to developing curative interventions that go beyond current device-based management.

1. 01Review covers mammalian inner ear regeneration strategies addressing both hearing loss and dizziness (vestibular disorders).
2. 02Global prevalence of hearing loss and balance disorders is projected to increase significantly.
3. 03Mammals lack the natural ability to regenerate cochlear and vestibular sensory cells, unlike fish and birds.
4. 04Multiple biological approaches — including gene therapy, stem cells, and pharmacological agents — are explored.
5. 05Translation to human clinical use remains a major unresolved challenge.

PMID

42868226

DOI

10.1097/AUD.0000000000001782.

Journal

Ear and Hearing

Publication type

review

Evidence level

5

Population

Literature review; no direct human study population

Intervention

Mammalian inner ear regeneration strategies (gene therapy, stem cells, pharmacological agents)