Review

Inner Ear Therapy for Neural Preservation
Rachael T. Richardson^a, Farnoush Noushi^a, Stephen O'Leary<sup>a, b

a</sup>The Bionic Ear Institute, and
^bDepartment of Otolaryngology, The University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, Australia

Address of Corresponding Author

Audiol Neurotol 2006;11:343-356 (DOI: 10.1159/000095896)

  Key Words

• Sensorineural hearing loss
• Neurotrophic factors
• Spiral ganglion neurons
• Hair cells
• Round window
• Vestibular organs
• Cochlear implant
• Slow-release polymers
• Gene therapy
• Cell-based therapy

  Abstract

A gradual loss of auditory neurons often occurs following sensorineural hearing loss. Since the cochlear implant must stimulate the remaining auditory neuron population, it would be beneficial to preserve as many auditory neurons as possible. Neurotrophic factors protect auditory neurons from degradation after sensorineural hearing loss in experimental animals, but have not yet been translated into the clinical setting. Current experimental and clinical techniques for drug delivery to the inner ear are examined in this review, covering the routes for drug delivery to the cochlea and the delivery systems used to introduce them. Duration of treatment, drug diffusion, effectiveness and safety are discussed with references to how they may be translated to the implementation of neurotrophic factor treatment for neural preservation.

Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Rachael Richardson
The Bionic Ear Institute
384-388 Albert Street
East Melbourne, Victoria 3002 (Australia)
Tel. +61 3 9929 8281, Fax +61 3 9663 1958, E-Mail rrichardson@bionicear.org

  Article Information

Received: March 24, 2006
Accepted: July 19, 2006
Published online: September 21, 2006
Number of Print Pages : 14
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 97