A cochlear implant restores hearing

Recently, a group of researchers from the University Medical Center in Gottingen has created an augmentation to restore auditory sensations. Moreover, for this purpose another source of sensations is used - light.

To begin with, experts at the genetic level have altered the neurons of the hearing organ in order that they "re-qualify" for the perception of a different kind of stimulus. For this, a virus was introduced into the DNA of the cells, which changed them in such a way that they began to perceive the light signal instead of the auditory vibrations. After that, an implant containing the fiber is already installed in the ear. When excited, the optical fiber transmits a signal to the altered cells, they catch it and pass it along the conducting paths to the brain. In fact, it turns out that one stimulus is replaced by another, but the analyzer itself remains unchanged.

At the moment, scientists conducted a series of experiments on snails. Some animals were deaf and received a cochlear implant. After that they began to react to sound as well as their healthy relatives. Moreover, experts argue that the properties of optical fiber is enough to qualitatively transmit the signal even in a noisy environment. The project manager Tobias Moser calls his work optogenetics and argues that this science has a great future.

At the moment, scientists conducted a series of experiments on snails. Some animals were deaf and received a cochlear implant. After that they began to react to sound as well as their healthy relatives. Moreover, experts argue that the properties of optical fiber is enough to qualitatively transmit the signal even in a noisy environment. The project manager Tobias Moser calls his work optogenetics and argues that this science has a great future.

nanonewsnet.ru