Neuropathology of Hearing and Myelinopathies

Study of the molecular basis of hearing, pathology of hypoacusis and myelinopathies Hearing loss is one of the most prevalent medical problems. It is estimated that up to 8% of the population of the developed world suffers from it and its index is expected to increase due to aging, noise and other environmental factors. In Spain 200 deep deaf people are born every year and more than one and a half million people suffer chronic hearing problems of greater or lesser degree. Our work contributes to define the genetic, molecular and cellular bases of inner ear development, to understand the physiopathology of hearing, and to investigate the potential clinical utility of IGF-1 and its intracellular targets as otoprotectors. We have developed technology and transferred it through the Neurofunctional Non-Invasive Evaluation facility. We are interested in training and dissemination as ways of generating social awareness about the importance of hearing.