By Faith Mwende
In a world-first, researchers have successfully restored hearing in people born deaf by repairing a single faulty gene using viral gene therapy. The groundbreaking achievement is offering new hope to millions affected by hereditary hearing loss.
The treatment works by delivering a healthy copy of the defective gene into inner ear cells. This gene plays a vital role in creating proteins that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals the brain can interpret. Once corrected, patients who had never experienced sound were able to recognize speech, music, and everyday noises for the first time.
Early clinical trials, particularly among young children, revealed dramatic gains in auditory response and speech recognition. Scientists highlight that younger patients benefit the most, as the brain’s ability to adapt to new sensory input is strongest during early development.
This milestone goes beyond restoring hearing, it underscores the transformative potential of gene therapy to address a wide range of congenital conditions. Experts believe this breakthrough could pave the way toward treating, and even preventing, hereditary deafness in future generations.
