Temporary blindness can help restore hearing

Scientists from the United States in a recent experiment found that mice that spent a week in complete darkness experienced significant changes in brain function and their hearing improved significantly, and this effect was observed for several weeks after the mice were returned to their usual environment, i.e. to daylight.

Scientists also note that time spent in the dark did not affect the quality of the rodents' vision. Researchers believe that this discovery can help patients who have certain hearing problems. The impetus for such an interesting experiment was famous blind musicians who had perfect pitch. In addition, it is no secret that in complete darkness, a person's hearing becomes sharper, but this effect is lost after a person becomes "sighted" again. As can be seen from the experiment with rodents, a week of "blindness" led to an increase in hearing for several weeks, and then the mice's hearing returned to its previous state. Now scientists are looking for ways to help preserve changes in the brain that activate auditory receptors for a longer period.

In a new research project, scientists divided mice into two groups. The first group was placed in a box with no light and left in such conditions for a week, the second group of mice continued to live in normal conditions. After that, the specialists compared the hearing of the rodents from both groups and, as it turned out, the mice from the first group began to hear quiet sounds much better, while the rodents from the second group did not react to such sounds. At the same time, the scientists noted the beginning of changes in the structure of the cerebral cortex of the mice - neural connections significantly improved, new neurons were formed. At this stage, the authors of the research project cannot say for sure whether a similar result is possible in humans. However, it is impossible to place a person in a completely dark room for a week, but scientists believe that with the help of changes in the auditory cortex in the brain, it is possible to help people who need auditory implants or those who are starting to experience age-related hearing loss. Scientists believe that artificially induced blindness for a certain period of time will help restore hearing.

Scientists noted that in order for the neural connections responsible for sound processing to improve, it is necessary to provoke "temporary artificial blindness." As researchers believe, this discovery is quite important for medicine. This research project points to the interaction of the body's sensory systems, in this case, how "blindness" can improve the quality of hearing. This experiment will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the perception of the surrounding world, and the discovery can also be useful in pharmacology in the manufacture of drugs that activate the necessary processes in the brain to help patients with hearing loss caused by age-related changes or professional activity.

Scientists are currently determining whether a similar result is possible in humans and whether, if necessary, artificial blindness can help restore hearing.

The research team published the results of the study in one of the scientific journals of the United States, Neuron.