HEALTH UPDATE: key hearing loss gene identified

In a latest research a gene responsible for the single most common cause of hearing loss among white adults has been identified. According to the study Belgian researcher hope their discovery will lead to new treatments for otosclerosis, which affects approximately one in 250 people.
The condition is caused by abnormal growth of a bone in the middle ear, which interrupts sound waves passing to the inner ear.
Details were announced to a European Society of Human Genetics conference. It is thought that otosclerosis is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Lead researcher Melissa Thys, from the University of Antwerp, said.