Recently, the gene fault that is associated with deafness has been discovered. This discovery will prove helpful in testing people and families having inherited deafness and it can be found whether or not the future children will suffer any such hearing disorder.

This research was conducted in The Netherlands and was financially funded by Royal National Institute for the Deaf. The research found that alterations in PTPRQ genes can possibly lead to deafness. The conducted research studied the genetic structure of families with inherited deafness.

It is known that one in 750 children is born either deaf or with intense hearing loss with half of the counted having it inherited genetically.

Basically the research project concluded by comparing DNA of each of the family members and tried to find out the positions in the gene sequence that may be the cause of in deafness. Thereby three deafness-causing genes were discovered. These found genes are an important in development of inner ear hair cells.

RNID’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Dr. Sohaila Rastan stated that said this discovery provides a deep insight to the functioning of hearing and this in turn will help in preparing medicines that will help in restoring the severe hearing impairment or will help prevent deafness.