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A research group has discovered that using "a unique sound stimulation technology"—a device that stimulates the inner ear—reduces motion sickness. Even a single minute of stimulation reduced the staggering and discomfort felt by people that read in a moving vehicle. The results suggest a simple and effective way to treat this common disorder. "Our study demonstrated that short-term stimulation using a unique sound called 'sound spice' alleviates symptoms of motion sickness, such as nausea and dizziness," Kagawa said. "The effective sound level falls within the range of everyday environmental noise exposure, suggesting that the sound technology is both effective and...

A person’s hearing can be damaged by loud noise, aging and even certain medications, with little recourse beyond a hearing aid or cochlear implant. But now, UCSF scientists have achieved a breakthrough in understanding what is happening in the inner ear during hearing loss, laying the groundwork for preventing deafness. The research, published on Dec. 22, 2023, in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight, links animal studies on hearing loss with a rare type of inherited deafness in humans. In both cases, mutations to the TMTC4 gene trigger a molecular domino effect known as the unfolded protein response (UPR), leading...