Possible Treatment? Myelin Sheath Repaired with Antibody in Mice

So one of the theories for the cause of tinnitus is damage to the myelin sheath of the auditory nerve. While looking around on the net I came across this article which covers research being conducted at the Mayo clinic. Apparently they've found an antibody that can repair myelin. Hopefully this could lead to a treatment for tinnitus.

"Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a human antibody administered in a single low dose in laboratory mouse models can repair myelin, the insulating covering of nerves that when damaged can lead to multiple sclerosis and other disorders of the central nervous system."

Multiple Sclerosis: Myelin Sheath Repaired With Antibody In Mice​

 

They don't seem to mention tinnitus in the article. Is this a treatment that already exist for something else? They should try it on someone with chronic tinnitus just to see how it pans out.

 

Why would myelin be damaged in farmers, musicians, and others who have tinnitus and hearing loss? I don't see any reason for it. Nerves don't "wear out" from use.

 

This research was not based on tinnitus but on multiple sclerosis which is a disease that breaks down the myelin sheath around nerves. To see how it relates to tinnitus take a look at this press release from the University of Leicester:

Tinnitus study signals new advance in understanding link between exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss

"A research team investigating tinnitus, from the University of Leicester, has revealed new insights into the link between the exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss."

"Their study, published this week in J Neurosci, helps to understand how damage to myelin – a protection sheet around cells - alters the transmission of auditory signals occurring during hearing loss."

The lead researcher, Dr Hamamm was quoted as saying: “A previous publication has shown that exposure to loud sound damages the myelin which is the protection sheet around cells. We have now shown the closer links between a deficit in the “myelin” sheath surrounding the auditory nerve and hearing loss. It becomes obvious why hearing loss is correlated with auditory signals failing to get transmitted along the auditory nerve."

“I am very excited by this research. The work will help prevention as well as progression into finding appropriate cures for hearing loss and possibly tinnitus developing from hearing loss.”​

 

"Hearing can recover
Scientists found that myelin loss, as a result of noise exposure, re-grows in time, meaning hearing can recover."

Loud music damages the nerves in the brain​

How long it take to re-grow? Few days, weeks, months or more?

 

That's really the 64,000$ question. Because of the chronic nature of hearing loss and tinnitus in general, it has been assumed for a long time that most structures did not repair or regrow in any way. Little by little, researchers are finding out that might not always be the case. Part of the difficulty of studying this, however, has been that a researcher can't cut open a person's cochlea or other auditory structures and study them in a living person without causing permanent and catastrophic damage to that person's ability to hear. This obviously is an ethical issue and has never been tried as a result.

So, scientists have had to come up with novel ways to either mimic the structures of the auditory system they are interested in studying, or invent novel ways to study the human auditory system en vivo without hurting it. A lot of research has been done on having a living, functioning cochlea in a petri dish basically. None of it is easy or cheap.

 

I read in a journal entry online that I'm having trouble finding where as the hair cells in our ears move, neurotransmitters are produced in connection with the nerve fibers in our ears. When we listen to loud music or a loud noise happens right next to us, the sound waves cause an overload of neurotransmitters to flow out that basically cause the nerve fibers to completely malfunction and disconnect from the hair cells themselves. This means that nerves can be much more susceptible to damage in our ears. There are many short articles online talking about how headphones can destroy almost all of our nerve fibers if not careful and also cause damage to the myelin sheath just like multiple sclerosis.

 

Over exposure to pretty any stimuli can cause nerve damage.

Loud noises? Yes.

Laser directly in the eye? Also yes.

Extreme cold/hot temperatures? You bet there will be nerve damage.

I'm not sure where the guy you are replying to got his idea from.

 

I heard the myelin sheath regrows at a rate of 1 - 2 mm per day. Granted, this was in relation to a herniated disc and sciatica.

 

So I have a new theory, which could be bogus but why not go for it.

Lately I seem to find a correlation between my low end intrusive warble tinnitus and ear clogged feeling.

They just don't co-exist for me. Seems lately I go through a few days of clogged feeling, which finally pops and subsides, and then the low end acts up, which then subsides in a couple days, and back to clogged.

ENT confirmed no fluid or infection today and said it was likely an inner ear neural issue.

So I get researching on myelin sheaths and their role. It's essentially insulation for your nerve to function properly. When my clogged inflammation is present, I theorize that it's acting as insulation to my damaged nerve. When it goes away they act up.

There ARE ways to regenerate myelin. Vitamin D, melatonin, exercise, learning new skills are all important in myelin regeneration I read. I'm going to work on this and see the outcome.

 

I find this article very interesting. Since then there has been no further research on myelin and tinnitus.