BACKGROUND: Declines in hearing acuity, especially in the high frequency range, often appear in middle age. The objective of this study was to characterize genetic and environmental influences that may underlie this pattern. METHODS: One hundred seventy-nine monozygotic and 150 dizygotic twin pairs, ranging in age from 52 to 60 years, were selected from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry and individually tested for hearing acuity in the frequency range from 500 to 8000 Hz. Biometrical modeling was used to quantify genetic and environmental influences. RESULTS: For individuals' better ears, approximately two-thirds (65%-70%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 46%-75%) of the variance in hearing acuity in the middle and high frequency ranges could be accounted for by genetic factors. For the individuals' poorer ear, which would be expected to show lower heritability, approximately one-half (41%-54%, 95% CI, 11%-67%) of the variance in the middle and high frequency ranges could be accounted for by genetic influences. Within a given frequency range, the same genetic factors influenced both the better and poorer ears. In contrast, although there was some overlap of genetic influences on the middle and high frequencies within a given ear, there were also some genetic influences that were specific to each frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that genetic effects play an important role in the level of hearing loss that often appears in late middle age. These data have important implications for identifying persons who may be especially vulnerable to environmental risk factors such as noise exposure and medications with ototoxic properties.
BACKGROUND: Declines in hearing acuity, especially in the high frequency range, often appear in middle age. The objective of this study was to characterize genetic and environmental influences that may underlie this pattern. METHODS: One hundred seventy-nine monozygotic and 150 dizygotic twin pairs, ranging in age from 52 to 60 years, were selected from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry and individually tested for hearing acuity in the frequency range from 500 to 8000 Hz. Biometrical modeling was used to quantify genetic and environmental influences. RESULTS: For individuals' better ears, approximately two-thirds (65%-70%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 46%-75%) of the variance in hearing acuity in the middle and high frequency ranges could be accounted for by genetic factors. For the individuals' poorer ear, which would be expected to show lower heritability, approximately one-half (41%-54%, 95% CI, 11%-67%) of the variance in the middle and high frequency ranges could be accounted for by genetic influences. Within a given frequency range, the same genetic factors influenced both the better and poorer ears. In contrast, although there was some overlap of genetic influences on the middle and high frequencies within a given ear, there were also some genetic influences that were specific to each frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that genetic effects play an important role in the level of hearing loss that often appears in late middle age. These data have important implications for identifying persons who may be especially vulnerable to environmental risk factors such as noise exposure and medications with ototoxic properties.
Authors: Mark W Albers; Grover C Gilmore; Jeffrey Kaye; Claire Murphy; Arthur Wingfield; David A Bennett; Adam L Boxer; Aron S Buchman; Karen J Cruickshanks; Davangere P Devanand; Charles J Duffy; Christine M Gall; George A Gates; Ann-Charlotte Granholm; Takao Hensch; Roee Holtzer; Bradley T Hyman; Frank R Lin; Ann C McKee; John C Morris; Ronald C Petersen; Lisa C Silbert; Robert G Struble; John Q Trojanowski; Joe Verghese; Donald A Wilson; Shunbin Xu; Li I Zhang Journal: Alzheimers Dement Date: 2014-07-09 Impact factor: 21.566
Authors: Anne Viljanen; Jaakko Kaprio; Ilmari Pyykkö; Martti Sorri; Satu Pajala; Markku Kauppinen; Markku Koskenvuo; Taina Rantanen Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2009-01-31 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Dina L Newman; Laurel M Fisher; Jeffrey Ohmen; Robert Parody; Chin-To Fong; Susan T Frisina; Frances Mapes; David A Eddins; D Robert Frisina; Robert D Frisina; Rick A Friedman Journal: Hear Res Date: 2012-10-25 Impact factor: 3.208
Authors: Henning Frenzel; Jörg Bohlender; Katrin Pinsker; Bärbel Wohlleben; Jens Tank; Stefan G Lechner; Daniela Schiska; Teresa Jaijo; Franz Rüschendorf; Kathrin Saar; Jens Jordan; José M Millán; Manfred Gross; Gary R Lewin Journal: PLoS Biol Date: 2012-05-01 Impact factor: 8.029
Authors: Arve Lie; Marit Skogstad; Håkon A Johannessen; Tore Tynes; Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum; Karl-Christian Nordby; Bo Engdahl; Kristian Tambs Journal: Int Arch Occup Environ Health Date: 2015-08-07 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Stacey S Cherny; Gregory Livshits; Helena R R Wells; Maxim B Freidin; Ida Malkin; Sally J Dawson; Frances M K Williams Journal: Eur J Hum Genet Date: 2020-03-20 Impact factor: 5.351