Light eye colour linked to deafness after meningitis
Light eye colour linked to deafness after meningitis
People with light eyes are more prone to deafness after meningitis than those with dark eyes
Bacterial meningitis is the most common cause of profound deafness acquired in childhood. Previously there have been no strong indicators of why some survivors of meningitis experience hearing loss whereas others recover fully.
The link between pigmentation and damage to hearing after exposure to ototoxic substances and noise is well documented. People with brown eyes are more likely to experience hearing loss after exposure to cisplatin. It is assumed that people with dark eyes also have more melanin in the inner ear than those with light eyes, and melanin causes the retention of ototoxic derivatives within the cochlea.1 A higher melanin content in the cochlea also protects against the effects of noise; those with dark eyes are less likely to develop hearing loss associated with noise.
587-587
Cullington, Helen F.
a8b72e6d-2788-406d-aefe-d7f34ee6e10e
2001
Cullington, Helen F.
a8b72e6d-2788-406d-aefe-d7f34ee6e10e
Cullington, Helen F.
(2001)
Light eye colour linked to deafness after meningitis.
BMJ, 322 (7282), .
Abstract
People with light eyes are more prone to deafness after meningitis than those with dark eyes
Bacterial meningitis is the most common cause of profound deafness acquired in childhood. Previously there have been no strong indicators of why some survivors of meningitis experience hearing loss whereas others recover fully.
The link between pigmentation and damage to hearing after exposure to ototoxic substances and noise is well documented. People with brown eyes are more likely to experience hearing loss after exposure to cisplatin. It is assumed that people with dark eyes also have more melanin in the inner ear than those with light eyes, and melanin causes the retention of ototoxic derivatives within the cochlea.1 A higher melanin content in the cochlea also protects against the effects of noise; those with dark eyes are less likely to develop hearing loss associated with noise.
Text
lighteyecolour.pdf
- Version of Record
Restricted to Repository staff only
Request a copy
More information
Published date: 2001
Organisations:
Human Sciences Group
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 10562
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/10562
ISSN: 0959-8138
PURE UUID: 2016d21f-4c48-423d-8eeb-815fcffdaa80
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 06 Feb 2006
Last modified: 19 Apr 2024 01:40
Export record
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
