Nonsyndromic hereditary hearing loss

Like many areas of medicine, the rapid advances in genetics and molecular biology are revolutionizing our understanding of hearing and balance disorders. Dramatic progress has been made in identifying deafness genes in the past few years. These genes encode proteins of diverse function, including transcription factors, cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix components, and ion channels. The diversity of the genes so far identified is testimony to the complexities of auditory development and function and the power of genetic approaches. In what is about to become the postgenomic era, the study of the proteins encoded by these genes will advance our understanding of auditory development and function and lead to innovative approaches toward the treatment of patients with hearing disorders.