Dr Wise's research is exploring new methods of delivering neurotrophic factors to the cochlea.

Deafness can result from damage to sensory hair cells within the cochlea, for example by loud noise or antibiotic drugs. Often a cochlear implant is the only therapeutic option available to restore hearing to deaf people. The cochlear implant electrically stimulates the auditory nerve within the cochlea to bypass the lost or damaged sensory hair cells in order to provide 'sound' to the recipient.

To function effectively the cochlear implant relies on a healthy population of auditory nerves to transmit the electrical signals from the implant to the brain. However, the loss of the sensory hair cells has a detrimental effect on the remaining auditory nerves; they begin to degenerate and will eventually die over time. A major reason for nerve degeneration and death is the loss of neuroprotective factors called neurotrophins that are normally supplied to the nerves by the sensory hair cells. Results from this research have shown that if we replace the lost neurotrophins then we are not only able to stop the nerves from degenerating and dying but also rescue the nerves that have begun to die and even promote resprouting of these nerves.

Cell-based techniques are used to deliver neurotrophic factors to the cochlea. Cells that produce neurotrophins are implanted into the cochlea in combination with a cochlear electrode array, to determine the effects of this treatment on auditory nerve survival and function. Gene transfer techniques are also being tried that will enable neurotrophins to be produced within the cochlea.

This research is generously supported by the Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation, the US National Institutes of Health (HHS-N-263-2007-00053-C) Stavros Niarchos Foundation, The Royal National Institute for Deaf People, the John T Reid Charitable Trusts and the Pierce Armstrong Trust.

▪ The bionic ear and brain plasticity
▪ Auditory neuron response to electrical stimulation from a bionic ear
▪ Protecting auditory nerve cells using Neurotrophin Cells
▪ Protecting auditory nerve cells using genetic therapy

1. Richardson RT, Wise AK, Thompson BC, Flynn BO, Atkinson PJ, Fretwell NJ, Fallon JB, Wallace GG, Shepherd RK, Clark GM, O'Leary SJ. Polypyrrole-coated electrodes for the delivery of charge and neurotrophins to cochlear neurons. Biomaterials. 2009 Jan 27. [Epub ahead of print]

2. Richardson RT, Wise AK, Andrew JK, O'Leary SJ. Novel drug delivery systems for inner ear protection and regeneration after hearing loss. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2008, 5(10):1059-76.

3. Sly DJ, Heffer LF, White MW, Shepherd RK, Birch MG, Minter RL, Nelson NE, Wise AK, O'Leary SJ. Deafness alters auditory nerve fibre responses to cochlear implant stimulation. Eur J Neurosci. 2007 Jul;26(2):510-22.

4. Pettingill LN, Richardson RT, Wise AK, O'Leary SJ, Shepherd RK. Neurotrophic factors and neural prostheses: potential clinical applications based upon findings in the auditory system. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2007 Jun;54(6 Pt 1):1138-48.

5. Wise AK, Richardson R, Hardman J, Clark G, O'leary S. Resprouting and survival of guinea pig cochlear neurons in response to the administration of the neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3. J Comp Neurol. 2005 Jun 27;487(2):147-65

6. Hurley PA, Clarke M, Crook JM, Wise AK, Shepherd RK. Cochlear immunochemistry--a new technique based on gelatin embedding. J Neurosci Methods. 2003 Oct 15;129(1):81-6.

7.Wise AK, Fallon JB. The effect of muscle contraction on kinaesthesia. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2002;508:87-94.

8. Wise AK, Morgan DL, Gregory JE, Proske U. Fatigue in mammalian skeletal muscle stimulated under computer control. J Appl Physiol. 2001 Jan;90(1):189-97.

9. Morgan DL, Whitehead NP, Wise AK, Gregory JE, Proske U. Tension changes in the cat soleus muscle following slow stretch or shortening of the contracting muscle. J Physiol. 2000 Feb 1;522 Pt 3:503-13.

10. Proske U, Wise AK, Gregory JE. Movement detection thresholds at the human elbow joint. Prog Brain Res. 1999;123:143-7.

See more publications by Andrew Wise in PubMed


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