{"id":10315,"date":"2026-09-16T08:54:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T06:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ekfz.uni-goettingen.de\/deafness-457844ig\/"},"modified":"2026-09-24T17:27:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T15:27:02","slug":"deafness-457844ig","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ekfz.uni-goettingen.de\/en\/deafness-457844ig\/","title":{"rendered":"Deafness"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row row_type=”main-section” stukram_section_layout=”section_grid”][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

Dear patients,
\ndear visitors to the website,<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]a warm welcome to the patient section of the Else Kr\u00f6ner Fresenius Center for Optogenetic Therapies.<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 466 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss that requires treatment, including around 16 million people with hearing impairment and 80,000 deaf people in Germany. Anyone who hears little or is deaf from birth learns to speak only with difficulty, if at all. To date, inner-ear hearing disorders can be partially corrected with electrical cochlear implants (eCI). These enable those affected to understand speech in a quiet environment, but the hearing impression is still far from natural hearing. For complex hearing perception that makes it possible to understand speech in background noise, interpret the emotional tone of speech, or enjoy melodies in music, further development of hearing with a cochlear implant (CI) is required. On the following pages you will find more information about how it works and its current stage of development.[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”6832″ img_size=”medium”][vc_column_text]Prof. Dr. med. D. Beutner<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][vc_single_image image=”6792″ img_size=”medium”][vc_column_text]Prof. Dr. med. T. Moser<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][wr_vc_section_button button_name=”H\u00f6ren mit Licht” link_url=”#hoeren-mit-licht”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][wr_vc_section_button button_name=”Wo wir stehen” link_url=”#wo-wir-stehen”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][wr_vc_section_button button_name=”Weitere Informationen” link_url=”#weitere-informationen”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/4″][wr_vc_section_button button_name=”Fragen?” link_url=”#weitere-informationen”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”160px”][vc_column_text]\n

The Goal<\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

From electrical to optical cochlear implant through optogenetics<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The optical cochlear implant (oCI) currently under development uses optogenetics to restore hearing by introducing light-gated ion channels into the auditory nerve via local gene therapy to enable direct neuronal stimulation by light. Stimulation with light can be spatially much better confined than the stimulation of cells with electrical current, as used in the electrical CIs currently in use.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”50px”][vc_column_text]\n

The Miracle of Hearing<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u2013 a documentary by Ralph Loop<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0MRiWZQn0W4&t=40s” el_width=”90″ align=”center” css_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]\n

How does our hearing work? What happens when it loses its function? And how far has research come on the path to one day restoring lost hearing?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Miracle of Hearing\u201d accompanies scientists in their search for answers and shows how fascinating and complex our auditory system is. Among other locations, the documentary leads to G\u00f6ttingen to Prof. Tobias Moser and his team, who are researching new approaches to the restoration of hearing. A special focus is placed on optogenetics \u2013 a research approach in which light is used to specifically stimulate signals in the inner ear.<\/p>\n

We invite you to take your time and get to know the research behind current developments. The video lasts about 53 minutes.[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”160px” el_id=”hoeren-mit-licht”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”main-section” stukram_section_layout=”section_grid”][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

Hearing with light<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Cochlear implants enable most users to understand speech in a quiet environment. However, they suffer from limited sound coding quality: due to the wide spatial spread of the electrical current from each electrode contact, too many auditory nerve cells in the vicinity of the contact are stimulated simultaneously (Fig.). As a result, the number of independent stimulation channels is low (typically under 10), and the ability to distinguish pitch and loudness when hearing with cochlear implants is limited. This severely restricts the ability to understand speech in background noise, follow musical melodies, or interpret the emotional tone in speech. Because light can be focused more precisely in space, this fundamental problem could be overcome by using light instead of electrical current to stimulate the neurons. Each light source would then excite a much smaller group of cells compared to \u201celectrical hearing\u201d (Fig. 1). In this way, future optical cochlear implants could transmit sound information via 64 stimulation channels using microscale light sources. This promises a significant improvement in distinguishing pitch and loudness, and thus a breakthrough in restoring hearing for people with severe hearing loss.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10318″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Figure: Schematic representation of how cochlear implants work (<\/b>Kleinlogel<\/b> et al., <\/b>Physiol<\/b> Rev. 2020, modified)<\/b>
\nLeft: Current electrical cochlear implant with large lateral spread of electrical stimulation from each of the 12 electrode contacts. Right: Future optical implant with numerous emitters whose light is focused on the auditory nerve.[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”160px” el_id=”wo-wir-stehen”][vc_column_text]\n

Where we currently stand<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]EKFZ OT is working on preclinical oCIs for the fundamental characterization of optical hearing and on developing the human prototype for clinical testing. For the clinical oCI, some components of the electrical implant can be used, but other components such as the waveguide-based optical stimulator and the sound coding strategy must be newly developed and approved under the strict testing rules for active implantable medical devices. Patient safety and long-term stability, which must be ensured even under the most adverse conditions, are top priorities.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”10451″ img_size=”full”][vc_separator][vc_empty_space height=”160px” el_id=”weitere-informationen”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”main-section” stukram_section_layout=”section_grid” stukram_content_row_opt=”y-gap-32 layout-pt-md”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]\n

More
\nInformation<\/span> <\/b><\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Since the founding of EKFZ OT, the focus has been on the development of new therapeutic approaches for deafness, blindness, gastroparesis and motor deficits. The aim is to develop optogenetic restoration of hearing with optical cochlea implants, optogenetic restoration of vision with light-amplifying glasses, optical gastric pacemakers and brain-computer interfaces for the future treatment of patients. Scientific excellence and international recognition are reflected in the leading researchers of EKFZ OT, who are leaders in their respective fields. In doing so, they make use of local research networks such as the Cluster of Excellence (MBExC), the Collaborative Research Center 1690, as well as cooperation with external partners.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image onclick=”custom_link” image=”10350″ img_size=”medium” link=”https:\/\/hno.umg.eu” img_link_target=”_blank”][vc_column_text]Department of Otorhinolaryngology at University Medical Center G\u00f6ttingen[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image onclick=”custom_link” image=”10214″ img_size=”medium” link=”https:\/\/www.auditory-neuroscience.uni-goettingen.de\/” img_link_target=”_blank”][vc_column_text]Institute for Auditory Neuroscience (IAN)[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image onclick=”custom_link” image=”6970″ img_size=”medium” link=”https:\/\/sfb1690.uni-goettingen.de\/index.php?lng=de” img_link_target=”_blank”][vc_column_text]Collaborative Research Center 1690[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]\n

Audiovisual art project brings \u201chearing with light\u201d to life<\/h4>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”text-kleiner”]In addition, we would like to draw your attention to our audiovisual art project \u201cKLANGLICHT \u2013 Sound of Light\u201d<\/a>. What does it sound like when someone hears again for the first time after years of severe hearing loss or deafness? What does it feel like when new technologies make the world of sound clearer and more differentiated than before? The audiovisual music project, an animated video in the style of a music video, is dedicated to these questions. The aim is to bring current G\u00f6ttingen research on the restoration of \u201chearing with light\u201d closer to listeners in a tangible form. You are only one \u201cclick\u201d away.[\/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lgj6sDYWt6o”][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]\n

Questions? <\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]\n

We are here for you.<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]University Medical Center G\u00f6ttingen<\/strong>
\nDepartment of Otolaryngology<\/strong>
\nAudiology Center
\nEmail: audiol.zentrum@med.uni-goettingen.de<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”10376″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”10378″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row row_type=”main-section” stukram_section_layout=”section_grid”][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dear patients, dear visitors to the website, [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]a warm welcome to the patient section of the Else Kr\u00f6ner Fresenius…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-10315","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDeafness - ekfz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ekfz.uni-goettingen.de\/en\/deafness-457844ig\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Deafness - ekfz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[vc_row row_type=”main-section” stukram_section_layout=”section_grid”][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dear patients, dear visitors to the website, [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]a warm welcome to the patient section of the Else Kr\u00f6ner Fresenius...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ekfz.uni-goettingen.de\/en\/deafness-457844ig\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ekfz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-24T15:27:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ekfz.uni-goettingen.de\\\/en\\\/deafness-457844ig\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ekfz.uni-goettingen.de\\\/en\\\/deafness-457844ig\\\/\",\"name\":\"Deafness - 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