Hearing loss and vestibular schwannoma: new insights into Schwann cells implication

2023 · Unclear · Insufficient evidence

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UnclearInsufficient evidencePaper 348

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2023

Study typereview

Reported directionUnclear

Evidence ratingInsufficient

Abstract

Hearing loss and vestibular schwannoma: new insights into Schwann cells implication Mohamed, T., Melfi, V., Colciago, A. et al. Hearing loss and vestibular schwannoma: new insights into Schwann cells implication. Cell Death Dis 14, 629 (2023). doi: 10.1038/s41419-023-06141-z. Abstract Hearing loss (HL) is the most common and heterogeneous disorder of the sensory system, with a large morbidity in the worldwide population. Among cells of the acoustic nerve (VIII cranial nerve), in the cochlea are present the hair cells, the spiral ganglion neurons, the glia-like supporting cells, and the Schwann cells (SCs), which alterations have been considered cause of HL. Notably, a benign SC-derived tumor of the acoustic nerve, named vestibular schwannoma (VS), has been indicated as cause of HL. Importantly, SCs are the main glial cells ensheathing axons and forming myelin in the peripheral nerves. Following an injury, the SCs reprogram, expressing some stemness features. Despite the mechanisms and factors controlling their biological processes (i.e., proliferation, migration, differentiation, and myelination) have been largely unveiled, their role in VS and HL was poorly investigated. In this review, we enlighten some of the mechanisms at the base of SCs transformation, VS development, and progression, likely leading to HL, and we pose great attention on the environmental factors that, in principle, could contribute to HL onset or progression. Combining the biomolecular bench-side approach to the clinical bedside practice may be helpful for the diagnosis, prediction, and therapeutic approach in otology. Excerpt In addition, a number of other environmental factors, including the exposure to electric or electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emitted by electronic devices (e.g., domestic appliances, notebooks or mobile phones), has been also suspected as potential risk factor for human health [122, 123], likely including VS onset and growth (see Fig. Fig.4).4). In the last decades, scientific studies, empirical observations, and patient reports clearly indicate interactions between EMFs exposure and health problems although in the same time the general susceptibility to environmental factors, like EMFs, has been frequently neglected [122]. This claim correlated to the strong development of new technologies, such as the rapid increase in mobile phone use, which, indeed, has raised some safety concerns in terms of tumor incidence for the worldwide population. Epidemiological studies performed in human cohorts, like case-control and case-case analysis, showed a consistent association between tumors and mobile phone use, with a greater correlation to tumor growth rather than to incidence [123–126]. There was also rising evidence that long-term exposure to certain EMFs could be a risk factor for some diseases, like Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and male infertility [122, 127]. However, this sensitive issue needs extensive future investigations to reach consensus on the cause-effect correlation. Presently, most of the data are epidemiologic and poorly supported by in vivo/in vitro experiments. The few in vivo outcomes from the scientific literature, indeed, are controversial, given the difficulty to compare experimental protocols (e.g., humans vs. rodents or EMF intensity vs. frequency, exposure time, etc.). The international scientific community has been proposing the more prudent hypothesis of “electromagnetic sensitivity” state, to indicate occasional symptoms in humans, including headaches, concentration difficulties, sleep problems, depression and fatigue due to EMFs exposure [128]. Open access paper: nature.com

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typereview

Effect directionunclear

PopulationNot supplied

Sample sizeNot supplied

Exposurelong-term exposure (mentioned, not quantified)

Evidence strengthInsufficientConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

This review discusses Schwann cell biology in relation to hearing loss and vestibular schwannoma and notes that exposure to electric/electromagnetic fields from electronic devices has been suspected as a potential risk factor, including for vestibular schwannoma onset and growth. It states that some epidemiological studies reported a consistent association between tumors and mobile phone use, with a greater correlation to tumor growth than incidence, but emphasizes that evidence is largely epidemiologic, in vivo/in vitro support is limited, and consensus on causality is lacking.

Outcomes measured

hearing loss
vestibular schwannoma onset
vestibular schwannoma growth/progression
electromagnetic sensitivity symptoms (e.g., headaches, concentration difficulties, sleep problems, depression, fatigue)
Alzheimer's disease (mentioned)
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (mentioned)
male infertility (mentioned)

Limitations

Narrative review; no primary data presented in the abstract/excerpt.
EMF-related evidence described as largely epidemiologic and poorly supported by in vivo/in vitro experiments.
In vivo findings described as controversial and difficult to compare due to differing protocols (species, intensity/frequency, exposure time).
Cause-effect correlation stated to require extensive future investigations to reach consensus.

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "review",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "electronic devices (e.g., domestic appliances, notebooks, mobile phones)",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "long-term exposure (mentioned, not quantified)"
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "hearing loss",
    "vestibular schwannoma onset",
    "vestibular schwannoma growth/progression",
    "electromagnetic sensitivity symptoms (e.g., headaches, concentration difficulties, sleep problems, depression, fatigue)",
    "Alzheimer's disease (mentioned)",
    "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (mentioned)",
    "male infertility (mentioned)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "This review discusses Schwann cell biology in relation to hearing loss and vestibular schwannoma and notes that exposure to electric/electromagnetic fields from electronic devices has been suspected as a potential risk factor, including for vestibular schwannoma onset and growth. It states that some epidemiological studies reported a consistent association between tumors and mobile phone use, with a greater correlation to tumor growth than incidence, but emphasizes that evidence is largely epidemiologic, in vivo/in vitro support is limited, and consensus on causality is lacking.",
  "effect_direction": "unclear",
  "limitations": [
    "Narrative review; no primary data presented in the abstract/excerpt.",
    "EMF-related evidence described as largely epidemiologic and poorly supported by in vivo/in vitro experiments.",
    "In vivo findings described as controversial and difficult to compare due to differing protocols (species, intensity/frequency, exposure time).",
    "Cause-effect correlation stated to require extensive future investigations to reach consensus."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "hearing loss",
    "vestibular schwannoma",
    "Schwann cells",
    "electromagnetic fields",
    "mobile phones",
    "environmental factors",
    "tumor growth",
    "epidemiology",
    "electromagnetic sensitivity"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "who-icnirp",
      "weight": 0.3,
      "reason": "Discusses EMF health concerns and need for consensus; relevant to international EMF risk evaluation context."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06141-z
PubMed: Not supplied

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