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Review
. 2024 Jan 26;14(1):116-128.
doi: 10.3390/audiolres14010010.

The Inheritance of Hearing Loss and Deafness: A Historical Perspective

Alessandro Martini  1 , Andrea Cozza  2 , Valerio Maria Di Pasquale Fiasca  3
Affiliations
Review

The Inheritance of Hearing Loss and Deafness: A Historical Perspective

Alessandro Martini et al. Audiol Res. .

Abstract

If the term "genetics" is a relatively recent proposition, introduced in 1905 by English biologist William Bateson, who rediscovered and spread in the scientific community Mendel's principles of inheritance, since the dawn of human civilization the influence of heredity has been recognized, especially in agricultural crops and animal breeding. And, later, in familial dynasties. In this concise review, we outline the evolution of the idea of hereditary hearing loss, up to the current knowledge of molecular genetics and epigenetics.

Keywords: consanguinity; deaf-mutism; deafness; epigenetics; genetics; hearing loss; inheritance.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Frontispiece of Johann Andreas Fischer’s Dissertatio Medica Inauguralis de Morbis Haereditariis, 1688 (personal collection).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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