A mutation of a specific microRNA called miR-96 was found to be a cause of deafness by researchers from University of Sheffield, England.

Deafness is a hearing loss of more than 90 decibels.

Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults.  One in three people older than 60, and half of those older than 85 have hearing loss, according to the National Institute of Health.

Dr Walter Marcotti, lead author of the study, and Professor Karen Steel of the Sanger Institute, conducted their study on mice, which do not normally hear when they were born for less than 12 days and their immature hair cells must execute a precise genetic program that regulates the development of distinct types of sensory hair cell.

They found that the mutation in miR-96 inhibits development of the auditory sensory hair cells, which are located in the inner ear and are essential for encoding sound as electrical signals that are then sent to the brain.

A strain of mice called diminuendo carrying a single base mutation in the miR-96 gene hair development is arrested around birth.

MiR-96 controls hair cell development by affecting the expression of many different genes, which are linked to developmental processes at a specific stage.

The study indicates that drug can be produced to target microRNA molecules, which contain miR-96 that cause human deafness, to help treat hearing loss.

Hearing loss can be caused by a virus or bacteria, heart conditions or stroke, head injuries, tumors, and certain medicines.

Stephen Lau and editing by Denise Reynolds