Genetic Susceptibility of Age-related Hearing Loss
12 March 2025
Main Applicant – Dr Jianjun Liu, Acting Executive Director, Laboratory of Human Genomics, Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS)
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a major global health issue due to its high prevalence and associated complications. It is also the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, contributing to 8% of cases.
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are commonly used to find genetic variants linked to ARHL, with over 100 genetic loci identified. However, previous GWAS focused on individuals of European descent and mainly used array and whole-exome sequencing data, which are unable to analyse the full spectrum of variants, such as rare and non-coding genetic variants. More importantly, the causality between ARHL and dementia is unclear.
We aim to identify susceptible genes and variants of ARHL and investigate the genetic correlation between ARHL and dementia. We are using the PRECISE-SG100K dataset, which includes whole-genome sequencing data from multi-ethnic Asian populations.
Uncovering the genetic causes of ARHL could reveal underlying pathological mechanisms, facilitate early screening, and lead to potential treatments. Exploring the intricate genetic connections between ARHL and dementia could further enhance mechanistic understanding and stimulate more research on the interplay among various age-related diseases and disorders.