Progressive hereditary hearing impairment caused by a MYO6 mutation resembles presbyacusis

Since deafness is the most common sensorineural disorder in humans, better understanding of the underlying causes is necessary to improve counseling and rehabilitation. A Dutch family with autosomal dominantly inherited sensorineural hearing loss was clinically and genetically assessed. The MYO6 gene was selected to be sequenced because of similarities with other, previously described DFNA22 phenotypes and a pathogenic c.3610C > T (p.R1204W) mutation was found to co-segregate with the disease. This missense mutation results in a flat configured audiogram with a mild hearing loss, which becomes severe to profound and gently to steeply downsloping later in life. The age-related typical audiograms (ARTA) constructed for this family resemble presbyacusis. Speech audiometry and results of loudness scaling support the hypothesis that the phenotype of this specific MYO6 mutation mimics presbyacusis.

► Autosomal dominantly inherited, midlife onset, progressive hearing loss.
► The hearing loss is caused by a new MYO6 mutation.
► The phenotype of this DFNA22 family resembles presbyacusis phenotype.