National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder


Other Names:
Auditory dys-synchrony; Auditory neuropathy; Auditory dyssynchrony; Auditory dys-synchrony; Auditory neuropathy; Auditory dyssynchrony; ANSD See More
Categories:
Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) is a rare condition that can affect a person's ability to hear. Although sounds enter the inner ear normally, signals from the inner ear to the brain are not transmitted properly. As a result, the condition may be associated with mild to severe hearing loss and poor speech-perception abilities (difficulty understanding speech clearly). ANSD can be associated with other neurological disorders such as Friedrich ataxia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome. The exact underlying cause of ANSD is not completely understood; however, researchers have proposed many possible explanations including damage to the hair cells of the inner ears, faulty connections between the hair cells and the auditory nerve (the nerve connecting the inner ear to the brain), damage to the auditory nerve, and/or a combination of these abnormalities. In many cases, ANSD occurs sporadically in people with no family history of the condition; however, the condition does run in some families suggesting that genetic factors may play a role in some cases. Treatment varies based on the severity of the condition but aims to improve hearing (i.e. hearing aids and cochlear implants) and communication skills.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 12/28/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Abnormal auditory evoked potentials 0006958
Abnormal speech discrimination
Poor speech discrimination
0001963
Absence of acoustic reflex 0008529
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Sensorineural hearing impairment 0000407
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Auditory Neuropathy. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. February 13, 2017; https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/auditory-neuropathy.
  2. Shaia WT. Auditory Neuropathy. Medscape Reference. January 11, 2016; https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/836769-overview.
  3. Harrison RV, Gordon KA, Papsin BC, Negandhi J, James AL. Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) and cochlear implantation. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. December 2015; 79(12):1980-87. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26545793.