Nicotine gum may restore aging hearing — a Brain-Scan trial puts it to the test
NCT ID NCT05018117
First seen Jul 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026
Summary
This early-phase trial investigates whether nicotine gum can improve how the aging brain processes sounds, especially in noisy settings. Researchers will use fMRI to measure brain responses to different tones in healthy non-smokers, comparing younger and older adults. The goal is to see if nicotine can compensate for age-related loss of inhibitory neurons in the auditory cortex and potentially sharpen hearing.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- nicotine gum (over-the-counter)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-prescription approach to improve hearing in noisy environments for older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small study in healthy non-smokers. Nicotine is addictive and has cardiovascular risks, so it may not be safe or effective for long-term hearing help.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
-
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720, United States
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