For more than 150 years, our understanding of Meniere’s disease has barely changed.
Our diagnostic criteria has improved, but little else. While the rest of the medical-industrial complex sees explosive growth year over year, Meniere’s disease sufferers have remained a vastly underserved market. Very little real progress has been made towards understanding this terrible condition.
But finally, that’s all starting to change.
There is exciting Meniere’s disease research happening, right now, all over the world. Previously, I have mentioned the promising work of biotech companies like Otonomy, who are working diligently to create new treatments and drug delivery systems for Meniere’s patients. But today, I want to shine the spotlight on a researcher out of Granada, Spain, who has been making waves in the scientific community with his research into the underlying causes of Meniere’s disease.
Introducing Dr. Jose Antonio López Escámez:
Dr. Jose Antonio López Escámez and his team at The University of Granada believe that Meniere’s is not a singular disease but rather an umbrella diagnosis, with multiple underlying causes. For nearly 15 years, Dr. Lopez-Escámez has worked with Neurotologists throughout Spain to collect clinical information and DNA samples from Meniere’s patients for his research. He has managed to put together the largest collection in the world, with samples from over 1700 patients. So far, they have found evidence for a genetic cause of Meniere’s disease, an autoimmune cause, and possibly an allergy-based cause as well. This would certainly explain why no single treatment strategy seems to work for everyone.
Dr. Jose Antonio López-Escámez
In the long term, Dr. Lopez-Escámez hopes to discover the biological basis for all of the different subtypes of Meniere’s disease and then to develop specific treatments for each subset of patients. He believes he can find a cure, and he’s making incredible strides toward this goal.
First, with a large scale clinical study conducted in Italy and Spain, he found that Meniere’s disease runs in families in 8-9% of cases. These findings were recently replicated by researchers in South Korea. By studying these familial cases of Meniere’s disease, his team was the first group able to identify disease-causing mutations in the genes of a family with three women affected. His findings clearly demonstrate a genetic underlying cause of familial Meniere’s disease.
In addition to his research efforts, Dr. Escámez has been a powerful voice for Meniere’s disease awareness and advocacy in the scientific community. He was one of the original supporters of the Meniere’s Awareness Petition started by Judy McNamaraTripp from the Meniere’s Awareness Project. Given the uninformed nature of the general public, we need all the support and awareness we can get. Dr. Lopez-Escámez has proven himself to be a true champion for the Meniere’s community.
Right now, Dr. Lopez-Escámez and his team are excited and getting ready to embark on two important research projects.
Dr. Lopez-Escámez and his team
First they plan to produce stem cells from blood samples of patients with familial Meniere’s disease. By studying these cells, Dr. Lopez-Escámez expects to define the molecular mechanisms involved with Meniere’s disease. It’s an essential step towards identifying the molecular targets necessary for the development and screening of new drugs.
The vast majority of Meniere’s disease cases, however, are considered sporadic and do not run in families. To identify the genes responsible for sporadic Meniere’s disease, Dr. Lopez-Escámez also plans to conduct sequencing studies on an additional 1000 patients.
Meniere’s disease has taken so much from so many of us. And for more than 150 years it has destroyed lives. But Dr. Lopez-Escámez has a research plan to find the biological mechanisms causing Meniere’s disease, and the vision to see it through. He has already identified several of the genes involved with Meniere’s disease, the first step in developing new treatments. He has recruited eager patients ready to collaborate.
But most importantly, he believes he can find a cure.
For More Information:
Connect with Dr. Escamez on Twitter
Dr. Lopez-Escámez’s Team at GENYO – The Center for Genomics and Oncological Research
Linda Child
I am very interested in this article, having suffered from Menieres Disease for over 40 years. I have always thought there was at least a genetic predisposition involved. Luckily I have not allowed it to destroy my life, thanks to an extremely supportive and matter-of-fact husband who has been my rock for over 25 years. I would happily provide my DNA or my experiences of treatments both in Britain and Belgium over the years – nothing seems to alleviate symptoms for me.
Glenn
Hi Linda, at this point I don’t know if he is still looking for more patients and samples, but at some point soon I plan to write an article on clinical trials and the patient recruitment process to highlight the importance and show people how they can get involved.
Linda Child
Excellent Glenn, please do keep me posted. I think my history of the disease has been an interesting one – having had treatment in 2 different countries. Also weird changes to symptoms after a sacchus decompression operation in 1988. I will be more than happy to give input/be a guinea pig, whatever!!
esinnc
Linda–what treatments did you have in other countries? New to this disease. Looking for relief.
Glenn
I encourage you to check out this post and the posts it links to – it’s everything I wish I knew when I was first diagnosed: https://mindovermenieres.com/newly-diagnosed
Barbara Johnson
I’m interested in hearing more about these findings. I was diagnosed in 1998, with a quick onset, just from one minute to the next I couldn’t hear out of one ear and the other I could not distinguish between a make voice or female. They sounded exactly the same. Saw an ENT and she immediately diagnosed Meniere’s. Went to UM hospital to confirm. I have family, a great uncle, who had Meniere’s, autoimmune problem (fibromyalgia) and my ENT treated it as an allergy problem. The diet she put me on did help, and I can hear out of one hear, normal voices however less volume, the other never recovered; and the ringing (in the ear I do not hear) is quite low. The vertigo is very rare now. All three reasons you state in this article.
Glenn
Hi Barbara, as Dr. Lopez-Escamez continues on with his research, I will make sure to post an update in the future!
Becky Huffman
I have always thought my particular Meniere’s was family oriented. From descriptions I’m sure my maternal grandmother suffered from this disease as does my mother and now two of my daughters are starting to exhibit some of the same signs I had before mine became full blown. That’s four generations right there. Sadly only three of the four are still alive. So I too would volunteer my DNA for study as well.
esinnc
When will there be an update for some kind of relief for us struggling with this disease??
Theresa Quirke
I am a sufferer for over 39 years and I would like to personally thank you for
Caring for us!
I am very interested in the findings so please keep me updated .
May God Bless you and your work
Thanks you so much!!!!
Teri DiEdwardo-Quirke