Noya Khowaja
Research Mentor: Shannon Rudy
Mentor Department: Department of Otolaryngology, Medicine
Author(s): Noya Khowaja, Shannon Rudy
Session: Session 3 (11:00 AM – 11:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 106
Abstract
Bell’s palsy is the most common cause of single-sided facial paralysis and affects approximately 1 in 60 individuals in their lifetime. Patients affected by this condition develop facial muscle weakness, typically on one side, but occasionally on both sides of the face. Facial weakness in Bell’s palsy is the result of inflammation and injury to the seventh cranial nerve (the facial nerve), though the exact etiology of this disease remains uncertain. While Bell’s palsy has an excellent prognosis, oral corticosteroids have been shown to improve nerve recovery, and oral antivirals and eye drops are also typically recommended. There is a subset of patients who develop incomplete or inappropriate recovery, a condition called synkinesis. This research project aims to find genomic markers associated with disease susceptibility and severity in individuals with a history of Bell’s palsy. By utilizing data from the Michigan Genomics Initiative, we plan to perform a genetic variant analysis in patients with a history of Bell’s palsy. Through a recontact study design, we have and will continue to collect history on Bell’s Palsy by the patients through one-on-one video conference interviews, allowing for detailed information on the patients’ medical history. We are hoping to find a correlation between certain genomic markers and presence of Bell’s palsy so that we could potentially predict disease severity and recovery trajectory. This information would allow for more personalized therapy, offering in-depth insight into the reason for Bell’s palsy and advancing precision medicine in the field of facial nerve disorders.
