Purpose: To briefly summarize existing data on effects of aging on auditory processing and cognition.
Method: A narrative review summarized previously reported data on age-related changes in auditory processing and in cognitive processes with a focus on spoken language comprehension and memory. In addition, recent data on effects of lifestyle engagement on cognitive processes are reviewed.
Results: There is substantial evidence for age-related declines in both auditory processes and cognitive abilities. Accumulating evidence supports the idea that the perceptual burden associated with hearing loss impacts the processing resources available for good comprehension and memory for spoken language, particularly in older adults with limited resources. However, many language abilities are well preserved in old age, and there is considerable variability among individuals in cognitive performance across the life span. The authors discuss how lifestyle factors and socioemotional engagement can help to offset declining abilities.
Conclusions: It is clear that spoken language processing in adulthood and old age is affected by changes in perceptual, cognitive, and socioemotional processes as well as by interactions among these changes. Recommendations for further research include studying speech comprehension in complex conditions, including meaningful-connection spoken language, and tailoring clinical interventions based on patients' auditory processing and cognitive abilities along with their individual socioemotional demands.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1044/1059-0889(2012/12-0030) | DOI Listing |
The cochlear nuclear complex (CN), the starting point for all central auditory processing, encompasses a suite of neuronal cell types highly specialized for neural coding of acoustic signals. However, the molecular logic governing these specializations remains unknown. By combining single-nucleus RNA sequencing and Patch-seq analysis, we reveal a set of transcriptionally distinct cell populations encompassing all previously observed types and discover multiple hitherto unknown subtypes with anatomical and physiological identity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFeNeuro
January 2025
Hearing Technology @ WAVES, Department of Information Technology, Ghent University, Technologiepark 216, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
Speech intelligibility declines with age and sensorineural hearing damage (SNHL). However, it remains unclear whether cochlear synaptopathy (CS), a recently discovered form of SNHL, significantly contributes to this issue. CS refers to damaged auditory-nerve synapses that innervate the inner hair cells and there is currently no go-to diagnostic test available.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Commun Disord
December 2024
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relationships between auditory processing, speech discrimination, and listening and communication abilities in children diagnosed with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) compared to those with normal hearing.
Methods: This was a case-control study involving seventeen participants with a diagnosis of ANSD who used spoken language as their primary mode of communication and wore hearing aids or were unaided and 21 normally hearing controls. All underwent a battery of behavioural measures of hearing, speech perception and auditory processing skills.
Noise Health
January 2025
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Changde Hospital, Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University (The First People's Hospital of Changde City), Changde 415000, Hunan, China.
Objective: In this study, the research team aimed to explore the therapeutic effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), its influence on patient prognosis, and its impact on hearing to provide valuable clinical evidence.
Methods: Ninety-four patients with NIHL admitted to The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Hunan, China, from May 2021 to January 2023 were selected for this retrospective analysis. Among them, 43 were given conventional treatment (control group) and 51 were given HBOT (observation group).
Background: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in children is a growing public health concern due to increased exposure to high noise levels in various environments. Early intervention is crucial to prevent long-term developmental and social impacts. This study evaluates the effectiveness of earmuffs as a protective intervention in managing NIHL in children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!