scholarly journals Neuroanatomical changes associated with age-related hearing loss and listening effort

2020 ◽  
Vol 225 (9) ◽  
pp. 2689-2700
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rosemann ◽  
Christiane M. Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Abilities

AbstractAge-related hearing loss is associated with a decrease in hearing abilities for high frequencies and therefore leads to impairments in understanding speech—in particular, under adverse listening conditions. Growing evidence suggests that age-related hearing loss is related to various neural changes, for instance, affecting auditory and frontal brain regions. How the decreased auditory input and the increased listening effort in daily life are associated with structural changes is less clear, since previous evidence is scarce and mostly involved low sample sizes. Hence, the aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of age-related untreated hearing loss and subjectively rated daily life listening effort on grey matter and white matter changes in a large sample of participants (n = 71). For that aim, we conducted anatomical MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in elderly hard-of-hearing and age-matched normal-hearing participants. Our results showed significantly lower grey matter volume in the middle frontal cortex in hard-of-hearing compared to normal-hearing participants. Further, higher listening effort was associated with lower grey matter volume and cortical thickness in the orbitofrontal cortex and lower grey matter volume in the inferior frontal cortex. No significant relations between hearing abilities or listening effort were obtained for white matter integrity in tracts connecting auditory and prefrontal as well as visual areas. These findings provide evidence that hearing impairment as well as daily life listening effort seems to be associated with grey matter loss in prefrontal brain regions. We further conclude that alterations in cortical thickness seem to be linked to the increased listening effort rather than the hearing loss itself.

scholarly journals Neuroanatomical changes associated with age-related hearing loss and listening effort

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rosemann ◽  
Christiane Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Abilities

Age-related hearing loss is associated with a decrease in hearing abilities for high frequencies and therefore leads to impairments in understanding speech – in particular, under adverse listening situations. Growing evidence suggests that age-related hearing loss is related to various neural changes, for instance, affecting auditory and frontal brain regions. How the decreased auditory input and the increased listening effort in daily life are associated with structural changes is less clear since previous evidence is scarce and mostly involved low sample sizes. Hence, the aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of age-related untreated hearing loss and daily life listening effort on grey matter and white matter changes in a large sample of participants (n=71). For that aim, we conducted anatomical MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in elderly hard of hearing and age-matched normal-hearing participants. Our results showed significantly lower grey matter volume in the middle frontal cortex in hard of hearing compared to normal-hearing participants. Further, higher listening effort was associated with lower grey matter volume and cortical thickness in the orbitofrontal cortex and lower grey matter volume in the inferior frontal cortex. No significant relations between hearing abilities or listening effort were obtained for white matter changes. These findings provide evidence that hearing impairment as well as daily life listening effort seem to be associated with grey matter loss in prefrontal brain regions. We further conclude that alterations in cortical thickness seem to be linked to the increased listening effort rather than the hearing loss itself.

scholarly journals Structural covariance and cortical reorganisation in schizophrenia: a MRI-based morphometric study

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 412-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Palaniyappan ◽  
Olha Hodgson ◽  
Vijender Balain ◽  
Sarina Iwabuchi ◽  
Penny Gowland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grey Matter ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Morphometric Study ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Structural Covariance ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Functional Defect

AbstractBackgroundIn patients with schizophrenia, distributed abnormalities are observed in grey matter volume. A recent hypothesis posits that these distributed changes are indicative of a plastic reorganisation process occurring in response to a functional defect in neuronal information transmission. We investigated the structural covariance across various brain regions in early-stage schizophrenia to determine if indeed the observed patterns of volumetric loss conform to a coordinated pattern of structural reorganisation.MethodsStructural magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained from 40 healthy adults and 41 age, gender and parental socioeconomic status matched patients with schizophrenia. Volumes of grey matter tissue were estimated at the regional level across 90 atlas-based parcellations. Group-level structural covariance was studied using a graph theoretical framework.ResultsPatients had distributed reduction in grey matter volume, with high degree of localised covariance (clustering) compared with controls. Patients with schizophrenia had reduced centrality of anterior cingulate and insula but increased centrality of the fusiform cortex, compared with controls. Simulating targeted removal of highly central nodes resulted in significant loss of the overall covariance patterns in patients compared with controls.ConclusionRegional volumetric deficits in schizophrenia are not a result of random, mutually independent processes. Our observations support the occurrence of a spatially interconnected reorganisation with the systematic de-escalation of conventional ‘hub’ regions. This raises the question of whether the morphological architecture in schizophrenia is primed for compensatory functions, albeit with a high risk of inefficiency.

scholarly journals Human brain anatomy reflects separable genetic and environmental components of socioeconomic status

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyeokmoon Kweon ◽  
Gokhan Aydogan ◽  
Alain Dagher ◽  
Danilo Bzdok ◽  
Christian C Ruff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Brain Anatomy ◽  
Additive Effects ◽  
Common Genetic Variation ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
The Brain

Recent studies report that socioeconomic status (SES) correlates with brain structure. Yet, such findings are variable and little is known about underlying causes. We present a well-powered voxel-based analysis of grey matter volume (GMV) across levels of SES, finding many small SES effects widely distributed across the brain, including cortical, subcortical and cerebellar regions. We also construct a polygenic index of SES to control for the additive effects of common genetic variation related to SES, which attenuates observed SES-GMV relations, to different degrees in different areas. Remaining variance, which may be attributable to environmental factors, is substantially accounted for by body mass index, a marker for lifestyle related to SES. In sum, SES affects multiple brain regions through measurable genetic and environmental effects.

Listening Effort in Age-Related Hearing Loss

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan E. Peelle ◽  
Arthur Wingfield
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Listening Effort ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

scholarly journals Convergent and divergent brain structural and functional abnormalities associated with developmental dyslexia

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Yan ◽  
Ke Jiang ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Ziyi Wang ◽  
Kyle Perkins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Dyslexia ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Inferior Frontal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Activation ◽  
Superior Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Middle Temporal Gyrus ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Matter Volume

Brain abnormalities in the reading network have been repeatedly reported in individuals with developmental dyslexia (DD); however, it is still not totally understood where the structural and functional abnormalities are consistent/inconsistent across languages. In the current multimodal meta-analysis, we found convergent structural and functional alterations in the left superior temporal gyrus across languages, suggesting a neural signature of DD. We found greater reduction in grey matter volume and brain activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus in morpho-syllabic languages (e.g. Chinese) than in alphabetic languages, and greater reduction in brain activation in the left middle temporal gyrus and fusiform gyrus in alphabetic languages than in morpho-syllabic languages. These language differences are explained as consequences of being DD while learning a specific language. In addition, we also found brain regions that showed increased grey matter volume and brain activation, presumably suggesting compensations and brain regions that showed inconsistent alterations in brain structure and function. Our study provides important insights about the etiology of DD from a cross-linguistic perspective with considerations of consistency/inconsistency between structural and functional alterations.

scholarly journals Late chronotype is linked to greater cortical thickness in the left fusiform and entorhinal gyri

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Rafal Zareba ◽  
Magdalena Fafrowicz ◽  
Tadeusz Marek ◽  
Ewa Beldzik ◽  
Halszka Oginska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Affective Processing ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
White Matter Volume ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Anatomical Basis

Abstract Humans can be classified as early, intermediate and late chronotypes based on the preferred sleep and wakefulness patterns. The anatomical basis of these distinctions remains largely unexplored. Using magnetic resonance imaging data from 113 healthy young adults (71 females), we aimed to replicate cortical thickness and grey matter volume chronotype differences reported earlier in the literature using a greater sample size, as well as to explore the volumetric white matter variation linked to contrasting circadian phenotypes. Instead of comparing the chronotypes, we correlated the individual chronotype scores with their morphometric brain measures. The results revealed one cluster in the left fusiform and entorhinal gyri showing increased cortical thickness with increasing preference for eveningness, potentially providing an anatomical substrate for chronotype-sensitive affective processing. No significant results were found for grey and white matter volume. We failed to replicate cortical thickness and volumetric grey matter distinctions in the brain regions reported in the literature. Furthermore, we found no association between white matter volume and chronotype. Thus, while this study confirms that circadian preference is associated with specific structural substrates, it adds to the growing concerns that reliable and replicable neuroimaging research requires datasets much larger than those commonly used.

scholarly journals Stereotype Threat Lowers Older Adults' Self-Reported Hearing Abilities

Gerontology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J. Barber ◽  
Soohyoung Rain Lee
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Stereotype Threat ◽  
Cognitive Outcomes ◽  
Testing Environment ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Subjective Assessments ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hearing Abilities

Background: Although stereotype threat is a well-documented phenomenon, previous studies examining it in older adults have almost exclusively focused on objective cognitive outcomes. Considerably less attention has been paid to the impact of stereotype threat on older adults' subjective assessments of their own abilities or to the impact of stereotype threat in noncognitive domains. Objective: Older adults are stereotyped as having experienced not only cognitive declines, but physical declines as well. The current study tested the prediction that stereotype threat can negatively influence older adults' subjective hearing abilities. Methods: To test this, 115 adults (mean age 50.03 years, range 41-67) read either a positive or negative description about how aging affects hearing. All participants then answered a questionnaire in which they assessed their own hearing abilities. Results: The impact of stereotype threat on self-reported hearing was moderated by chronological age. Participants in their 40s and early 50s were unaffected by the stereotype threat manipulation. In contrast, participants in their late 50s and 60s rated their hearing as being subjectively worse when under stereotype threat. Conclusion: The current study provides a clear demonstration that stereotype threat negatively impacts older adults' subjective assessments of their own abilities. It is also the first study to demonstrate an effect of stereotype threat within the domain of hearing. These results have important implications for researchers investigating age-related hearing decline. Stereotype threat can lead to overestimation of the prevalence of age-related hearing decline. It can also serve as a confounding variable when examining the psychosocial correlates of hearing loss. Because of this, researchers studying age-related hearing loss should aim to provide a stereotype threat-free testing environment and also include assessments of stereotype threat within their studies.

scholarly journals Late chronotype is linked to greater cortical thickness in the left fusiform and entorhinal gyri

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Rafal Zareba ◽  
Magdalena Fafrowicz ◽  
Tadeusz Marek ◽  
Ewa Beldzik ◽  
Halszka Oginska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Cortical Thickness ◽  
Grey Matter ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Affective Processing ◽  
Grey Matter Volume ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
White Matter Volume ◽  
Matter Volume ◽  
Anatomical Basis

Abstract Humans can be classified as early, intermediate and late chronotypes based on the preferred sleep and wakefulness patterns. The anatomical basis of these distinctions remains largely unexplored. Using magnetic resonance imaging data from 113 healthy young adults (71 females), we aimed to replicate cortical thickness and grey matter volume chronotype differences reported earlier in the literature using a greater sample size, as well as to explore the volumetric white matter variation linked to contrasting circadian phenotypes. Instead of comparing the chronotypes, we correlated the individual chronotype scores with their morphometric brain measures. The results revealed one cluster in the left fusiform and entorhinal gyri showing increased cortical thickness with increasing preference for eveningness, potentially providing an anatomical substrate for chronotype-sensitive affective processing. No significant results were found for grey and white matter volume. We failed to replicate cortical thickness and volumetric grey matter distinctions in the brain regions reported in the literature. Furthermore, we found no association between white matter volume and chronotype. Thus, while this study confirms that circadian preference is associated with specific structural substrates, it adds to the growing concerns that reliable and replicable neuroimaging research requires datasets much larger than those commonly used.

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