scholarly journals Afferent-efferent connectivity between auditory brainstem and cortex accounts for poorer speech-in-noise comprehension in older adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin M. Bidelman ◽  
Caitlin N. Price ◽  
Dawei Shen ◽  
Stephen R. Arnott ◽  
Claude Alain
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Signal Transmission ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Speech Comprehension ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Age Related

ABSTRACTAge-related hearing loss leads to poorer speech comprehension, particularly in noise. Speech-in-noise (SIN) deficits among the elderly could result from weaker neural activity within, or poorer signal transmission between brainstem and auditory cortices. By recording neuroelectric responses from brainstem (BS) and primary auditory cortex (PAC), we show that beyond simply attenuating neural activity, hearing loss in older adults compromises the transmission of speech information between subcortical and cortical hubs of the auditory system. The strength of afferent BS→PAC neural signaling (but not the reverse efferent flow; PAC→BS) varied with mild declines in hearing acuity and this “bottom-up” functional connectivity robustly predicted older adults’ SIN perception. Our neuroimaging findings underscore the importance of brain connectivity, particularly afferent neural communication, in understanding the biological basis of age-related hearing deficits in real-world listening environments.

The miR-34a/Bcl-2 Pathway Contributes to Auditory Cortex Neuron Apoptosis in Age-Related Hearing Loss

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiuhong Huang ◽  
Yongkang Ou ◽  
Hao Xiong ◽  
Haidi Yang ◽  
Zhigang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Primary Auditory Cortex ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Hypothesis: The miR-34a/Bcl-2 signaling pathway may play a role in the mechanisms related to age-related hearing loss (AHL) in the auditory cortex. Background: The auditory cortex plays a key role in the recognition and processing of complex sound. It is difficult to explain why patients with AHL have poor speech recognition, so increasing numbers of studies have focused on its central change. Although micro (mi)RNAs in the central nervous system have recently been increasingly reported to be associated with age-related diseases, the molecular mechanisms of AHL in the auditory cortex are not fully understood. Methods: The auditory brainstem response was used to assess the hearing ability of C57BL/6 mice, and q-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting were used to detect the expression levels of miR-34a and Bcl-2 in the mouse auditory cortex. TUNEL and DNA fragmentation were adopted to detect the apoptosis of neurons in the auditory cortex. To verify the relationship of miR-34a and Bcl-2, we transfected an miR-34a mimic or miR-34a inhibitor into primary auditory cortex neurons. Results: In this study, miR-34a/Bcl-2 signaling was examined in auditory cortex neurons during aging. miR-34a and apoptosis increased in the auditory cortex neurons of C57BL/6 mice with aging, whereas an age-related decrease in Bcl-2 was determined. In the primary neurons of the auditory cortex, miR-34a overexpression inhibited Bcl-2, leading to an increase in apoptosis. Moreover, miR-34a knockdown increased Bcl-2 expression and diminished apoptosis. Conclusion: Our results support a link between age-related apoptosis in auditory cortex neurons and miR-34a/Bcl-2 signaling, which may serve as a potential mechanism of the expression of AHL in the auditory cortex.

scholarly journals Representation of speech in noise in the aging midbrain and cortex: aging may dominate over hearing-loss

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Presacco ◽  
Jonathan Z. Simon ◽  
Samira Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cortical Responses ◽  
Processing Deficits

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo understand the effect of peripheral hearing loss on the representation of speech in noise in the aging midbrain and cortex.MethodsSubjects comprised 17 normal-hearing younger adults, 15 normal-hearing older adults and 14 hearing-impaired older adults. The midbrain response, measured with Frequency-Following Responses (FFRs), and the cortical response, measured with magnetoencephalography (MEG) responses, were recorded from subjects listening to speech in quiet and noise at varying signal to noise ratios (SNRs).ResultsBoth groups of older listeners showed both weaker midbrain response amplitudes and overrepresentation of cortical responses compared to younger listeners. However, significant differences between the older groups were found in both midbrain-cortex relationships and in cortical processing durations, suggesting that hearing loss may alter reciprocal connections between lower and higher levels of the auditory pathway.ConclusionsThe paucity of differences in midbrain or cortical responses between the two older groups suggest that age-related temporal processing deficits may contribute to older adults’ communication difficulties beyond what might be predicted from peripheral hearing loss alone.SignificanceClinical devices, such as hearing aids, should not ignore age-related temporal processing deficits in the design of algorithms to maximize user benefit.HIGHLIGHTSMild sensorineural hearing loss does not appear to significantly exacerbate already appreciable age-related deficits in midbrain speech-in-noise encoding.Mild sensorineural hearing loss also does not appear to significantly exacerbate already appreciable age-related deficits in most measures of cortical speech-in-noise encoding.Central processing deficits caused by peripheral hearing loss in older adults are seen only in more subtle measures, including altered relationships between midbrain and cortex.

Effects of Adult Aging and Hearing Loss on Comprehension of Rapid Speech Varying in Syntactic Complexity

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (07) ◽  
pp. 487-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Wingfield ◽  
Sandra L. McCoy ◽  
Jonathan E. Peelle ◽  
Patricia A. Tun ◽  
Clarke L. Cox
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Presentation Rate ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Speech Comprehension ◽  
Syntactic Complexity ◽  
Clinically Normal ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Hearing Acuity

Comprehension of spoken language by older adults depends not only on effects of hearing acuity and age-related cognitive change but also on characteristics of the message, such as syntactic complexity and presentation rate. When younger and older adults with clinically normal hearing and with mild-to-moderate hearing loss were tested on comprehension of short spoken sentences that varied in syntactic complexity, minimal effects of age and hearing were seen in comprehension of syntactically simpler sentences, even at rapid speech rates. By contrast, both age and hearing loss were associated with poorer comprehension for more syntactically complex sentences, and these differences were further exacerbated by increases in speech rate. These findings illustrate a dynamic interaction between age, hearing acuity, and characteristics of the spoken message on speech comprehension.

scholarly journals Chronic Oral Selegiline Treatment Mitigates Age-Related Hearing Loss in BALB/c Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2853
Author(s):  
Judit Szepesy ◽  
Viktória Humli ◽  
János Farkas ◽  
Ildikó Miklya ◽  
Júlia Tímár ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Dose Range ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
High Frequency Hearing Loss ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Hearing Function ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Aging Societies ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), a sensorineural hearing loss of multifactorial origin, increases its prevalence in aging societies. Besides hearing aids and cochlear implants, there is no FDA approved efficient pharmacotherapy to either cure or prevent ARHL. We hypothesized that selegiline, an antiparkinsonian drug, could be a promising candidate for the treatment due to its complex neuroprotective, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and dopaminergic neurotransmission enhancing effects. We monitored by repeated Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) measurements the effect of chronic per os selegiline administration on the hearing function in BALB/c and DBA/2J mice, which strains exhibit moderate and rapid progressive high frequency hearing loss, respectively. The treatments were started at 1 month of age and lasted until almost a year and 5 months of age, respectively. In BALB/c mice, 4 mg/kg selegiline significantly mitigated the progression of ARHL at higher frequencies. Used in a wide dose range (0.15–45 mg/kg), selegiline had no effect in DBA/2J mice. Our results suggest that selegiline can partially preserve the hearing in certain forms of ARHL by alleviating its development. It might also be otoprotective in other mammals or humans.

scholarly journals Hearing Loss in Older Adults Affects Neural Systems Supporting Speech Comprehension

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (35) ◽  
pp. 12638-12643 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Peelle ◽  
V. Troiani ◽  
M. Grossman ◽  
A. Wingfield
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Speech Comprehension

scholarly journals Dual Effects of Hearing Loss and Dementia on Functional Limitations in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 214-214
Author(s):  
Michael McKee ◽  
Yunshu Zhou ◽  
Joshua Ehrlich ◽  
Elham Mahmoudi ◽  
Jennifer Deal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Household Activity ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Lower Mobility ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Age-related hearing loss (HL) is both common and associated with elevated risk for cognitive decline and poorer health. To care for an aging population, it is critical to understand the effect of coexisting HL and dementia on functional activities. The effect of co-existing dementia and self-reported HL on daily functioning were assessed. A cross-sectional analysis was performed using nationally-representative data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study consisting of U.S. adults 65+. The sample included 1,829 adults with HL (22.8%) and 5,338 adults without HL. Multivariable Poisson regression was used to model the independent effects and interaction of self-reported HL and dementia status on three validated functional activity scales (self-care, mobility, and household). All analyses adjusted for sociodemographic and medical factors. HL participants were more likely to be white, older, male, less educated (p <0.01). 8.4% had possible dementia and 6.5% had probable dementia. Respondents with HL or possible or probable dementia had significantly lower mobility, self-care, and household activity scores (p<.001 for all comparisons) compared to their peers. A small yet significant interaction was present in all models, suggesting that HL respondents with co-occurring dementia had lower mobility, self-care, and household activity scores than predicted by the independent effects of dementia and self-reported HL (p<.001 for all comparisons). Older adults with co-occurring dementia and HL are at increased risk for poor functioning and should be screened by healthcare providers. Future work should consider the impact of intervention in this vulnerable/at-risk population.

scholarly journals Treatment of age-related hearing loss alters audiovisual integration and resting-state functional connectivity: A randomized controlled pilot trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rosemann ◽  
Anja Gieseler ◽  
Maike Tahden ◽  
Hans Colonius ◽  
Christiane Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Audiovisual Integration ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Functional Brain ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Untreated age-related hearing loss increases audiovisual integration and impacts resting state functional brain connectivity. It is unclear whether compensation with hearing aids is able to alter audiovisual integration and resting state functional brain connectivity. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot study to investigate how the McGurk illusion, a common measure for audiovisual integration, and resting state functional brain connectivity of the auditory cortex are altered by six-month hearing aid use. Thirty-two older participants with slight-to-moderate, symmetric, age-related hearing loss were allocated to a treatment or waiting control group and measured one week before and six months after hearing aid fitting with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Our results showed that a hearing aid use of six months was associated with a decrease in resting state functional connectivity between the auditory cortex and the fusiform gyrus and that this decrease was related to an increase of perceived McGurk illusions. Our study, therefore, suggests that even short-term hearing aid use alters audiovisual integration and functional brain connectivity between auditory and visual cortices.

scholarly journals Effect of rehabilitation training on an elderly population with mild to moderate hearing loss: study protocol for a randomised clinical trial

F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 582
Author(s):  
Parisa Rasouli Fard ◽  
Farnoush Jarollahi ◽  
Seyyed Jalal Sameni ◽  
Mohammad Kamali
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Randomised Clinical Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Rehabilitation Training ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

Background: Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is a form of hearing loss in over 60-year-olds and has a negative impact on quality of life. The pathophysiology of presbycusis is multifactorial and is predominately characterised with a loss of speech perception in noise. In the cochlea, auditory filters decompose broadband sound into a series of narrowband output signals, which contains two kinds of temporal information: slow changes in overall amplitude envelope (ENV) and faster variations in temporal fine structure (TFS). TFS is important for recognition of target speech in noise. The main aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of TFS rehabilitation training in participants over the age of 60 years with mild to moderate hearing loss. Methods: A randomised clinical trial  conduct on 30 participants with mild (loss of 20-39dB) to moderate (40-69dB) hearing loss, aged between 60 and 75 years old. Participants with conductive hearing loss, abnormal middle ear pathology and central nerve system disease were excluded. Participants were randomly selected to an intervention and control group with a 1:1 ratio. Rehabilitation for the intervention Group are 30-minute sessions three times a week for a total five weeks of vowel consonant vowel words that are used to eliminate ENV and keep only TFS. Word in noise test, binaural TFS test, and Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale scores are performed at the beginning and end of study to evaluate the effect of rehabilitation training. Conclusion:  Life expectancy in the elderly has improved, leading to an increased prevalence of age-related diseases including presbycusis. A literature review highlighted that TFS damage is permanent; however, in this study we will attempt to prove that TFS training may lead to speech in noise perception restored. Trial registration: Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT2019625044006N1 (7th August 2019).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document