Exceptional hearing ability in a hummingbird

AbstractThe auditory biology of Monachinae seals is poorly understood. Limited audiometric data and certain anatomical features suggest that these seals may have reduced sensitivity to airborne sounds compared to related species. Here, we describe the in-air hearing abilities of a Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) trained to participate in a psychophysical paradigm. We report absolute (unmasked) thresholds for narrowband signals measured in quiet conditions across the range of hearing and masked thresholds measured in the presence of octave-band noise at two frequencies. The behavioral audiogram indicates a functional hearing range from 0.1 to 33 kHz and poor sensitivity, with detection thresholds above 40 dB re 20 µPa. Critical ratio measurements are elevated compared to those of other seals. The apparently reduced terrestrial hearing ability of this individual—considered with available auditory data for a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris)—suggests that hearing in Monachinae seals differs from that of the highly sensitive Phocinae seals. Exploration of phylogenetic relationships and anatomical traits support this claim. This work advances understanding of the evolution of hearing in amphibious marine mammals and provides updated information that can be used for management and conservation of endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

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White Matter Lesions as Possible Predictors of Audiological Performance in Adults after Cochlear Implantation

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11050600 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 600

Author(s):

Steffen Knopke ◽

Hans-Christian Bauknecht ◽

Stefan Gräbel ◽

Sophia Marie Häußler ◽

Agnieszka J. Szczepek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Speech Perception ◽

White Matter ◽

Cochlear Implantation ◽

Age Groups ◽

White Matter Lesions ◽

Periventricular White Matter ◽

Rehabilitation Outcomes ◽

Hearing Ability ◽

Structural Brain Damage ◽

Oldenburg Sentence Test

The presented prospective study investigated whether structural brain damage, measured with the Fazekas score, could predict hearing rehabilitation outcomes with cochlear implantation (CI). With a follow-up period of 24 months, this study included 49 bilaterally, postlingually hearing impaired CI candidates for unilateral CI (67.3 ± 8.7 years; 20 men, 29 women) older than 50 at the time of implantation. The differences in the predictive value between two age groups, 50–70 year-olds (mid-age; n = 26) and over 70-year-olds (elderly; n = 23), were analyzed. The patients were evaluated using speech perception (SP) measured in quiet (Freiburg monosyllabic test; FMT) and noise (Oldenburg sentence test; OLSA). The subjective hearing ability was assessed using Oldenburg inventory (OI). The Fazekas PVWM score predicted postoperative speech perception two years after CI in the mid-age population. The periventricular white matter lesions (PVWM) could explain 27.4% of the speech perception (FMT) variance. Our findings support the hypothesis about the influence of pre-existing WMLs on CI outcome. We recommend the evaluation of Fazekas score as a predictive factor for post-implantation hearing ability.

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Association of beta blocker use and hearing ability in adults: a cross-sectional study

International Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1080/14992027.2021.1915508 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Deanna Wung ◽

Thadé Goderie ◽

Marieke F. van Wier ◽

Mariska Stam ◽

Sophia E. Kramer

Keyword(s):

Beta Blocker ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hearing Ability

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Phenotype of the Aging-Dependent Spontaneous Onset of Hearing Loss in DBA/2 Mice

Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.3390/vetsci8030049 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 49

Author(s):

Min-Soo Seo ◽

Byeonghyeon Lee ◽

Kyung-Ku Kang ◽

Soo-Eun Sung ◽

Joo-Hee Choi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Early Stage ◽

Auditory Brainstem ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Intrinsic Properties ◽

Hearing Ability ◽

Brainstem Response ◽

Long Term Observation ◽

Spontaneous Onset

DBA/2 mice are a well-known animal model for hearing loss developed due to intrinsic properties of these animals. However, results on the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice have been mainly reported at an early stage in mice aged ≤7 weeks. Instead, the present study evaluated the hearing ability at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age using DBA/2korl mice. Auditory brainstem response test was performed at 8–32 KHz at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age, and hearing loss was confirmed to be induced in a time-dependent manner. In addition, histopathological evaluation at the same age confirmed the morphological damage of the cochlea. The findings presented herein are the results of the long-term observation of the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice and can be useful in studies related to aging-dependent hearing loss.

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Acoustic interference in paired-associate learning as a function of hearing ability

Psychonomic Science ◽

10.3758/bf03335753 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 231-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Doris V. Allen

Keyword(s):

Paired Associate ◽

Paired Associate Learning ◽

Associate Learning ◽

Acoustic Interference ◽

Hearing Ability

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Radixin deficiency causes deafness associated with progressive degeneration of cochlear stereocilia

The Journal of Cell Biology ◽

10.1083/jcb.200402007 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 166 (4) ◽

pp. 559-570 ◽

Cited By ~ 95

Author(s):

Shin-ichiro Kitajiri ◽

Kanehisa Fukumoto ◽

Masaki Hata ◽

Hiroyuki Sasaki ◽

Tatsuya Katsuno ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hair Cells ◽

Plasma Membranes ◽

Wild Type ◽

Cross Link ◽

Erm Proteins ◽

Hearing Ability ◽

Adult Mice ◽

Progressive Degeneration ◽

Sensory Hair Cells

Ezrin/radixin/moesin (ERM) proteins cross-link actin filaments to plasma membranes to integrate the function of cortical layers, especially microvilli. We found that in cochlear and vestibular sensory hair cells of adult wild-type mice, radixin was specifically enriched in stereocilia, specially developed giant microvilli, and that radixin-deficient (Rdx−/−) adult mice exhibited deafness but no obvious vestibular dysfunction. Before the age of hearing onset (∼2 wk), in the cochlea and vestibule of Rdx−/− mice, stereocilia developed normally in which ezrin was concentrated. As these Rdx−/− mice grew, ezrin-based cochlear stereocilia progressively degenerated, causing deafness, whereas ezrin-based vestibular stereocilia were maintained normally in adult Rdx−/− mice. Thus, we concluded that radixin is indispensable for the hearing ability in mice through the maintenance of cochlear stereocilia, once developed. In Rdx−/− mice, ezrin appeared to compensate for radixin deficiency in terms of the development of cochlear stereocilia and the development/maintenance of vestibular stereocilia. These findings indicated the existence of complicate functional redundancy in situ among ERM proteins.

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A study on the proportion of hearing impairment among percussionists in Thrissur district of Kerala

International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences ◽

10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20210884 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 816

Author(s):

Jubina Bency A. T. ◽

Sarangi . ◽

Sebastian Roy ◽

Shalu Sara Mathew ◽

Shamseena A. ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Hearing Impairment ◽

Work Experience ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Moderate Degree ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hearing Ability ◽

Care Services ◽

Mild Degree

Background: Hearing loss is a cause of global concern. Percussionists are exposed to greater levels of continuous or intermittent noise than others. Little is known about the relationship between percussion activity and hearing impairment. The early detection of the same and subsequent management makes a significant reduction in the burden of health care services. The objective was to study the proportion of hearing impairment in percussionists in the district of Thrissur using an IOS based mobile application.Methods: A cross sectional study was done on percussionists from Thrissur district who has experience of more than five years and has no congenital or traumatic hearing loss. A predesigned semi structured questionnaire was given and hearing tests were done using a mobile application U hear in a sound proof setting to understand the current state of hearing ability amoung the percussionists.Results: A total of 39 subjects were involved in our study of which all were males. Mean age of our study population was 30.44+12.04. most of them were diagnosed with at least mild degree of hearing loss of one of the ear or both the ears. 15.4% of them had mild degree of hearing loss, 64.1% had moderate degree of hearing loss and 20.5% had severe hearing loss.Conclusions: The study shows percussionists are more exposed to sounds of various frequencies for longer duration, they are more prone to hearing loss. The study brought out that age is directly proportional to hearing loss, music induced hearing loss progress at a rate proportion to the work experience.

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