Hearing loss & the brain

Ever notice how some adults get distracted or tired easily? It may have to do with changes in their brains that are related to hearing loss. Here's a peek inside the brain of someone with hearing loss.

How does hearing affect the brain in the first place?

First we should look at how the brain processes sound in adults. Researchers have studied and continue to study how and where sounds are processed and perceived by the brain. They've found that there's a link between hearing and cognition-the brain's process of perceiving and understanding.

Thanks to magnetic imaging, scientists are able to watch the brain and see how it activates in response to certain sounds. They've discovered that we don't hear with just one part of our brain. The process of hearing also stimulates other brain areas.

For example, when a researcher said a simple word, it activated the auditory cortex. The auditory cortex was where that word was technically heard. But a few other areas of the brain also lit up in the cerebral cortex. Those areas were where that word was understood, perceived  or cognitively connected.

Scientists believe there's a dual-track association between hearing and cognition. Sound activates the auditory cortex, the cerebral cortex and cognitive processes influence how we hear.

We rely on cognitive elements of the brain, like working memory and life experiences, to understand a conversation in a noisy place. Surprisingly, only 10% of understanding speech in a noisy environment is by the actual hearing capacity.

So what happens to the brain when hearing is impaired?

Because there is a decline in sound stimuli and sensory deprivation, hearing loss can lead to  structural and functional changes in the brain. There can be reduced connectivity, brain signal decline, deterioration of the auditory cortex (which is the part of the brain that hears) and a reduction in overall brain volume. These structural and functional changes can affect the brain's capacity to process and perceive sounds and may contribute to cognitive decline.

The brain is forced to compensate for these losses by activating alternative circuits. It enlists accessory neuron networks and that means increased cognitive effort is needed to weed out irrelevant sounds, like background noise, and more concentration is needed for hearing.

A high cognitive effort reduces the amount of brain resources available to process everything else. So things like concentration, memory and planning may be affected. It's easier to get distracted. And constantly decoding and processing sounds can take up a lot of mental resources and can be tiring.

How can this type of cognitive decline be prevented?

Treatment of hearing loss can help keep the brain functioning at an ideal level and can contribute to a good quality of life. There are many hearing solutions and are they are highly effective. In fact, 95% of people with hearing loss can be helped by hearing aids.

It's important to identify and treat hearing loss early. The longer treatment is neglected, the more challenging it can be for the brain to relearn and repair itself. Like physical therapy after a surgery, consistent use of hearing aids is essential in a successful treatment plan.

Certain portions of this article were taken from a blog at Amplifon

NEW rechargeable Hearing Aids are here!

My first question was, how do they sound? It's nice that we can do away with batteries, but that would be pointless unless they sound good. And what about charge time? I only have to charge my cell phone once a day...how long can a small hearing aid charge actually last? And finally, what if I'm camping, out of town and forget my charger or flying on a plane for an extended time? Do I have to loose my hearing ability until I get to my charger? And then wait until it charges up?

To my surprise, the new rechargeables sounded many times better than their battery counterparts! And being a professional audio engineer for over 35 years (owning and operating a recording studio) I'm hard to please with audio and I have a very particular opinion about sound quality.

Evidently, Uniton made a wise decision to perform several new feats of technological advancements when they released their new Moxi Fit R. (R for rechargeable of course).

First, they greatly improved the sound by upgrading the chip. (The chip processes the sound and has everything to do with the quality of hearing). I was astonished when I heard the new Moxi Fit R's since I'm a hearing aid wearer and I've tried many of the top brand premium hearing aids for myself. The Moxi Fit R's sounded more natural, clearer and much smoother than anything I've ever heard.

They still have the life-saving tinnitus masker, which eliminates the annoying ringing in my ears; that was developed from years of mixing loud music for my recording studio clients. (I think seeing Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and dozens of other loud rock concerts didn't help either).

The next bonus was the charging time. They stay charged all day and into the night, so I just plug them in right next to my cell phone for charging once a day!

But there's another really cool feature: these tiny marvels of technology actually take batteries too! That surprised me since almost nothing that's rechargeable can also independently take standard (hearing aid) batteries.

Other rechargeable brands have lost the edge by being too large (to hold the recharging electronics) and I haven't seen any others that can additionally take standard batteries either. Unitron advertises they are the smallest rechargeable hearing aids in the world and that's important to everyone. Every time I show my hearing aids to a potential patient, they are quite surprised that I was even wearing them. I always get a kick out of speaking with them for at least five to ten minutes before I show them off...that way they know first hand how these nearly-invisible hearing aids are usually only detectable if you tell someone you have them on.

Uniton has certainly created a game-changer in the hearing aid industry by developing a great sounding hearing aid, easy recharging ability and all the other features such as optional T.V. & smart phone streaming and lots more.

Click here for a FREE week trial: www.crystalclearhearingaids.com