Relation between speech-in-noise threshold, hearing loss and cognition from 40-69 years of age.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Healthy hearing depends on sensitive ears and adequate brain processing. Essential aspects of both hearing and cognition decline with advancing age, but it is largely unknown how one influences the other. The current standard measure of hearing, the pure-tone audiogram is not very cognitively demanding and does not predict well the most important yet challenging use of hearing, listening to speech in noisy environments. We analysed data from UK Biobank that asked 40-69 year olds about their hearing, and assessed their ability on tests of speech-in-noise hearing and cognition.

Methods and findings

About half a million volunteers were recruited through NHS registers. Respondents completed 'whole-body' testing in purpose-designed, community-based test centres across

SUBMITTER: Moore DR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4168235 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature