Brain issues can affect people of all ages, but this is even more so for the elderly. Problems within the brain contribute largely to issues with an individual’s hearing loss. Researchers are learning that more problems are taking place with the way our brains are able to process information throughout the aging process. Someone who is older may have issues interpreting sounds due to the way their brain works, even though their hearing may seem fine.
Earlier studies found that there was a specific problem within our brains timing that prohibits our hearing capabilities as we grow older. It seems that there is a problem with feedback, which in turn diminishes the way we are able to hear. Currently there are studies that are working to determine what genes are playing a pivotal role in how the brain is able to organize the information that our ears are working to intake.
During examination, scientists have learned that people with normal hearing will still have issues understanding what others are saying. Their inner ears may be perfectly fine, yet they still cannot hear well. Why? It can be attributed to their brains aging and causing a problem with the hearing process. Numerous tests are being conducted to measure how well our brains are able to process or perceive the information that our ears provide. This will help the scientists when they begin to sort out the findings. Normally, the brain does a fabulous job at being able to make sense out of everything that comes into the ears on an everyday basis. Our brain stem works to sort everything out in a way that makes it easy for us to go about our everyday lives.
More times than not, it is the brain’s ability to interpret sounds that erode before the actual hearing itself. The amount of hearing loss is often detected through a test that can measure a person’s ability to hear background noises and sentences, similar to that of trying to hear at a party when the person is close to you. It has been determined that the problem within the brain will occur before the actual loss of hearing. Whenever the brain is not able to filter information properly, the ears are more prone to damaging noises around them.
