Tag: older adults

High-Frequency Hearing Loss Is Associated with Anxiety and Brain Structural Plasticity in Older Adults

Kari LaneLeave a comment

Age-related hearing loss is common in those persons over 65 years of age. Nearly 33% of persons over 65 years of age experience this type of hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss is typically a high-frequency loss that occurs progressively but slowly throughout adulthood. While age-related hearing loss begins in the high frequencies it slowly progresses to lower frequencies with time. This study examined the relationship between age-related hearing loss and anxiety in those over 65 years of age.

Sixty-seven persons with age-related hearing loss and 68 normal-hearing controls participated in this cross-sectional study. The criteria to be included in the age-related hearing loss group was a four-frequency pure tone average of >25 decibels hearing level in the better hearing ear. All participants had three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), pure tone audiometric testing, and anxiety and depression scales.

The findings included a decrease in grey matter volume in 20 brain regions in the age-related hearing loss group. In addition, a positive correlation was found between high-frequency pure tone average and anxiety scores in the age-related hearing loss group. No relationships were found between depression and either gray matter volume or high-frequency hearing loss.

Ma, W., Zhang, Y., Li, X., Liu, S., Gao, Y., Yang, J., Xu, L., Liang, H., Ren, F., Gao, F., & Wang, Y. (2022). High-Frequency Hearing Loss Is Associated with Anxiety and Brain Structural Plasticity in Older Adults. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 14, 821537. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.821537

High-Frequency Hearing Loss Is Associated with Anxiety and Brain Structural Plasticity in Older Adults

Kari LaneLeave a comment

Age-related hearing loss is common in those persons over 65 years of age. Nearly 33% of persons over 65 years of age experience this type of hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss is typically a high-frequency loss that occurs progressively but slowly throughout adulthood. While age-related hearing loss begins in the high frequencies it slowly progresses to lower frequencies with time. This study examined the relationship between age-related hearing loss and anxiety in those over 65 years of age.

Sixty-seven persons with age-related hearing loss and 68 normal-hearing controls participated in this cross-sectional study. The criteria to be included in the age-related hearing loss group was a four-frequency pure tone average of >25 decibels hearing level in the better hearing ear. All participants had three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), pure tone audiometric testing, and anxiety and depression scales.

The findings included a decrease in grey matter volume in 20 brain regions in the age-related hearing loss group. In addition, a positive correlation was found between high-frequency pure tone average and anxiety scores in the age-related hearing loss group. No relationships were found between depression and either gray matter volume or high-frequency hearing loss.

Ma, W., Zhang, Y., Li, X., Liu, S., Gao, Y., Yang, J., Xu, L., Liang, H., Ren, F., Gao, F., & Wang, Y. (2022). High-Frequency Hearing Loss Is Associated with Anxiety and Brain Structural Plasticity in Older Adults. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 14, 821537. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.821537

Summary of Article “Dementia, Driving, and the Duty to Warn”

Kari LaneLeave a comment

The article discusses the relationship between mandatory reporting of dementia to vehicle licensing agencies and the potential underdiagnosis of dementia by physicians. Here are the key points:

  1. A study by Jun et al. conducted a cross-sectional ecological analysis of four states with mandatory fitness-to-drive reporting of dementia.
  2. The results suggest that mandatory reporting is associated with an increase in physicians underdiagnosing dementia:
    • 12.4% in states with mandatory reporting
    • 7.8% in states with driver self-reporting
    • 7.7% in states with no mandates
  3. The implication is that mandatory reporting may be aversive to patients and clinicians, leading to widespread underdiagnosis.
  4. The article cautions against drawing causal conclusions from this correlation, as there could be other factors influencing the results.
  5. The tension between patient privacy and community safety in relation to dementia and driving is highlighted as a complex issue.
  6. The importance of counseling patients about road safety is emphasized, regardless of government mandates.
  7. The article notes that while mandatory reporting may have unintended consequences, it’s essential for clinicians to address driving safety with dementia patients.
  8. The authors suggest that tactful counseling, focusing on practical alternatives and treating comorbidities, is crucial when discussing driving limitations with dementia patients.

The article ultimately emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to addressing dementia and driving safety, considering both patient care and public safety concerns.

Redelmeier DA, Bhatt V. Dementia, Driving, and the Duty to Warn. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(4):e248856. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.8856

“High-Frequency Presbycusis”–Is There an Earlier Onset?

Kari LaneLeave a comment

Historically, presbycusis (high-frequency hearing loss known to occur in older adults) was believed to occur in older than 50 years. A new article speculates that presbycusis can occur in much younger adults. Arvin et al., (2013) examined healthy adults who self-reported no hearing difficulties between the ages of 20-49. Usually, when one visits the audiologist, hearing is tested at 200-8,000 Hertz. This study examined hearing between 200-16,000 Hertz to detect changes in the higher frequencies.

Eighty participants (37% Malays, 26% Chinese, 29% Indians, 8% other) were grouped by age (20-29, 30-39, and 40-49) and the presence of symmetrical high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss was noted. Any participant with a hearing loss of >20 decibels was considered to have a hearing loss. Anyone with a > 15-decibel difference in hearing loss between ears was considered to have an asymmetrical hearing loss. 

In total 40% of participants had high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, 7 were from age group 20-29, 12 were from age group 30-39, and 13 were from age group 40-49. All participants from the age group 40-49 had symmetrical age-related sensorineural hearing loss. Researchers have believed that presbycusis begins in a patient’s 50’s, with over 75% of those over 50 experiencing this type of hearing loss. The exact cause of presbycusis is unknown, but it is believed to be caused by a multitude of exposures or conditions. This study found that higher frequency hearing loss (greater than 8 Kilohertz) may begin at a much earlier age.

Arvin, B., Prepageran, N., & Raman, R. (2013). “High-frequency presbycusis”-is there an earlier onset? Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery: Official Publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India, 65(Suppl 3), 480–484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-011-0356-x

High-Frequency Hearing Loss Is Associated with Anxiety and Brain Structural Plasticity in Older Adults

Kari LaneLeave a comment

Age-related hearing loss is common in those persons over 65 years of age. Nearly 33% of persons over 65 years of age experience this type of hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss is typically a high-frequency loss that occurs progressively but slowly throughout adulthood. While age-related hearing loss begins in the high frequencies it slowly progresses to lower frequencies with time. This study examined the relationship between age-related hearing loss and anxiety in those over 65 years of age.

Sixty-seven persons with age-related hearing loss and 68 normal-hearing controls participated in this cross-sectional study. The criteria to be included in the age-related hearing loss group was a four-frequency pure tone average of >25 decibels hearing level in the better hearing ear. All participants had three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), pure tone audiometric testing, and anxiety and depression scales.

The findings included a decrease in grey matter volume in 20 brain regions in the age-related hearing loss group. In addition, a positive correlation was found between high-frequency pure tone average and anxiety scores in the age-related hearing loss group. No relationships were found between depression and either gray matter volume or high-frequency hearing loss.

Ma, W., Zhang, Y., Li, X., Liu, S., Gao, Y., Yang, J., Xu, L., Liang, H., Ren, F., Gao, F., & Wang, Y. (2022). High-Frequency Hearing Loss Is Associated with Anxiety and Brain Structural Plasticity in Older Adults. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 14, 821537. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.821537