Hidden Hearing Loss: Causes, Current Knowledge, and Future Directions

Introduction: Hidden hearing loss (HHL) is a type of auditory disorder that affects the auditory neural processing and hearing sensitivity in subjects with normal hearing thresholds. Unlike central auditory processing disorders, HHL happens when the cochlea (the peripheral auditory organ) is affected. There are several known risk factors to HHL which includes noise exposure, ototoxic drugs, and peripheral neuropathies, and age. Recent studies have shed light on this type of hearing loss, its etiology, prevalence, and how it can affect the auditory acuity in humans. Methods: This paper covers the current research regarding HHL, its causes, the different mechanisms involved in this disorder, and the diagnosis and potential treatments related to it. We will delve deeply into different researches concerning HHL. 4 articles from 285 were selected focusing on normal hearing individuals with bad speech intelligibility were discussed in this paper. In addition, articles discussing the effects of noise exposure on hearing impaired individuals were not considered as this study solely aims to focus on normal hearing sensitivity individuals with HHL, resulting in 4 articles from 285. Results: Numerous literatures over the decades have suggested that HHL is due to the degeneration of cochlear ribbon synapses, or hair cells synapses without hair cell damage. Their association with HHL was noted several times through this study, whether we were studying the effect of noise exposure, of age, or of ototoxicity. In all cases, no significant hair cell damage was observed, and normal thresholds were recovered. However, a decline in the amplitude of Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) peak I from auditory nerve (AN) responses in noise exposed subjects and a decline in compound action potential (CAP) was measured when certain drugs were applied to the round window of Guinea pigs. Conclusion: Most studies, have proven that cochlear synaptophysin is the major contributor to noise induced, age, and ototoxic related HHL. There are several audiometric tests that were used to help identify HHL including Puretone audiometry in background noise, ABR, CAP, Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE).

Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Children:Preventing the Silent Epidemic

Noise-induced hearing loss and related tinnitus are often unrecognized problems, especially in non-occupational settings. Research indicates that increasing numbers of children and adolescents have or are acquiring noise induced hearing losses. Noise induced hearing loss can almost completely be prevented with simple precautionary measures. Educational programs rarely exist outside of those mandated in occupational settings. Health Communication theory can be applied to hearing health for developing effective loss prevention programs. Dangerous Decibels is one example of an effective multi-disciplinary effort to develop and disseminated prevention strategies.

Spatial learning and memory deficits in young adult mice exposed to a brief intense noise at postnatal age

Noise pollution is a major hazardous factor to human health and is likely harmful for vulnerable groups such as pre-term infants under lifesupport system in an intensive care unit. Previous studies have suggested that noise exposure impairs children’s learning ability and cognitive performance and cognitive functions in animal models in which the effect is mainly attributed to the oxidant stress of noise on the cognitive brain. The potential role of noise induced hearing loss(NIHL), rather than the oxidant stress, has also been indicated by a depression of neurogenesis in the hippocampus long after a brief noise exposure, which produces only a tentative oxidant stress. It is not clear if noise exposure and NIHL during early development exerts a long term impact on cognitive function and neurogenesis towards adulthood. In the present study, a brief noise exposure at high sound level was performed in neonatal C57BL/6J mice(15 days after birth) to produce a significant amount of permanent hearing loss as proved 2 months after the noise. At this age, the noise-exposed animals showed deteriorated spatial learning and memory abilities and a reduction of hippocampal neurogenesis as compared with the control. The averaged hearing threshold was found to be strongly correlated with the scores for spatial learning and memory. We consider the effects observed are largely due to the loss of hearing sensitivity, rather than the oxidant stress, due to the long interval between noise exposure and the observations.

Cochlear Synaptopathy Following Noise Exposure in Guinea Pigs: Its Electrophysiological and Histological Assessments

Exposure to high level of noise,may cause the permanent cochlear synaptic degeneration.In present study,a model of noise induced cochlear synaptopathy was established and the electrophysiological and histological metrics for its assessment was designed.6 guinea pigs were subjected to a synaptopathic noise(octave band of 4 kHz at 104 dB SPL,for 2-h).The amplitude growth curve of Auditory Brainstem Response(ABR)wave-I and wave-III latency shift in presence of noise were calculated.These indexes were considered in pre-exposure,1 day post exposure(1DPE),1 week post exposure(1WPE)and 1 month post exposure(1MPE)to noise.Finally,the samples were histologically analyzed.ABR wave-I amplitude was different between pre and 1DPE(p-value≤0.05).However,at 1WPE,it was recovered at low intensities but at 70 dB SPL and above,the differences persisted even till 1MPE.In masked ABR,the latency shift of wave-III was different between pre and 3 post exposure assessments(p-value≤0.05).Electro-microscopic analysis confirmed the synaptic degeneration,as the ribbons were larger than normal,hollow inside,and spherical and irregular in shape,also,the post synaptic density was abnormally thick and missed its flat orientation.These data revealed that noise at level below that can produce permanent hearing loss,can incur synaptic injury.So,noise is considered to be more damaging than previously thought.Accordingly,designing tools for clinical assessment of synaptopathy is beneficial in comprehensive auditory evaluation of those with history of noise exposure and also in hearing protection planning.

Noise Exposure and Its Auditory Effect on Industrial Workers

This paper analyzes the effect of exposure to noise among industrial workers in Nigeria to discover the level of exposure to noise that causes auditory defects or noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), this paper primarily covers the evaluation of hearing impairment and its severity on exposure to loud sounds (acoustic trauma) and the role of hearing protective devices for industrial workers for prevention of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). The paper also discusses the findings and guides as preventive methods for such industries. A total sample of seventy (70) workers were selected from three (3) manufacturing industries for this study. This study revealed a statistically significant difference in the hearing threshold within the selected industries over the selected period of time relating to the theory of excessive noise present in a given environment tends to affect people or in this case study employees hearing if proper hearing protection isn’t used for prolonged hours or time, the study also surveys the various effect of noise on human health including various steps of noise control in such settings.