Be mindful of exposure

This is a topic which has been highlighted before in the Hearing Research series, as the evidence base regarding the specific impact of acoustic trauma on the auditory system has been expanding regularly in the last few years. This particular...

Third-party disability in cochlear implant users

Hearing loss causes changes for those experiencing it and the people who share in their everyday lives, often referred to as third party disability or caregiver burden. This study emphasises the notion that this phenomenon can be considered a disability,...

Hearing difficulties and memory problems

Since the Lancet Commission report in 2020, we have all been aware that untreated hearing loss is potentially one of the biggest modifiable risk factors for dementia in midlife. Hearing loss is also associated with other risk factors for dementia,...

Ethnic inequalities in hearing aid use

Recent events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have once again highlighted health inequalities experienced by people from ethnic minority backgrounds. Our Editors’ Choice paper shows that there are inequalities in hearing aid use and includes the stark finding that ethnicity is...

Cochlear implantation in enlarged vestibular aqueduct patients

In this systematic review, the authors describe the complications and outcomes of cochlear implantation in patients with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA). The authors reviewed five major databases and included 4035 patients from 34 studies. Of these, 853 patients (21.14%) had...

An understandable backup

This small study comparing the auditory temporal processing of seven younger adults with that of seven older adults does not show anything breathtakingly new in its conclusions. After the assessment to rule out compounding factors such as middle ear pathology,...

Third-party disability in cochlear implantation

The authors of this study note significant third-party disability experienced by significant others (SO) or communication partners of persons with hearing impairment (PHI). The study explored contextual and psychosocial factors for successful auditory rehabilitation, advocating for the importance of including...

Make food thy medicine!

This is a useful paper emphasising how diet affects health and various ENT conditions. We have known for many years the power of food as medicine. We also know that what we eat can affect our bodies in multiple ways...

Small but significant

These authors try to circumnavigate the conundrum of what is influenced by what. For something so small, the impact of the Stria Vascularis cannot be understated. The difficulty in reviewing the influence of loop diuretics or aminoglycosides on the Stria...

Effect of age-related changes in voice production and hearing on Voice Handicap Index and Geriatric Depression Scores

The ageing process affects hearing and production of voice. It is not unknown that impairment of these faculties can affect quality of life and also cause depression. The authors have presented an array of actual anatomical and functional changes that...

Biologics for deafness

Cochlear implants and hearing aids are inherently limited in their ability to restore ‘natural’ hearing. Biological therapy to treat inner ear pathology still is evolving rapidly with several ongoing clinical trials, though none are available for clinical practice to date....

Moving towards implanting children below 12 months of age

Newborn hearing screening has ensured that deaf infants are identified soon after birth so that habilitation can begin as early as possible. Cochlear implantation is a key component of early intervention for some children, but it is often not performed...