Immediate Effects of (Simulated) Age-Related Hearing Loss on Cognitive Processing and Performance for the...

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Gerontology

Background:

• Backward Digit Span (BDS) assesses information processing, linked to speech-in-noise intelligibility.
• Hearing loss (HL) is prevalent in aging populations undergoing cognitive testing.
• Uncorrected HL can distort cognitive test results and cause long-term neuroplastic changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of simulated age-related hearing loss on cognitive performance.
• To investigate how HL affects the cognitive processes measured by the BDS task.
• To understand the relationship between HL, cognitive function, and memory in older adults.

Main Methods:

• A simulation approach mimicked mild-to-moderate hearing loss in young, normal-hearing participants.
• Participants (n=19) completed the BDS task under various simulated HL conditions.
• Visual tests of short-term and working memory were administered alongside the BDS task.

Main Results:

• Backward Digit Span performance declined with simulated HL mirroring that of individuals aged 75 and 85.
• In normal hearing, BDS correlated with both short-term and working memory performance.
• Under moderate HL simulation (85-year-old equivalent), BDS performance only correlated with working memory.

Conclusions:

• Simulated and actual age-related hearing loss negatively impacts cognitive test performance.
• Hearing loss may alter the specific cognitive processes engaged during tasks like the BDS.
• Findings highlight the importance of considering hearing status in audiology and aging research.