The New Brain Drain: How Subtle Hearing Loss While Young Changes Brain Function
Think twice before turning up the volume – your ears (and brain) will thank you.
By Stacey Colino, Contributor June 6, 2018, at 4:48 p.m.
A recent study found that young adults with subtle hearing loss are placing demands on their brains that don't normally occur until later in life.(iStockPhoto)
Teens and young adults often crank up the volume on their iPods or smartphones or stand near the speakers at rock concerts or nightclubs, all in the name of chilling out or having a good time. Even if they have the foresight to realize these choices could be damaging to their hearing, what neither they nor their parents know is this kind of behavior also could be altering their brain function for life. A study in the May 2018 issue of the journal eNeuro found that young adults with subtle hearing loss – a deficit that's so slight that they're not even aware of it (they reported they had normal hearing) – are placing demands on their brains that don't normally occur until later in life.
https://health.usnews.com/wellness/mind/articles/2018-06-06/the-new-brain-drain-how-subtle-hearing-loss-while-young-changes-brain-function
