The Audiologist Informer

Will we see the right OTC hearing aids at the right prices to meet pent-up demand? David Copithorne details why many of the same obstacles that limited consumer adoption of hearables may slow market acceptance of OTC hearing aids as well.

Located at the posterior end of the middle frontal gyrus, area 55b has been shown by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during passive music listening to act as a core hub of music processing in humans.

Given our aging population and demographics related to MCI, there is an imminent need for audiologists to expand their scope of practice and adopt cognitive screening procedures, as well to train future audiologists about the interprofessional management of MCI.

Using neuroimaging, the researchers found tinnitus is likely a dysfunction of brain regions spanning multiple networks that increase individuals’ awareness of the tinnitus sound, decrease the capacity to switch cognitive sets, and prevent attention to other stimuli. They also found the most robust tinnitus-related abnormalities are not in the auditory system.