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A human ear with colorful sound waves flowing out of it.

Research Roundup: What's That Sound?

Dr. Hannah Glick explains causes, treatments and misconceptions surrounding hearing loss

Research Roundup is a series that features Q&As with UNC faculty to share insights about their research in an approachable, bite-sized format. Each installment highlights the questions driving their work, why it matters and how it connects to broader issues in our community and beyond. 


After sight,   

Sound brings with it many things that enrich our lives — from music and podcasts to conversations and debates, and the simple pleasure of drinking in the sounds of nature and the world around us. 

But when hearing starts to fail, it can have serious impacts on people’s lives — from loss of balance and coordination to increased risk of cognitive decline and developing dementia. 

It’s vital then, that when hear loss occurs, either through the natural aging process, a pronounced head injury or one of a variety of other potential causes, something can be done.  

Enter the field of Audiology — the branch of science and medicine dedicated to understanding, analyzing and caring for all things relating to hearing. And enter Hannah Glick, assistant professor and graduate coordinator of Audiology in the University of Www:zuise.comern Colorado’s College of Natural and Health Sciences.  

Hannah Glick faculty picture

"A lot of people think hearing loss primarily impacts communication, and in many ways, it does...the thing that people don’t necessarily realize is that hearing loss can impact many more aspects of health and well-being."
-Hannah Glick, Au.D., Ph.D.

In this month’s Research Roundup Glick discusses her research, the impacts of Audiology and why taking care of one’s hearing might be even more important than it seems.

  • What is the main focus of your research?

    In Audiology, we're all about hearing and balance. Audiology is a clinical science focused on how we hear and helping people hear better if they have hearing loss. It also looks at addressing people's balance-related needs, as our ear is a huge part of our balance system. 
     
    It relates to cognitive science and neuroscience in how we look at the brain – how our brain works, how it functions, what happens when there is a disorder such as hearing loss. I look at how something like hearing loss impacts the brain, in terms of both brain structure and brain function.

  • How can hearing loss impact a person?

    A lot of people think hearing loss primarily impacts communication, and in many ways, it does. If someone with hearing loss is in a noisy environment, they’re likely to experience some understandable difficulty.  
     
    The thing that people don’t necessarily realize is that hearing loss can impact many more aspects of health and well-being. We’re seeing research coming out showing that untreated hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline.  
     
    If an adult has untreated hearing loss, they’re at a higher risk for developing dementia – and it isn’t just that the risk is higher, but the progression towards cognitive impairment is accelerated as well. That doesn't mean every person that has a hearing loss will develop dementia, but the risk is increased. 
     
    There's also research showing that hearing loss impacts physical health – people are typically less physically active when experiencing hearing loss.  
     
    Hearing loss is also associated with earlier age of mortality, more hospitalizations and potentially increased experiences of depression and social isolation. 
     
    The other piece that isn’t talked about is relationships. 
     
    Hearing loss doesn't just affect the individual experiencing it – it affects the people around them as well. There is something called a “third party disability,” that refers to how the partner or significant other of someone with a disability ends up taking on additional responsibilities. Those relationships can put all parties involved under a great deal of stress.  
     
    Hearing loss can have an impact on many different aspects of our health and well-being. And so, management of hearing loss is not just about improving communication, but also, hopefully, improving some of these other aspects as well. 

  • What factors cause or contribute to hearing loss?

    One of the biggest causes is noise exposure.  
     
    More and more, we’re seeing rapidly-increasing rates of hearing loss in younger and younger populations. Factors like constant use of things like AirPods and headphones expose people to consistent levels of elevated noise that can be harmful.  
     
    On the other end of the spectrum, aging, just by its very nature, is a massive contributor.  
     
    There are genetic factors – certain people are more genetically predisposed to hearing loss than others.  
     
    And people don’t always know this, but certain medications can cause hearing loss as well – even medications like aspirin and Advil, when taken consistently over long periods of time. 
     
    Lastly, trauma – things like severe brain or head injuries - can lead to damaged auditory systems.  
     
    All in all, there are many, many causes of hearing loss affecting a wide and diverse population. 

  • How is developing technology being used in the field of Audiology?

    In a lot of ways – and really cool ones at that.  

    We’re running a study right now that is looking at research participants who have had a brain injury that’s causing them difficulty in processing speech. In this study, we’re examining how an artificial intelligence-enhanced brain training program might be able to improve their performance and ability to process auditory inputs.  

    Another thing is cochlear implants. They’re these little devices that get implanted into the inner ear – the cochlea. When there has been so much damage to the inner ear that it’s no longer functioning, these implants can stimulate the hearing nerve to the brain directly.  

    It’s amazing to see it in action. Often, when someone comes in to get a cochlear implant, they’re really struggling – they’re using hearing aids, they’ve tried everything and it just isn’t working. But, in the cases where the implant can make the difference, that difference is everything.  

    When I turn the implants on, I’ve had patients cry before and experience all these wonderful emotions and reactions. And it’s pretty cool to be a part of their life and have an impact that way.  

    And those are just a few examples.  

    In many ways, how technology and audiology work hand in hand is developing every day. For example, teleaudiology is becoming a bigger and bigger part of treatment. Care providers can see people who are miles away, potentially in rural areas with less access to specialized care, and patients can access that care from their couch at home or on their phone at lunchtime.  

    Through technology, there are just so many more incredible opportunities to serve communities and people who otherwise would have difficulty accessing care.

  • What is the importance of Audiology, particularly in Colorado, a state with the third-fastest aging population in the country?

    Fundamentally, communication is what connects us to the world around us. So, maintaining good communicative function is really important, regardless of the age you are.  
     
    There’s data that suggests hearing aid use can actually preserve cognitive function in people experiencing hearing loss, or even other comorbidities like heart disease or diabetes. For elderly people at a higher risk of developing dementia, that difference can be huge.  
     
    Additionally, when we look at something like fall risk for older individuals, the improvements in balance that have been shown to occur through the use of hearing aids and other beneficial technologies can’t be understated. Falls are the leading cause of death in older individuals, so anything we can do to reduce that risk is important.  
     
    Research wise, I’m interested in the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline in older people, as well as how hearing aid use can support cognitive health. Around 90% of cases of cognitive impairment or cognitive decline go undetected, and even when they are detected, we’ve found people that have hearing loss and early-stage cognitive impairment are more likely to stop using their devices even though they're getting significant cognitive benefit. 
     
    I’m trying to break down why that happens and what we can do to support those people and promote their success however we can.  

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