How aging changes the brain and nerves that process sound
Alterations and mechanisms of auditory information processing in the aging auditory pathway
This research looks at how age-related changes in the nerves and brain pathways that carry sound may cause hearing and speech-understanding problems in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Arizona NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tucson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11194361 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team is trying to find what physically goes wrong in the brain and auditory nerves as we get older and how those changes make it harder to hear and locate sounds and to understand speech in noisy places. They will examine tiny synapses (like the endbulb and calyx of Held) and the long nerve fibers and their myelin to see how structure and molecules change with age. The researchers will measure how these changes affect signal timing, nerve conduction speed, and how excitable neurons become, using detailed lab techniques on tissue and model systems across ages. By linking specific nerve and synapse changes to the hearing problems people report, they hope to point to targets for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults experiencing age-related hearing loss or difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, especially those over 55.
Not a fit: People whose hearing loss is primarily caused by middle-ear disease, congenital deafness, or non-age-related causes may not directly benefit from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal specific nerve or synapse targets that lead to new ways to prevent or treat age-related hearing loss and improve speech understanding in noisy places.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and human studies have linked synaptic decline and myelin changes to age-related hearing loss, but the precise cellular mechanisms remain incompletely understood and this project builds on that body of work.
Where this research is happening
Tucson, United States
- University of Arizona — Tucson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rubio-Valero, Maria-Eulalia — University of Arizona
- Study coordinator: Rubio-Valero, Maria-Eulalia
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.