How brain chemicals and aging affect hearing in older adults
Official title: Coding in Auditory Neurons: Effects of Amino Acids
Funded at Southern Illinois University Sch of Med · NIH-11261205 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at whether changes in brain chemical signals that support attention affect how adults 65+ understand speech in noisy places.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Southern Illinois University Sch of Med NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Springfield, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 1979 |
| Project end | December 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $57,717 |
| NIH project number | 5U01DC000151-41 |
| Project ID | NIH-11261205 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 65 or older who have trouble understanding speech, especially in noisy or crowded settings, are the most relevant group for this research.
✕Less likely to help
People younger than 65 or those whose hearing loss is caused only by middle-ear or mechanical problems may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This work looks at how your brain's sound-processing cells and attention chemicals (like acetylcholine) change as you age. Scientists will use lab tissue studies and recordings from animal models to see how those changes alter the way sounds are coded and repeated. The team focuses on cholinergic (nicotinic) receptors in the auditory pathway that help attention filter and clarify speech. The goal is to find targets for treatments that could help older adults follow conversations better in difficult listening environments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could point to new drugs or therapies that boost attention-related brain signals and improve speech understanding for older adults with age-related hearing loss.
How similar studies have gone: Previous lab and animal studies have shown age-related changes in nicotinic receptors and altered neural sound coding, suggesting promise but with limited direct proof of clinical benefit in people so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Southern Illinois University Sch of Med
Springfield, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Caspary, Donald M. — Southern Illinois University Sch of Med
- Study coordinator: Caspary, Donald M.
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.