Can we reverse hearing loss?

As we age our hearing tends to decline, and this can set in motion other problems. Not being able to pick up all of a conversation causes us to isolate and miss out. 

Researchers at the W.M. Keck Center for Integrative Neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco, have been studying the hearing ability of aging rats and think it may lead to new therapies for older people.

In a recent study, UCSF researchers found that trained lab rats were able to recover more than 20 auditory cortex alterations. In most cases, they saw a partial or complete reversal of auditory damage. This study provides compelling evidence that the effects of aging — at least in the auditory cortex of elderly lab rats — are both reversible and preventable.

The study carries hefty implication for the use of audio in neurorehabilitation therapy for humans, especially in cases of age-related dementia, Alzheimer’s and sensory degradation.


In some cases of dementia, music is already being used to ameliorate symptoms of agitation, anxiety and depression. In instances of age-related decline or injury therapy, music and rhythmic cues are being used for cognitive rehabilitation, spatial awareness and muscle recovery. Findings from UCSF may help therapists hone training strategies and tailor their use of audio to not only treat symptoms of age-related decline, but improve the degradation of its causes.

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