Junichi Matsushima and Aiko Matsushima
Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is the loss of hearing that gradually occurs. It is one of the most common conditions affecting older and elderly adults. Approximately one in three people in Japan. Having trouble hearing is one of the high risk for dementia. So far scientists don’t know how to prevent age-related hearing loss.
However, retrieval of the meaning of words and other semantic processes involved in understanding language show little change with aging. Focusing on cognitive process of hearing and understanding word, we could improve abilities of hearing and understanding word.
Tinnitus could be treated with a battery of autogenic training and DIV of VB12, which method was reported by us. Based on speculation that that tinnitus reflected noise of the central auditory system, relief of tinnitus may improve ability of the central auditory system, meaning that subjects could hear and understand word better than before.
Method: discrimination for syllables and sentences in hearing-impaired and older subjects were evaluated by 67s Method and grammatically correct but non-sense sentences before and after treatment.
Conclusion: most subjects here could improve discrimination for syllables and sentences following treatment. It may be induced by improvement in cognitive process.