Prolonged exposure to loud noise alters how the brain processes speech, potentially increasing the difficulty in distinguishing speech sounds, according to neuroscientists at The University of Texas at Dallas.  The researchers demonstrated for the first time how noise-induced hearing loss affects the brain’s recognition of speech sounds. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) reaches all corners of the population, affecting an estimated 15 percent of Americans between … Continue reading Scientists begin to map hearing loss in the brain.