title: Brainstem plasticity and modified loudness following short-term use of hearing aids.
abstract: Previous research has shown that the threshold of the middle ear acoustic reflex is modified in adult listeners following 1 week of continuous monaural sensory deprivation [Munro and Blount, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 126, 568-571 (2009)]. The results of the present study provide evidence of plasticity in the brainstem of adult listeners following monaural auditory stimulation. Acoustic reflexes were obtained at a higher sound pressure level in the ear that had been fitted with a low-gain hearing aid for 5 days. These changes are in the opposite direction to those reported after sensory deprivation and are consistent with a gain control mechanism mediated by a process within the brainstem. Stimuli were reported as less loud after hearing aid use but the relationship with changes to the acoustic reflex threshold was not statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom. kevin.munro@manchester.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.forename: Jessica F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Merrett
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001299:Audiometry; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008144:Loudness Perception; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D011312:Pressure; D012022:Reflex, Acoustic; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult