Sensitive periods for audition: Teenagers with Normal Hearing & Hearing Loss

Introduction

Orienting oneself in a crowded playground, understanding the teacher’s explanation despite the surrounding chatter, lip-reading to support auditory perception in noisy backgrounds: these are all complex but essential skills for navigating lively schools.

Auditory System Maturation

In children with normal hearing, the auditory system is functionally mature by 6 months of age. Yet complex auditory processing remains immature until mid to late adolescence. Strikingly, adolescence is characterized by the onset of puberty, which triggers a cascade of hormonal changes that drive neural plasticity, and vice-versa.

Hypothesis

The overarching hypothesis of SensationaHL is that adolescence might present a second sensitive period for complex auditory processing. Just like puberty is a gradual process spanning years, sensitive periods unfold over time.

Research Approach

In this project, I propose a multi-method approach to advance our understanding of the maturation of complex auditory processing at adolescence. Specifically, I will combine neuroendocrinology, neuroimaging, and psychophysics to identify the mechanisms that govern sensitive periods as they unfold over time.

Focus Areas

1. Onset of Puberty: I will zoom in on the onset of puberty as a potential trigger for heightened plasticity associated with sensitive periods.
2. Altered Auditory Input: Next, I will investigate the effect of altered auditory input (due to hearing loss, noise exposure, or auditory training) on the maturation of complex auditory processing in adolescents.
3. Braking Factors: Last, I will focus on the braking factors that contribute to a decrease in plasticity observed at the end of adolescence.

Significance

SensationaHL uses an innovative multidisciplinary perspective to tackle a remaining challenge in the field of (developmental) auditory cognitive neuroscience. It will have significant impacts on:

• Public health (i.e., prevention and clinical management of hearing loss)
• Language education (i.e., speech perception in challenging backgrounds in children)
• Theoretical understanding of sensitive periods across the lifespan.