Hearing Loss, Central ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Mitochondria ; pathology

BACKGROUND: Quantification of the loudness of tinnitus is important for evaluating tinnitus treatments and for assessing the validity of compensational claims, as well as for the fact that it is fundamental to many other types of tinnitus research. A common method for measuring the level of tinnitus is loudness matching test, i.e., adjusting the dB level of an external tone to match the loudness of tinnitus. Hence the objective comparision can be made between the tinnitus and the test tone. Traditionally the test measures ipsilateral side of the tinnitus. However due to recruitment, the result yields a misleadingly low sensation level. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the differences of results between ipsilateral and contralateral test tone in loudness balance test. MAERIALS AND METHODS: Applying the loudness matching method, tinnitus levels were measured ipsilaterally and contralaterally for 55 patients with unilateral tinnitus. The subjects were divided into two subgroups according to hearing levels. The one subgroup (n=16) had normal hearing ranges while the other subgroup (n=39) experienced difficulties in hearing. To correct the effects of recruitment when there was sensorineural hearing loss in the ear to which the test sound was applied, the effective loudness level representation was adopted. Estimates of effective loudness levels were obtained using a normogram. RESULTS: The result is as follows: in the hearing-difficulty group, tinnitus levels measured ipsilaterally were correlated with those from the contralateral side. The correlation coefficient was 0.647. In the normal hearing group, tinnitus levels measured ipsilaterally did not correlate with those from the contralateral side. The correlation coefficient was 0.037. CONCLUSIONS: The results revealed that there is a difference between ipsilateral and contralateral methods in the loudness balance test of unilateral tinnitus due to compound effects of the recruitment, the hearing loss of tinnitus ear, and the neural interaction of central nervous system. It is therefore suggested that ipsilateral test tone is more accurate than contralateral tone for the evaluation of loudness balance.
Central Nervous System ; Ear ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Sensation ; Tinnitus*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current situation of early diagnosis and intervention in 0-9 months old infants with hearing loss and analysis factors that will affect early diagnosis and intervention. METHOD: One hundred and eighty-six infants referred to the West China hospital from February 2014 to September 2014 were included. All 186 children were referred due to the fact that either they failed infant hearing screening or outer ear malformation. Early diagnosis and/or intervention were performed on those 186 children and their records of early diagnosis and intervention were analyzed. RESULT: Among the 186 infants, 167 (89.8%) were diagnosed with an average age at (4.0 ± 1.4) months. Among the 167 infants with final diagnosis, there were 31 (18.6%) infants diagnosed as conductive hearing loss (CHL), and 99 cases (59.3%) diagnosed as sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), among whom, there were 75 (44.9%) bilateral SNHL and 24 (14.4%) unilateral SNHL. There were 2 cases (1.20%) with SNHL on one side and atresia on the other side. 5 (2.99%) of all conductive hearing loss cases with unilateral atresia and 2 cases with auditory neuropathy (AN) were found. 33 infants (19.8%) were found to have normal hearing. 30.7% (23/75) infants diagnosed as bilateral SNHL and 8.3% (2/24) infants diagnosed as unilateral SNHL were fitted with hearing aids. The fitting rate in infants with bilateral SNHL with mild, moderate, severe to profound degrees were 0 (0/23), 24.0% (6/25), 66.7% (6/9), 61.1% (11/18) respectively. The average intervention age was (5.0 ± 2.1) months. CONCLUSION Although the early diagnosis and intervention situation in this study are very close to international standard, there are still infants without final diagnosis and infants with hearing loss without hearing aid fitting. Further studies and efforts to promote early diagnosis and intervention in infants with hearing loss are needed.
China ; Deafness ; Early Diagnosis ; Hearing Aids ; Hearing Loss, Bilateral ; Hearing Loss, Central ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; diagnosis ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; diagnosis ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of tinnitus in patients with auditory neuropathy spec- trum disorder (ANSD). METHOD: This study recruited 14 ANSD patients with tinnitus. All the ANSD patients un- derwent detailed history taking, audiological examinations and assessments of tinnitus. This study analyzed the correlation of tinnitus status and hearing loss, and discussed the effects of sex, age, and the course of disease on tinnitus in ANSD patients. RESULT: (1) In the ANSD patients, tinnitus often occurred in 3 years after the onset of hearing loss; (2) Tinnitus was highly prevalent in ANSD patients, and the severity of tinnitus was mostly from mild to moderate; (3) There was no obvious correlation between the subjective grading of tinnitus and hearing loss de- gree, and the impact of curve patterns of hearing loss on the level of tinnitus need much more evidence-based proof; (4) Along with the course extension, the impact of tinnitus on the quality of life was much more obvious; (5) Some risk factors such as noise exposure could be the reasons of aggravating the degree of tinnitus. CONCLUSION Tinnitus in ANSD patients has its unique clinical features. The study of Tinnitus in ANSD patients can provide clinical basis for further research in ANSD.
Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Central ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Tinnitus ; complications ; diagnosis

Central serous chorioretinopathy(CSC) is characterized by a serous elevation of neurosensory retina in the posterior pole of the fundus. Its etiology and pathophysiological basis are still unknown. But it is known to be related to corticosteroid therapy. We experienced a development of CSC in a patient who had taken high dose systemic corticosteroid to treat sudden hearing loss. So we report this case with a review of the literatures.
Central Serous Chorioretinopathy* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Retina

Hearing Loss, Central ; genetics ; Humans ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases

Female ; Hearing Loss, Central ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies ; physiopathology

Asians ; China ; Hearing Loss, Central ; Humans ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

Miliary tuberculosis is a severe form of tuberculosis resulting from dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli. Since symptoms appearing in patients due to miliary TB are diverse and atypical, depending on the site of invasion, early diagnosis and treatment are important. A paradoxical response of tuberculosis is a rare phenomenon and it can be a clinical difficulty to treatment especially when involving the central nervous system. We present a case report with a review of related literature about the patient who developed sudden hearing loss due to tuberculosis infection in vestibulocochlear area.
Central Nervous System ; Early Diagnosis ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Miliary

Humans ; Auditory Pathways ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Hearing Loss, Central ; Auditory Threshold ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem