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Brain Sciences
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Recent Advances in Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition
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Recent Advances in Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Sensory and Motor Neuroscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 3840

Editor

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Szczepek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
Interests: hearing research; inner ear immunology; ototoxicity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hearing impairment is a common communication disorder, and is being increasingly acknowledged for its link to untreated hearing loss and dementia. Key contributors include noise exposure, aging, genetic factors, ototoxic agents, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, autoimmune diseases, and specific cancers. The most prevalent symptom is tinnitus. It is essential to stay informed about the latest developments in this evolving field.

This Special Issue aims to compile recent research on the ototoxic effects of medications and conditions associated with hearing loss and tinnitus, such as temporomandibular joint disorders, kidney diseases, and mitochondrial disorders. We look forward to papers exploring the neurobiological and molecular mechanisms leading to hearing loss and associated symptoms, new biomarkers related to hearing loss, and the relationship between stress and hearing disorders. We also invite descriptions of innovative experimental techniques for treating hearing disorders.

We encourage submissions of original research articles (both clinical and basic), case reports, and review papers, with opinion pieces accepted in certain circumstances.

Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Szczepek
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hearing loss
  • ototoxicity
  • autoimmune disease
  • cochlear synaptopathy
  • hair cell loss
  • spiral ganglion damage
  • translational research
  • audiology
  • animal models
  • biomarkers for hearing loss

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1352 KB  
Article
Auditory and Tinnitus Outcomes of Vibrant Soundbridge Implantation with the Incus Short Process Coupler in Older Male Veterans
by Chul Ho Jang and Do Yeon Kim
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(4), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16040423 - 17 Apr 2026
Viewed by 758
Abstract
Background: Active middle ear implants (AMEIs) provide an alternative auditory rehabilitation strategy for patients who cannot tolerate conventional hearing aids. However, clinical data regarding the outcomes of Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) implantation using the incus short process (SP) coupler in older adults remain [...] Read more.
Background: Active middle ear implants (AMEIs) provide an alternative auditory rehabilitation strategy for patients who cannot tolerate conventional hearing aids. However, clinical data regarding the outcomes of Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) implantation using the incus short process (SP) coupler in older adults remain limited. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the audiological outcomes, patient-reported hearing benefits, tinnitus improvement, and surgical safety of VSB implantation using the SP coupler in older adults with bilateral sloping sensorineural hearing loss. Methods: This retrospective study included 45 older male veterans (mean age 76.1 ± 5.3 years) with bilateral sloping sensorineural hearing loss who underwent unilateral VSB implantation with the SP coupler between 2019 and 2023. Functional hearing gain was assessed using preoperative and postoperative sound-field pure-tone thresholds. Patient-reported outcomes were evaluated using the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). Operative characteristics and postoperative complications were also analyzed. Results: Mean operative time was 40.2 ± 8.7 min. Functional hearing gain increased progressively across speech-critical frequencies, reaching +20 dB at 2 kHz and +30 dB at 4 kHz. The mean four-frequency pure tone average improved from 57.4 ± 8.3 dB HL preoperatively to 35.6 ± 6.9 dB HL postoperatively (p < 0.001). All SSQ subdomains showed significant improvement (p < 0.001). THI scores decreased significantly from 43.2 ± 8.4 to 17.1 ± 6.2 (p < 0.0001), with clinically meaningful tinnitus improvement observed in 75.6% of patients. No major surgical complications occurred. Conclusions: Vibrant Soundbridge implantation using the incus short process coupler provides effective auditory rehabilitation for older adults with sloping sensorineural hearing loss. The procedure yields meaningful high-frequency hearing gain, improved hearing-related quality of life, and significant tinnitus reduction while maintaining a favorable surgical safety profile. Restoration of auditory input through active middle ear implantation may also contribute to improved central auditory processing in older adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 1168 KB  
Article
In Middle-Aged Adults, Cognitive Performance Improves After One Year of Auditory Rehabilitation with a Cochlear Implant
by Jaron Zuberbier, Agnieszka J. Szczepek and Heidi Olze
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16010022 - 24 Dec 2025
Viewed by 878
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Hearing impairment in middle-aged adults is a significant, modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, and therapy with hearing aids or cochlear implants has been suggested to reduce this risk. However, most research on auditory rehabilitation and cognition has focused [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Hearing impairment in middle-aged adults is a significant, modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia, and therapy with hearing aids or cochlear implants has been suggested to reduce this risk. However, most research on auditory rehabilitation and cognition has focused on older adults, and evidence regarding cognitive outcomes in middle-aged adults remains scarce despite this group being identified as critical for dementia prevention. Thus, this study aimed to assess cognitive skills in middle-aged hearing-impaired individuals 1 year after receiving a cochlear implant (CI) as part of auditory rehabilitation. Methods: Thirty-two patients with a mean age of 52.4 were enrolled in a prospective pre-post study. Hearing was tested using the Freiburg Monosyllable Test (FS) and the Oldenburg Inventory (OI). Cognitive performance was assessed using the WAIS-IV, operationalized through the Working Memory Index (Digit Span, Arithmetic) and Processing Speed Index (Symbol Search, Coding). Quality of life was assessed with the NCIQ, tinnitus-related distress with the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), and depressive symptoms with the ADS-L. Results: After one year, speech intelligibility (FS) improved from a median of 0 to 70.0 (Wilcoxon Z = −4.864, p < 0.001, r = −0.61), and subjective hearing from a median of 2.55 to 3.18 (Wilcoxon Z = −3.072, p = 0.002). The NCIQ score increased from 52.3 to 60.6 (Z = −3.899, p < 0.001), and tinnitus-related distress decreased from 25 to 21 (Wilcoxon Z = −2.209, p = 0.027). Depressive symptoms declined numerically, although this change did not reach statistical significance. Working memory improved from 82.0 to 89.0 (Wilcoxon Z = −4.090, p < 0.001), and processing speed from 89.5 to 95.5 (Wilcoxon Z = −2.533, p = 0.011). Before CI, WMI and PSI showed a strong correlation (ρ = 0.533, p = 0.002), and WMI correlated moderately with education level (ρ = 0.452, p = 0.012). One year after CI, correlations strengthened between PSI and NCIQ (ρ = 0.510, p = 0.006), PSI and OI (ρ = 0.400, p = 0.039), and WMI and TQ (ρ = –0.459, p = 0.021), indicating emerging associations between cognitive outcomes and auditory or psychosocial measures. Conclusions: One year of CI-based auditory rehabilitation improves auditory function, quality of life, tinnitus distress, and—critically—working memory and processing speed in middle-aged adults. These findings address a previously unfilled research gap and support the relevance of CIs for preserving cognitive health during midlife. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 1530 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Intracochlear Pressure and Fluid Distribution in 3D-Printed Artificial Cochlear Models and Human Petrous Bones
by Rayoung Kim, Matthias Schürmann, Lars-Uwe Scholtz and Ingo Todt
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(7), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15070771 - 20 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1604
Abstract
Introduction: The important factor in applying substances for inner ear therapy is the atraumatic execution, as well as effective concentration uniformly distributed in all regions of the cochlea within a reasonable time frame. This study investigates whether an additional cochlear opening (“second-hole technique”) [...] Read more.
Introduction: The important factor in applying substances for inner ear therapy is the atraumatic execution, as well as effective concentration uniformly distributed in all regions of the cochlea within a reasonable time frame. This study investigates whether an additional cochlear opening (“second-hole technique”) can improve fluid distribution and reduce intracochlear pressure during dye delivery into the cochlear models and human petrous bone. Material and Methods: Three experimental setups were used: an uncoiled scala tympani model, a full-scale 3D-printed cochlear model, and a human petrous bone. In all cases, 1% methylene blue-stained saline was infused using a cochlear catheter (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria) through the round window. Intracochlear pressure was measured via fiberoptic pressure sensors inserted through a burr hole (artificial cochlear models) or at the lateral semicircular canal (human petrous bone). A second hole was made on the helicotrema in the inner ear models or at the oval window of the human petrous bone to examine the effect of a second hole on intracochlear pressure and fluid distribution. Dye distribution and intracochlear pressure were measured in 3D artificial models at two flow rates (0.2 and 0.4 mL/h). The intracochlear pressure were measured in the human petrous bone at a fixed rate (0.4 mL/h). Results: The use of a second hole significantly improved dye distribution in 3D models at both flow rates (p < 0.05) and led to earlier saturation-level distribution. Intracochlear pressure remained significantly lower and more stable in models with a second hole (p < 0.05). In human petrous bones, pressure fluctuation was reduced by the second hole, though pressure still increased over time. Conclusions: Using a second-hole technique leads to a faster, uniform level of dye distribution throughout the cochlear models, as well as a lower intracochlear pressure, which can be assumed to be an essential factor for hearing preservation during dye application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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