Hearing with One Ear: Consequences and Treatments for Profound Unilateral Hearing Loss

Abstract

There is an increasing global recognition of the negative impact of hearing loss, and its association to many chronic health conditions. The deficits and disabilities associated with profound unilateral hearing loss, however, continue to be under-recognized and lack public awareness. Profound unilateral hearing loss significantly impairs spatial hearing abilities, which is reliant on the complex interaction of monaural and binaural hearing cues. Unilaterally deafened listeners lose access to critical binaural hearing cues. Consequently, this leads to a reduced ability to understand speech in competing noise and to localize sounds. The functional deficits of profound unilateral hearing loss have a substantial impact on socialization, learning and work productivity. In recognition of this, rehabilitative solutions such as the rerouting of signal and hearing implants are on the rise. This review focuses on the latest insights into the deficits of profound unilateral hearing impairment, and current treatment approaches.

Proficiency in Using Level Cue for Sound Localization Is Related to the Auditory Cortical Structure in Patients With Single-Sided Deafness

“…Unilateral loss of hearing deteriorates sound localization ability, which relies largely on binaural time and level differences in the sound source that reaches the two ears. Loss of binaural time/level cues results in poor localization performance, which is a significant behavioral deficit in patients with asymmetric hearing ( Kumpik and King, 2019 ; Snapp and Ausili, 2020 ). However, reported data also show considerable variability in the degree to which localization accuracy is affected by monaural hearing, suggesting the adaptive contribution of the monaural level cues and monaural pinna cues, which normally play a minor role.…”

Bilateral Interactions in the Mouse Dorsal Inferior Colliculus Enhance the Ipsilateral Neuronal Responses and Binaural Hearing

“…With two ears, humans and animals can immediately determine the location of noise produced by something without having to adjust their heads ( Lynne et al, 2012 ; Micheal et al, 2018 ). Binaural hearing benefits spatial perception, auditory scene analysis and listening comprehension ( He et al, 2017 ; Snapp and Ausili, 2020 ; Gallun, 2021 ). The auditory ascending system has many hierarchical partitions of nuclei in the mammalian brain from the cochlear nuclei (CN) to the auditory cortex ( Winer and Schreiner, 2005 ).…”

Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention in Children with Unilateral Hearing Impairment: Clinical Practices in Three Nordic Countries

“…UHI reduces the capacity for binaural hearing and thereby the ability to listen in noise and localise sounds [ 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Vestibular functions (balance) may also be impaired in children with UHI [ 13 ].…”

“…Vestibular functions (balance) may also be impaired in children with UHI [ 13 ]. Reduced listening performance and associated psychosocial difficulties, such as reduced social participation and lower quality of life, have been reported in adults with UHI [ 12 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”