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Mechanisms of Conductive Presbycusis in Humans

Award Number: K08DC018575
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/30/2025

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Mechanisms of Conductive Presbycusis in Humans - Mechanisms of Conductive Presbycusis In Humans Age-related high frequency hearing loss (presbycusis) is a near universally experienced condition, affecting tens of millions of individuals in the United States alone and costing worldwide more than $750 billion per year. Presbycusis results in difficulty understanding speech, problems hearing environmental sounds and, if unaddressed, can lead to social isolation. Given current demographic trends, the societal burden of presbycusis is expected to accelerate. Despite the prevalence of presbycusis, much remains unknown about its etiologic mechanisms. Presbycusis has long been assumed to be secondary to sensorineural dysfunction, but emerging evidence suggests conductive pathology contributes to presbycusis. The principal method for clinical evaluation of hearing is behavioral pure tone (500-8kHz) audiometry. Extended high frequency air conduction testing (>8kHz) is now commonly performed given new knowledge on the role of high frequency sound for speech understanding and sound localization. Unfortunately, clinical bone conduction testing stops at 4kHz. Above 4kHz, limitations in standard stimulus transducers that are largely unchanged from the 1950s, and a lack of normative bone conduction standards limit study of high frequency conductive loss. Differentiation between sensorineural and conductive presbycusis is not routinely performed, but is of interest because: 1) prior work demonstrates discrete changes within the middle ear can lead to isolated high frequency conductive loss (ie: with normal low-frequency thresholds) and 2) our ability to surgically repair the middle ear. Further investigation into the prevalence and functional significance of age- related middle ear change is necessary to ensure emerging therapies for presbycusis are appropriately directed. Newly developed bone conduction transducers without high frequency limitations permit comprehensive bone conduction testing at frequencies up to 16kHz. Novel transducers will help to finally establish whether a clinically relevant conductive or mixed presbycusis exists, shedding light on the functional effects of the aging middle ear. Development of reliable testing for high frequency conductive hearing loss carries implications beyond presbycusis, including post-middle-ear-surgery hearing assessment. Our goal is to identify mechanisms of conductive presbycusis and to establish methods to reliably diagnose high frequency conductive hearing loss. We hypothesize that a subset of patients with presbycusis have increased ossicular compliance resulting in conductive or mixed high frequency hearing loss.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2026	2024	MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY	243 CHARLES ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	5	1/22/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $190,080 )
2024	2024	MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY	243 CHARLES ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	5	3/19/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$190,080
														Subtotal = $190,080

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $190,080 )
2023	2023	MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY & PHYSICIAN STAFF, INC.	243 CHARLES ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	4	3/22/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$190,080
														Subtotal = $190,080

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $190,080 )
2022	2022	MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY & PHYSICIAN STAFF, INC.	243 CHARLES ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	3	3/21/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$190,080
														Subtotal = $190,080

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $190,080 )
2021	2021	MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY & PHYSICIAN STAFF, INC.	243 CHARLES ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	3/19/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$190,080
														Subtotal = $190,080

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $190,080 )
2020	2020	MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY & PHYSICIAN STAFF, INC.	243 CHARLES ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	1	3/30/2020	NEW	$14,080
2020	2020	MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY & PHYSICIAN STAFF, INC.	243 CHARLES ST	BOSTON	MA	02114	SUFFOLK	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	3/26/2020	NEW	$176,000
														Subtotal = $190,080

Grand Total All Awards = $950,400

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Mechanisms of Conductive Presbycusis in Humans

Award Number: K08DC018575

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/30/2025

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