Central auditory processing disorders

Central auditory processing disorders occur when actual hearing ability is unaffected, but the part of the brain that controls processing has suffered damage. Changes in the corpus callosum, the connection between the right and left sides of the brain, play a factor in the decline of auditory processing.

Age and gender are related to auditory processing. Although both sexes showed waning sound processing at ages 40 to 55, men had gradual declines starting in their late 30s, while women worsened abruptly around age 55, after menopause. But neither sex continued on the auditory downward spiral into their 60s and 70s, indicating the decline in sound processing stabilizes at some point.

1. Women's longer-lasting ability to process sounds may explain why during their childbearing years, women seem to be better than men at juggling several things at once. Men's early decline in this area may also explain why women typically complain their husbands don't "hear" them, although their standard hearing tests come out fine. However, women tend to lose their ability to perceive cues from vocal tones for a period of time after menopause. This may help explain men's complaints that their wives take everything they say the "wrong" way. These are the most common complaints that audiologists hear: "He doesn't listen"; "She takes everything the wrong way". Hearing decline may provide a biological basis to stereotypical gender differences usually associated with hormones and emotions.

1. Mental disorders of the aged
2. Hearing defects

1. Sexism