White-matter microstructure and hearing acuity in older adults

a population-based cross-sectional DTI study

Journal article (2018)

Authors

Lotte G.M. Cremers Erasmus MC
M. Arfan Ikram Erasmus MC
Marius de Groot Erasmus MC
W.J. Niessen ImPhys/Quantitative Imaging , Erasmus MC
André Goedegebure Erasmus MC
Meike W. Vernooij Erasmus MC
Research Group
ImPhys/Quantitative Imaging
DTI Age-related hearing impairment Hearing acuity Pure-tone audiogram Superior longitudinal fasciculus Uncinate fasciculus Voxel-based analysis White-matter tract
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Published Date

01-01-2018

Language

English

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Research Group

ImPhys/Quantitative Imaging

Abstract

To study the relation between the microstructure of white matter in the brain and hearing function in older adults we carried out a population-based, cross-sectional study. In 2562 participants of the Rotterdam Study, we conducted diffusion tensor imaging to determine the microstructure of the white-matter tracts. We performed pure-tone audiogram and digit-in-noise tests to quantify hearing acuity. Poorer white-matter microstructure, especially in the association tracts, was related to poorer hearing acuity. After differentiating the separate white-matter tracts in the left and right hemisphere, poorer white-matter microstructure in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus and the right uncinate fasciculus remained significantly associated with worse hearing. These associations did not significantly differ between middle-aged (51–69 years old) and older (70–100 years old) participants. Progressing age was thus not found to be an effect modifier. In a voxel-based analysis no voxels in the white matter were significantly associated with hearing impairment.