Age-related myelin deficits in the auditory brain stem contribute to cocktail party-deficits.

Age-related hearing loss is a global health issue, with peripheral hearing loss being well understood and treatable, while central hearing loss, which involves the brain's ability to process sound, is less understood and lacks treatment options. This study focuses on age-related changes in the auditory brain stem, specifically in the pathway responsible for sound localization. The researchers found that in older animals, there is demyelination of the auditory brain stem, resulting in variability in the timing of responses. This demyelination is associated with a deficit in the maturation of oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for producing myelin. This preprint has not yet undergone peer review. [Extracted from the article]