Which hearing loss is typically associated with presbycusis?

Presbycusis refers to age-related hearing loss, which is commonly characterized by a gradual decline in the ability to hear high-frequency sounds. It typically results from changes in the inner ear, including the cochlea, and alterations in the auditory nerve pathways. The changes associated with presbycusis lead to sensorineural hearing loss, which affects the sensory cells of the cochlea and the auditory nerve itself.

This type of hearing loss often manifests with difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments, and it predominantly affects older adults, highlighting its association with aging. Unlike conductive hearing loss, which is often caused by blockages or problems in the outer or middle ear, or mixed hearing loss, which involves both conductive and sensorineural components, presbycusis is exclusively sensorineural. Central auditory processing disorders involve difficulties in interpreting sounds despite having normal hearing ability and are different from the sensory loss seen in presbycusis. Therefore, sensorineural hearing loss is the correct association when discussing presbycusis.