Which statement describes hearing changes with aging regarding high frequency tones?

Which statement describes hearing changes with aging regarding high frequency tones?

• A. Increased ability to hear high frequency tones
• B. Decrease in ability to hear high frequency tones
• C. No change in high-frequency hearing
• D. High frequencies become easier to hear in dim light

Answer: (B)

With aging, a common pattern is a loss of sensitivity to high-frequency sounds, known as presbycusis. This happens because the cochlea’s hair cells and neural pathways deteriorate over time, especially in the part of the cochlea that processes high frequencies. As a result, high-pitched tones become harder to hear first, while low frequencies remain easier to detect for longer. This explains why older adults often struggle with speech that contains high-frequency components, like consonants such as s or f, even in quiet environments and why background noise can make understanding speech more difficult. The idea that hearing high frequencies improves with age, or that changes are tied to lighting, doesn’t fit the known aging pattern of the auditory system.

With aging, a common pattern is a loss of sensitivity to high-frequency sounds, known as presbycusis. This happens because the cochlea’s hair cells and neural pathways deteriorate over time, especially in the part of the cochlea that processes high frequencies. As a result, high-pitched tones become harder to hear first, while low frequencies remain easier to detect for longer. This explains why older adults often struggle with speech that contains high-frequency components, like consonants such as s or f, even in quiet environments and why background noise can make understanding speech more difficult. The idea that hearing high frequencies improves with age, or that changes are tied to lighting, doesn’t fit the known aging pattern of the auditory system.