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Speech perception deficits and neural network alterations during cocktail-party listening in age-related hearing loss.

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Title: Speech perception deficits and neural network alterations during cocktail-party listening in age-related hearing loss.
Authors: Liu H; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China., Tian X; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China., Fu A; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China., Cai J; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China., Zhang Y; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China., Chen A; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China., Zhang H; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China; Ear Research Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China; Zhujiang Hospital Institute for Brain Science and Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China. Electronic address: redtrue@smu.edu.cn.
Source: Hearing research [Hear Res] 2026 Sep; Vol. 479, pp. 109749. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Jul 14.
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 7900445 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1878-5891 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 03785955 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Hear Res Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Amsterdam, Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press.
MeSH Terms: Presbycusis*/physiopathology , Presbycusis*/psychology , Presbycusis*/diagnosis , Aging*/psychology , Noise*/adverse effects , Auditory Pathways*/physiopathology , Persons with Hearing Disabilities*/psychology , Speech Perception* , Perceptual Masking* , Hearing*, Brain Mapping/methods ; Humans ; Aged ; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared ; Female ; Age Factors ; Acoustic Stimulation ; Male ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Speech Intelligibility ; Aged, 80 and over ; Recognition, Psychology
Abstract: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is associated with difficulty understanding speech in complex listening environments, yet its neural basis remains unclear. We combined behavioral measures with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine speech perception and neural responses during cocktail-party listening. Sixty-eight participants (Young-NH, Older-NH, ARHL) completed a spatialized speech-recognition task under different masker types and signal-to-noise ratios, together with resting-state and task-based fNIRS recordings. ARHL showed poorer speech perception and reduced self-reported hearing ability across listening conditions. At rest, ARHL exhibited increased frontotemporal connectivity and greater local network organization. During the task, cortical responses showed a group gradient, with attenuation in Older-NH and predominantly negative responses in ARHL, and diminished modulation by listening demands. In addition, brain-behavior coupling observed in Young-NH was absent in both older groups. These findings indicate that speech perception deficits in ARHL are associated with altered neural responses and reduced flexibility in adapting to listening demands, accompanied by disrupted brain-behavior relationships.
(Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Age-related hearing loss; Cortical responses; Functional connectivity; Functional near-infrared spectroscopy; Multi-talker listening; Speech perception
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260721 Date Completed: 20260729 Latest Revision: 20260807
Update Code: 20260808
DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2026.109749
PMID: 42480388
Database: MEDLINE
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  Data: Speech perception deficits and neural network alterations during cocktail-party listening in age-related hearing loss.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Liu+H%22">Liu H</searchLink>; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Tian+X%22">Tian X</searchLink>; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Fu+A%22">Fu A</searchLink>; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Cai+J%22">Cai J</searchLink>; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Zhang+Y%22">Zhang Y</searchLink>; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Chen+A%22">Chen A</searchLink>; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AU" term="%22Zhang+H%22">Zhang H</searchLink>; Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China; Ear Research Institute, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China; Zhujiang Hospital Institute for Brain Science and Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China. Electronic address: redtrue@smu.edu.cn.
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  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is associated with difficulty understanding speech in complex listening environments, yet its neural basis remains unclear. We combined behavioral measures with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine speech perception and neural responses during cocktail-party listening. Sixty-eight participants (Young-NH, Older-NH, ARHL) completed a spatialized speech-recognition task under different masker types and signal-to-noise ratios, together with resting-state and task-based fNIRS recordings. ARHL showed poorer speech perception and reduced self-reported hearing ability across listening conditions. At rest, ARHL exhibited increased frontotemporal connectivity and greater local network organization. During the task, cortical responses showed a group gradient, with attenuation in Older-NH and predominantly negative responses in ARHL, and diminished modulation by listening demands. In addition, brain-behavior coupling observed in Young-NH was absent in both older groups. These findings indicate that speech perception deficits in ARHL are associated with altered neural responses and reduced flexibility in adapting to listening demands, accompanied by disrupted brain-behavior relationships.<br /> (Copyright © 2026 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
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  Data: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests.
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  Data: <i>Keywords: </i>Age-related hearing loss; Cortical responses; Functional connectivity; Functional near-infrared spectroscopy; Multi-talker listening; Speech perception
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        Type: general
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      – SubjectFull: Hearing
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      – TitleFull: Speech perception deficits and neural network alterations during cocktail-party listening in age-related hearing loss.
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