Health
Women may hear better than men, new study suggests
The old adage is that moms have eyes in the back of their heads, but a new study shows that women in general may also have more sensitive hearing.
The study, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, sought to examine the correlation between multiple factors — including gender, age and region, among others — and hearing sensitivity.
Patricia Balaresque, Ph.D., at the Centre for Biodiversity and Environmental Research in Toulouse, France, led a team of scientists to conduct hearing tests on 448 individuals from 13 global communities in Ecuador, England, Gabon, South Africa and Uzbekistan.
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The results show that hearing sensitivity is primarily influenced by gender and environment, followed by age and left versus right ear.
“Our findings challenge existing assumptions and highlight the need to consider both biological and environmental factors when studying hearing,” Balaresque said in a press release.
A new study, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, shows that women may have more sensitive hearing. (iStock)
Scientists measured hearing sensitivity using transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE), which assess the cochlea’s ability to produce and transmit an acoustic response after sound stimulation.
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The cochlea is a fluid-filled, spiral-shaped cavity in the inner ear that converts sound waves into electrical impulses that the brain can interpret, medical sources state.
By analyzing TEOAE profiles, researchers gained valuable insights into how the cochlea responds to external auditory stimuli.
Scientists measured hearing sensitivity by recording the tiny sounds subjects’ inner ears sent back in response to clicking sounds. (iStock)
To calculate hearing sensitivity, a small device played a clicking sound into the ear of test subjects and then recorded the tiny sounds the inner ear sent back in response, the study findings detailed.
These returning signals, which are created by cells in the cochlea, provide a reliable indication of how sensitive the ear is to sound.
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The researchers then examined the signals, including how strong they were (measured in decibels, a unit used to convey the relative intensity or loudness of a sound) and which frequencies the ear responded to most strongly.
They also compared variations based on a variety of factors, including subjects’ sex, age, ear being tested, and the type of environment they lived in.
The fact that women showed higher sensitivity means that hearing may be an actual biological factor, according to researchers. (iStock)
Throughout the testing, women consistently showed a higher sensitivity, by an average of two decibels across all populations sampled.
“We were surprised to find that women had two decibels more sensitive hearing across all the populations we measured, and this accounted for most of the variations between individuals,” said study co-author Turi King, professor and director of the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, in the release.
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“This could be due to different exposure to hormones during development in the womb, due to men and women having slight structural differences in cochlear anatomy.”
Women also perform better in other hearing tests and speech perception, which indicates that their brains are better at processing information, according to King.
“Having more sensitive hearing in noisy environments may not always be a good thing.”
“We don’t really know why this might be, but given the detrimental effect of noise on overall health, such as sleep quality and increased cardiovascular disease, having more sensitive hearing in noisy environments may not always be a good thing,” she added.
While differences in age were also a factor in hearing sensitivity (with old age linked to worse hearing), it was less pronounced than the differences between sexes.
People in urban environments had hearing profiles that shifted to higher frequencies, perhaps due to the constant lower sounds of the city, the study suggests. (iStock)
Other findings in the study included the way ecological environments can impact hearing sensitivity.
For those in urban environments, hearing profiles shifted to higher frequencies, which could be due to the constant low hum of traffic and city noises in urban environments, scientists hypothesized.
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The greatest contrast was found between groups living in high-altitude populations versus tropical environments, with the latter having a higher sensitivity to hearing.
This could be a result of living in areas with fewer humans in the environment, or an inherited trait from the sort of wild environment where vigilance is essential for survival, the researchers noted.
Professor King added, “We know that humans are continuing to evolve, so the next question is whether our hearing is able to change in response to different environments generally or whether there are genetic adaptations involved.”
Health
Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
Health
One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
Health
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