AGING AND HIGH-FREQUENCY HEARING SENSITIVITY

As part of a large population-based study of hearing and aging, ultra high-frequency (9-20 kHz) threshold measures are reported For 3396 par ticipants grouped by age (48-59 years, n = 1233; 60-69 years, n = 1031 ; 70-79 years, n = 851; 80-92 years, n = 281). Ultra high-frequency (U HF) thresholds were higher for older age groups. The percentage of unm easurable responses also was significantly higher for older age groups and for higher frequencies in the UHF range. The observed age effects remained significant after adjusting For gender. In general, UHF thre sholds were significantly higher For men compared to those for women a t lower UHF frequencies (9-14 kHz), but were not significantly differe nt by gender for the highest UHF frequencies (16, 18, and 20 kHz). Aft er accounting For hearing loss at traditional audiometric frequencies (250-8000 Hz), the age effect still remained; even for comparable degr ees of sensorineural hearing loss, participants in older age groups ev idenced higher UHF thresholds.