Noise-Induced Brain Inflammation May Result in Painful Hearing
By Drs. Senthilvelan Manohar, Kelly Radziwon, and Richard Salvi
What do jet engines, sirens, and rock bands have in common? The sounds they emit are so intense that they are not only loud, but also painful, sometimes evoking a painful sensation around the external ear. The acoustic threshold for pain, 130-140 dB SPL, is intense enough to destroy or damage the delicate sensory hair cells, supporting cells and auditory nerve fibers in the inner ear. The axons from the auditory nerve deliver their messages to neurons located in the cochlear nuclei in the brainstem.
In a recent paper published in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Drs. Baizer and Manohar at the University at Buffalo were surprised to find that intense noise exposures that destroyed the sensory hair cells in the rat inner ear led to a prolonged period of auditory nerve fiber degeneration in the cochlear nucleus in the brainstem (Bazier et al., Neuroscience 303 (2015) 299–311). Nerve fiber degeneration was still occurring 6-9 months post-exposure, nearly a third of the rat’s lifespan. In brain regions where the fibers were degenerating, there was robust upregulation of brain immune cells (microglia), indicative of long-term neuro-inflammation triggered by the release of inflammatory molecules in the brain. Since sensory nerve fibers (e.g., pain, touch) from the face, head, neck and shoulders (facial, trigeminal and spinal nerves) enter the cochlear nucleus, the long-term neuro-inflammation occurring in this region could lower pain thresholds (hyperalgesia). If this were to occur, much lower, moderate-intensity sounds (60-80 dB) might be sufficient to cause hyperacusis (loudness intolerance) with ear pain.
With funding from the Hearing Health Foundation obtained by Drs. Radziwon* and Manohar to identify pain-related molecules in the auditory pathway as a result of noise exposure, Drs. Manohar, Adler, and Salvi carried out a second study in which they measured noise-induced changes in the expression (amount) of genes involved in the synthesis of proteins known to be involved in neuropathic pain and neuro- inflammation. Interestingly, the researchers found that intense noise exposure significantly altered the expression of six genes (Ccl12, Tlr2, Oprd1, II1b, Ntrk1 & Kcnq3) in the cochlear nucleus (Manohar et al., Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 75 (2016) 101–112). These results suggest that noise-induced inflammation in the parts of the central auditory pathway that also processes sensory information related to pain might, in turn, activate the central pain pathway thus producing ear pain. Determining whether neuro-inflammation is directly responsible for ear pain will open the door for novel interventions to treat hearing loss and hyperacusis.
*Kelly Radziwon, Ph.D., is a 2015 Emerging Research Grants recipient. Her grant was generously funded by Hyperacusis Research Ltd. Learn more about Radziwon and her work in “Meet the Researcher.”
We need your help in funding the exciting work of hearing and balance scientists. Donate today to Hearing Health Foundation and support groundbreaking research: hhf.org/donate.
Summers With HHF Are Well Spent
By Morgan Leppla
Last December, I realized I would need something to do for the summer after my freshman year of college. I knew I wanted to end up in a city and work with nonprofits, so I put out feelers for internships in San Francisco, D.C., and New York City.
A friend of Hearing Health Foundation (HHF) put me in touch with Laura Friedman, HHF’s communications and programs manager, who I interviewed with earlier this year. It went well (clearly, I’m here), and to my delight, on the same phone call she offered me an internship at HHF.
I had a few offers from other organizations but Laura told me that HHF would be dedicated to ensuring I would have a fruitful internship experience. And on the last day, I can corroborate her initial promise.
Before I started my internship, my knowledge of hearing health was both sparse and vague. I knew little about research conducted on hearing loss and related disorders, and I assumed my internship would be spent monitoring HHF’s Twitter and Facebook accounts and photocopying, while occasionally eavesdropping in on conversations otherwise too important for my ears.
After 12 weeks of actually writing blogs (many thanks to people reading them!) and, for the Fall issue, magazine articles, plus researching statistics and talking and working with people who care about HHF’s mission, I now have a plethora of hearing-related facts I intend to regale classmates with at (not-too-loud) parties for years to come.
For those who don’t know, HHF’s full-time staff includes four people, with three part-time freelancers—so while they are small, this is a talented and efficient group! The CEO, Nadine Dehgan, will stuff appeal envelopes with me and anyone else in a staff meeting just to get it done. HHF employees may not be the scientists discovering breakthroughs, but the energy, labor, and hours behind collecting enough dollars to sustain the organization and fund life-changing grants surely accumulate into something with a recognizably valuable shape. To witness such unwavering commitment is striking.
I am not trying to hide my partiality for HHF, I think that much is clear. It’s true Laura has tried to infuse my experience with purpose, so I am of course grateful for that. And if you’ve been keeping track, I’ve hit a few of those buzzwords (unwavering, life-changing, meaningful, etc.) you might find usually overstate the point or are overused to meaninglessness, but this time I don’t think I’ve fallen into that trap.
It’s not that often that you (that is, people who consume media online) are allowed to peer into an organization’s foundation, for the cloak of professionalism is mighty. But hopefully I’ve brought to your attention the quality and dedication I have witnessed firsthand today and every day here at HHF.
I leave my summer internship with appreciation and admiration and the hope that HHF will prosper for years to come!
And, of course, if it within your bandwidth, please donate to make sure this happens!
My Daughter, My Inspiration
By JoAnn Wood, Au.D.
It's been 15 years since my daughter Georgie was born and her hearing loss discovered. At that time, I couldn't picture that she would ever hear me say "I love you,” or that I would ever hear her call me "Mommy.” When I found out that my daughter was deaf I imagined her struggling to learn speech and language, working hard to get good grades and having difficulty making new friends. That's not at all what Georgie's story has been like.
Since I had two sons without hearing loss, my daughter's hearing loss was unexpected. At 1 day old, Georgie failed the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening at the hospital where she was born. Two weeks later additional testing revealed that Georgie had a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss in her right ear and a severe to profound loss in the left ear. This was very difficult news for me and my family to hear.
After the diagnosis my husband, who also has hearing loss, and I decided to get her hearing aids right away. At 7 weeks old, Georgie was fit with her first set of digital behind-the-ear hearing aids. She wore them consistently for three years while getting extensive speech and language services and attending special programs at schools for the hearing impaired.
Unfortunately, Georgie's hearing loss progressively got worse. Even with the hearing aids, at 3 years old Georgie’s limited speech and language was far behind that of her peers. She was saying some words but only I could understand her. That made me feel sad, and I could see that it was frustrating for her. Other children her age were talking in complete sentences.
It was then that the cochlear implant became a better option for Georgie. She received an implant in her left ear at age 3 and continued to wear a hearing aid in the right ear. Within three months of implantation, Georgie's speech and language began to take off! People were able to understand her, and she became less frustrated. Georgie began to take dance classes, the start of a lifelong love.
When she was 5, and the Food and Drug Administration approved bilateral cochlear implants for young children, Georgie underwent cochlear implant surgery again, but this time on the right side. It improved her hearing and communication even more. That same year Georgie started kindergarten in the mainstream. By the end of kindergarten, she was disqualified for any speech and language services because she had completely caught up to her peers.
Universal Newborn Hearing Screening wasn’t an option when my two older sons were born, so I am grateful that when Georgie was born it was required. Her hearing loss was detected immediately.
The experience with Georgie led me to go back to school starting when she was a toddler, to get a bachelor’s, master's, and ultimately a doctorate in audiology. I have had my own practice for the past six years and I am a professor at a local private college. In fact, Georgie comes to my class each semester to talk openly to future speech pathologists and audiologists about her experiences.
Georgie will be starting 10th grade in September and takes all honors classes. She has received high honors every semester since 6th grade. She is a well-rounded and very social young lady. Georgie's love for dance has taken her to a competitive level, having won several regional awards in many genres of dance such as ballet, lyrical, contemporary, hip-hop, tap, and jazz.
Looking back I wish I knew then how well Georgie would do and that everything was going to be okay. She has worked hard for all that she has accomplished and I am very proud of her. She is truly an inspiration!
Enjoy Summer Concert Season Right
By the Better Hearing Institute
With at least another month-and-a-half left of summer concert season, we thought it would be a good time to remind music lovers to pack the earplugs. It’s an easy and smart way to make sure you can enjoy those tunes for years to come.
Bringing earplugs to that next concert is more than a good idea, it should be a must, says the Better Hearing Institute (BHI). Millennials and teens especially should think twice about music volume because data show that hearing loss is on the rise in these age groups, which means they’re permanently losing some of their hearing at younger ages.
But take heart. Earplugs really can help. One study, carried out in conjunction with an outdoor music festival in Amsterdam last fall, found that festival-goers who wore earplugs were roughly five times less likely to have some temporary hearing loss than those who didn’t wear them. The earplug-users also were less likely to suffer from tinnitus afterwards.
Any sounds at or above 85 dBA for a prolonged period of time can be unsafe. The sounds at that Dutch music festival were at 100 decibels, pretty consistently, for 4-and-a-half hours. At that sound level, hearing damage can occur in just 15 minutes.
Luckily, earplugs are pretty easy to come by. Disposable earplugs, made of foam or silicone, usually can be found at local pharmacies. They’re practical because you can still hear music and conversation when they’re in your ears. But when they fit snuggly, they’re effective in adequately blocking out dangerously loud sounds.
The impact of noise on our ears
We hear sound when delicate hair cells in our inner ear vibrate, creating nerve signals that the brain understands as sound. But just as we can overload an electrical circuit, we also can overload these vibrating hair cells. Loud noise damages these delicate hair cells, resulting in sensorineural hearing loss and often tinnitus (ringing in the ears). The cells that are the first to be damaged or die are those that vibrate most quickly—those that allow us to hear higher-frequency sounds clearly.
Warning signs of too much noise
If you have to shout over the noise to be heard by someone within arm’s length, the noise is probably in the dangerous range. Here are the warning signs:
You have pain in your ears after leaving a noisy area.
You hear ringing or buzzing (tinnitus) in your ears immediately after exposure to noise.
You suddenly have difficulty understanding speech after exposure to noise; you can hear people talking but can’t understand them.
Repeated exposure to loud noise, over an extended period of time, presents serious risks to hearing health.
The content for this blog post originated in a press release issued by The Better Hearing Institute on July 19, 2016.
Tamika Catchings: A Star Olympics Athlete With Hearing Loss
By Elizabeth Stump
At the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this August, keep an eye out for Tamika Catchings, a star player with a hearing loss for Team USA Women’s National Basketball Team.
Catchings is a three-time Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. She is hoping to score another gold medal this summer.
Catchings has been a forward on the Indiana Fever Women’s NBA Basketball team for 14 years. Born in New Jersey in 1979, she was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears when she was a toddler. As a child she struggled with hearing and speech impairments, wearing hearing aids, and bullying. The basketball court became a refuge for her.
In 2000, Catchings was honored with the Reynolds Society Achievement Award by Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston. The annual award is given to an individual who has overcome hearing, vision, or voice loss and has distinguished him/herself. In 2004, she launched the Catch the Stars Foundation, which empowers disadvantaged youth.
This past March Catchings published a memoir, “Catch a Star: Shining Through Adversity to Become a Champion,” chronicling her childhood struggles. She answers some questions about the book and life as an athlete with a hearing loss.
- What part of the new book are you most proud of sharing?
I think all of it! Writing the book has been a three-year project, so to have a finalized copy is great. It’s about my journey growing up and getting bullied at a young age. A lot of people told me that I would never make it, or that I would never be anything. I think that overcoming that, being able to write the book, and being able to be successful in this realm is great.
- What part of the book was the most difficult to revisit and write?
Writing about my dad. I always wanted my dad to be a dad, not my coach or a critic. I know he loves me, but it was tough to relive what we went through.
- Do you wear hearing aids or other hearing devices while playing basketball?
I wear them more when I’m doing speaking engagements. As far as playing, it’s tough because I sweat a lot, so they get clogged.
- How difficult has it been to play sports with a hearing loss—as a kid, then as a college student, then as a pro and in the Olympics?
Honestly, I have never really focused on it. I read lips [and am] very observant, so I’m always looking around to see if there’s anybody talking to me, or I look at the bench to see if the coach is calling a play. Basketball is a game of sign language. The point guard calls a lot of plays with whatever hand signal we use.
- Has your hearing loss made any communication difficult for you as a student and then pro?
As a student, yes— I always sat in the front row, I always read chapters of the book before I went to class, and I always stayed after class to talk to the teachers to make sure that I understood. I loved school.
On the court, I think that having a hearing loss has actually made me a better player because it’s made me be more conscious of everything that’s going on around me.
- How excited are you about the Olympics? Will you be doing anything differently for it, either before to get ready or during the game?
I’m super excited knowing that this is my final hurrah. I never thought I would have an opportunity to make the Olympics, and here I am going for my fourth time. It’s really a blessing and an honor.
I think the preparation for the actual games is always going to be the same. The only difference [is] in the past, I’ve been so focused on being ready for the game that I’d tell myself I needed to stay off my feet. This time I want to make sure that I really enjoy the festivities and Olympic experience.
- What message do you want to send by writing your book?
It’s not a book on hearing loss or basketball. It’s really just a book about adversity. When people look at professional athletes, they think they’ve had a perfect life their entire life with little or no hardships. I wanted to dispel that notion and share my story to be role model to those who need one. I hope that I will provide inspiration.
Don’t forget to check out another incredibly talented hearing impaired Olympic athlete, David Smith (USA Men Volleyball), this August!
David was born with severe hearing loss in the range of 80% to 90%. He has worn hearing aids in both ears since he was three years old, and primarily uses speechreading to understand the people on his team. David made his Olympic debut at the 2012 London Olympics.
Introducing HHF's 2016 Emerging Research Grant Recipients
By Morgan Leppla
We are excited to announce the 2016 Emerging Research Grant recipients. This year, HHF funded five research areas:
- Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD): research investigating a range of disorders within the ear and brain that affect the processing of auditory information. HHF thanks the General Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons International for enabling us to fund four grants in the area of CAPD.
- Hyperacusis: research that explores the mechanisms, causes, and diagnosis of loudness intolerance. One grant was generously funded by Hyperacusis Research.
- Méniere’s Disease: research that investigates the inner ear and balance disorder. One grant was funded by the Estate of Howard F. Schum.
- Stria: research that furthers our understanding of the stria vascularis, strial atrophy, and/or development of the stria. One grant was funded by an anonymous family foundation interested in this research.
- Tinnitus: research to understand the perception of sound in the ear in the absence of an acoustic stimulus. Two grants were awarded, thanks to the generosity the Les Paul Foundation and the the Barbara Epstein Foundation.
To learn more about our 2016 ERG grantees and their research goals, please visit hhf.org/2016_researchers
HHF is also currently planning for our 2017 ERG grant cycle. If you're interested in naming a research grant in any discipline within the hearing and balance space, please contact development@hhf.org.
My Story
By Taylor Thompson
As an infant, I loved when my aunts and uncles brought out the pots and pans. They banged them as loudly as they could and I would giggle away—unlike a typical baby, who would likely be startled by loud sounds. My failure to react was one of the early signs my family noticed that I was different. In fact, my mother had a gut feeling I was deaf and took me to a doctor.
At first doctors dismissed my mother's intuition because I babbled and made noises like typical babies do, and was not mute as many deaf babies are. However, she remained persistent and took me to more doctors until finally at age 18 months I was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
Originally, I was fitted with behind-the-ear hearing aids. After some time and further hearing tests, it was evident that hearing aids were not enough. Doctors determined that I was a candidate for the then-new cochlear implant in 1995. At 2 ½ years old I received a cochlear implant (CI) at the Riley Hospital for Children by Dr. Richard T. Miyamoto, who is an HHF Honorary Board Member.
My mother made sure I received the CI as soon as possible because she wanted to ensure I had the best chances for developing speech and hearing. Although it seems young, 2 ½ years old is a late age to begin speech development, so I attended speech therapy throughout elementary school until I reached a proficiency comparable to my age group (which was around 5th grade).
Until I could learn to speak effectively and comprehend spoken language, I used Exact English sign language. I learned Exact English because it’s structure closely resembles the spoken and written language structure, so my transition would be easier when I began to speak and read. At some point, I am not sure when, I stopped utilizing Exact English and completely transitioned to understanding others through a combination of lip-reading and hearing.
When I was younger, I attended a mainstream school that had a hard-of-hearing program. This was unique because I was able to interact with peers ranging from hearing to completely deaf—like myself. While growing up in this program brought wonderful opportunities, it still did not come without hardships.
During my time in this school, I was mocked for not being able to hear as well as the other students in my class who also had hearing loss, but not by those with full hearing. Being bullied by my hard-of-hearing peers and not my hearing peers was very confusing; it was easier to comprehend why someone might have trouble accepting me if they could not relate to me, but these peers were also struggling with hearing issues.
This became my biggest struggle growing up—understanding my identity—as I was ridiculed for being deaf while having this thing (my cochlear implant) on my head. I spent a lot of time after school exploring questions such as: Am I really deaf because I can hear with this thing (CI)? What does it mean to be deaf? Am I a disabled person or do I just do things differently?
Being deaf with only one CI has limitations since my hearing loss affects both my ears. To overcome some of these limitations, I have a wonderful hearing service dog named Zoë. Her most important role is to alert me by nudging me with her nose when a sound goes off, such as door knocks, a kitchen timer buzzing, and the noise of a pedaling bike. These alerts are especially helpful when I am not wearing my implant at night or when I cannot distinguish white noise from a specific noise, like a passing car.
Taylor, with her dog, Zoë
Despite the challenges I have faced, with the support of my family, friends, and a loyal dog, I persevered and became the person I am today—resilient, confident, and proud. And little did I know but appreciation for my loyal childhood dog inspired me to work with animals for the rest of my life.
Through diligence and determination, I was accepted to Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, where I am currently in my second year studying to become a small-animal veterinarian. I hope someday to combine veterinary work with giving back to the community, including disabilities awareness and advocating for hearing health.
Taylor Thompson is a 23-year-old veterinary student at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in Indiana.
Do You Qualify?
By Deanna Power
Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities in the U.S., affecting 48 million Americans. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with hearing loss, there could be help available. The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers financial benefits for people who are unable to work due to hearing loss.
There are two types of disability benefits someone experiencing hearing loss could qualify for: Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. Medical qualifications will be exactly the same for both programs, but each have their own eligibility criteria.
The first type of disability benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is awarded when an adult (ages 18-66) is no longer able to work due to hearing loss.
Only people who were previously employed and have been working throughout most of their lives will qualify for SSDI benefits. To find out if you have worked enough, you can determine whether you have earned enough work credits based on your age on the SSA’s website.
The second form of disability benefits is Supplemental Security Income (SSI). While there are no work requirements with SSI benefits, there are strict financial limitations. An adult SSI applicant cannot earn more than $733 per month.
For children applying for SSI benefits, parents’ income will be evaluated. The SSA is not as strict with household income limits evaluating children, but childhood SSI financial limitations are still difficult to meet. If you are married or have other children, your household income limit will be higher.
Medically Qualifying with Hearing Loss
When you apply for disability benefits with hearing loss, the SSA will compare the severity of your condition to its own medical guide known as the Blue Book. The Blue Book will list exactly how severe your hearing loss must be to be eligible for disability benefits. Hearing loss can be found in both the children’s and adult versions of the Blue Book.
The Blue Book listing for hearing loss is found in Section 2.10. For hearing loss not treated by cochlear implantation, you will need to have medical tests showing one of the following criteria:
You have an average air conduction hearing threshold of 90 decibels or greater in your better ear. You also must have an average bone conduction hearing threshold of 60 decibels or greater.
OR you have a word recognition score of 40 percent or less in your better ear.
If you’ve received a cochlear implant, you will be considered medically disabled by the SSA for one year after the surgery. After 12 months, the SSA will review your case. If you have a word recognition score of 60 percent or less determined using a specific test, you will still qualify. If your hearing has improved, you will no longer qualify for disability benefits.
A cochlear implant is only “automatically” disabling after surgery. Before surgery, you will need to meet one of the SSA’s other criterion.
The childhood listing is found in Blue Book Section 102.10. Children under age 5 will need to have an average air conduction hearing threshold of 50 decibels or greater in their better ear. Between the ages of 5 and 18, your child will need to have medical records showing one of the following:
An average air conduction hearing threshold of 70 decibels or greater in the better ear, plus an average bone conduction hearing threshold of 40 decibels or greater.
OR a word recognition score of 40 percent or less in the better ear, determined by using a standard list of phonetically balanced single-syllable words.
OR an average air conduction hearing threshold of 50 decibels or greater in the better ear, plus a marked difficulty in speech and language.
If your child has a cochlear implant, he or she will be considered medically disabled until age 5 or one year after implantation, whichever is later. After your child turns 5, or 12 months pass since surgery, your child will need a word recognition score of 60 percent or less on the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT or HINT-C) to stay on SSI.
Applying for Benefits
If you are interested in applying for disability benefits due to your hearing loss, your first stop should be the SSA’s website. The SSA has guides outlining exactly what paperwork and personal information you’ll need to apply.
If you are applying for SSDI, you can complete the entire application online. This is the easiest way to apply for disability benefits, as you can save your application and return to finish it at a later time. Be sure to list your spouse and any minor children, as they could receive benefits as well if your SSDI application is approved. SSI applicants can only file for benefits at their local SSA office. Fortunately, there are multiple SSA offices in every state.
If you have not had one of the SSA-recommend examinations performed to evaluate your hearing loss, it is wise to speak with your audiologist and have one or all of the tests performed. The more medical records you have show how severe your hearing loss is, the better your chances of approval.
Deanna Power is the Director of Community Outreach at Social Security Disability Help. She first started working with people with disabilities by volunteering with Best Buddies in college, and now specializes in helping people of all ages determine whether or not they medically qualify for disability benefits. If you have any questions, she can be reached at drp@ssd-help.org.
The Les Paul Foundation Funds Music Camps, Classroom Projects, Museums, Hearing Health Programs and Veterans' Recovery
New York, New York – July 11, 2016 - The Les Paul Foundation, whose mission is to honor the legacy of Les Paul, has continued its commitment to provide funding to projects that share Les Paul’s spirit. In 2016, the recipient organizations represent issues that were important to Les Paul and share Les Paul’s vision and innovation with their programs.
“Les Paul encouraged all of us to be innovative and create opportunities so the world would become a better place,” said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation. “The organizations that have received grants perpetuate many of his philosophies and ideas. This allows us at the foundation to continue his legacy and show support for his values.”
Organizations that have benefitted from recent Les Paul Foundation grants include:
Birch Creek Music Performance Center of Egg Harbor, WI offers a summer guitar master class that includes Les Paul’s inventions, experiments and recording technique.
The Bonaroo Works Fund of Nashville, TN coordinated with the Les Paul Foundation to present the first ever Les Paul Spirit Award. The Bonaroo Works Fund supports education, music and arts programs for children or communities, protection of the environment and environment sustainability, and the arts/humanities in middle Tennessee.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County of Hobe Sound, FL weaves Les Paul’s contribution to rock and roll into their Les Rock program. Youth, ages 8 – 18, learn about Les’ contribution to music production including multi-tracking.
Camp Spin Off Foundation of Las Vegas, NV, provides 13-17 year olds an opportunity to learn about music production, remixing, music business and how to DJ. Campers learn how crucial Les Paul’s recording innovations were to how music is produced today.
Discovery World in Milwaukee, WI is reinforcing its Les Paul House of Sound exhibit with two new Les Paul-based school programs.
First Stage Milwaukee in Milwaukee, WI is sharing Les Paul’s stories of perseverance and innovation with elementary students. Through the dramatic process, students explore Les Paul’s inventions, his influence on the music industry, his creativity and his ability to overcome life’s challenges.
Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers located in San Francisco, CA continues to include Les Paul in its presentations to music and sound arts schools and in its on-line presence. The organization focuses on encouraging youth to handle the power of sound in a safe manner.
The Hearing Health Foundation, headquartered in New York, NY, is the largest nonprofit supporter of hearing research. The Les Paul Foundation Award for Tinnitus Research is awarded annually to the most promising researcher studying the cause of ringing in the ears. This year’s recipient is Julia Campbell, Ph.D, Au.D, CCC-A, F-AAA, Assistant Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders at The University of Texas at Austin.
“I am deeply honored to have received a grant award from the Les Paul Foundation to study brain function in the perception of tinnitus. Tinnitus is a disorder that affects millions of people around the world, and yet we still have no way to measure this disorder or a cure for it. Les Paul was an innovator, a dreamer, and a doer who loved to bring new sound into people’s lives. I believe that his legacy is an inspiration to not only better understand tinnitus, but to use this knowledge to improve the quality of life in those it affects,” said Campbell.
Legacy Music Alliance in Salt Lake City, UT uses Les Paul’s story from the Les Paul Foundation website in guitar programs, which are taught in Utah’s schools. Musical instruments are purchased and provided to Utah schools for use by students.
Litchfield Music Alliance of Litchfield, CT hosts Nicki Parrott of the Les Paul Trio at its master classes. Nicki tells Les’ story and includes his music in her classes.
Mahwah Museum Society of Mahwah, NJ will be integrating digital technology into its permanent Les Paul exhibit to increase visitors’ access to documents, photos and videos of Les Paul.
Six String Heroes of Jefferson Barracks in O’Fallon, MO use music to help injured veterans heal physical and mental wounds. The group shares Les’ story of perseverance and how Les experienced the healing power of music.
VHI Save the Music of New York, NY receives funding for its program to reintroduce music into public schools across the United States through its supply of musical instruments to schools in need. Each school will receive copies of a student-friendly biography of Les Paul for use by students.
Waukesha Community Art Project of Waukesha, WI will relay Les Paul’s love of music and his unending curiosity and relentless search for answers to inspire students to ask their own questions and make their own discoveries.
Wisconsin School Music Association of Madison, WI will guide student musicians through the maze of music business so that they can succeed and protect their work. Les Paul’s story will illustrate for students how success comes from never giving up.
Women’s Audio Mission of San Francisco, CA focuses on advancing women in music production and technology. Les Paul’s story inspires students in their hands-on electronics projects. The organization aims to cultivate the female version of Les Paul.
For more information on the Les Paul Foundation go to www.lespaulfoundation.org. Join the conversation at www.facebook.com/lespaulfoundation or www.twitter.com/lespaulfoundation
Grant applications are accepted twice a year. http://www.lespaulfoundation.org/programs/.
PRESS CONTACT
Caroline Galloway
(440) 591-3807 caroline@m2mpr.com