I Hear a Symphony: For U-M Violin Student, Hearing Loss is Not a Disability

Violin teacher Danielle Belen uses a lot of gestures and hand signals but not many words. Her student, Abigel Szilagyi, relies on vibrations, muscle memory and instincts.

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A Newly Identified Neuron in a Brain Region Tied to Hearing

My lab at the University of Michigan identified a novel neuron type called VIP neurons. VIP neurons make a small protein called vasoactive intestinal peptide. Despite its name, previous studies have shown that VIP is made by specific types of neurons in several other brain regions.

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Which Restaurants Are Way Too Loud (or Not)? Get Real Data and Share It!

Recently, I found myself in a restaurant that was so noisy, the waitress leaned over and told us, “I can’t hear in here, either!” So, it’s not just me. In fact, a 2015 survey by Zagat that found that noise in restaurants was listed as the top complaint by diners.

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Amplifying the Home: A Technology Guide

Living independently may seem challenging, or even daunting, to someone who has recently been diagnosed with a hearing loss. Fortunately, innovations in technology can vastly improve life and safety in the home.

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CT Imaging as a Diagnostic Tool for Ménière’s Disease

Comparing the angle measurements of the ATVA, we confirmed the results of the cadaveric study. There was a strong correlation between late onset Ménière’s with a typical “adult” course of the vestibular aqueduct, while early onset Ménière’s was associated with a more straight, “fetal” course of the vestibular aqueduct.

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Close-Minded Captioning

Sound can provide remarkable connections to the world around us. As a Longwood University communication sciences and disorders student, I’ve come to better understand how people with hearing loss experience sound, and that improvements to accessibility are urgently needed.

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Lasting Effects From Head and Brain Injury

In our research “Patient‐Reported Auditory Handicap Measures Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury,” published in The Laryngoscope, we examined auditory complaints following traumatic brain injury, as well as changes that occur to the peripheral vestibular system in the postmortem setting.

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Everything Sounds

I'll never forget the first time I had my hearing aid on while giving my children a bath in our cramped little bathroom. I thought the loud noise from their splashing and kicking and laughing would drive me crazy with my aid in my ear.

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Making Sense of Sound

Valeriy Shafiro conducts research in hearing and speech perception that focuses on finding new ways to diagnose auditory deficits and improve communication abilities in adults.

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I Would Love to Hear the Conversation

Music for Alex, and for many others with hearing loss, is both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes loud music volumes, especially in crowded spaces, can be a distraction for him. This recently became apparent at dinner in a restaurant with our parents.

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