Why do some people have difficulty having a conversation
in a busy restaurant?
Have you ever had trouble following a conversation in a loud and crowded place such as a busy restaurant or cafeteria? And you were not sure why because you can hear just fine in less noisy environments?
Unfortunately, many listeners have that problem, especially as they age. In many cases the inability to follow a conversation in background noise has nothing to do with the ability to perceive the sound (which is done by the ears) but rather the ability to isolate the sound from background noise (which is done by the brain).
Our research lab at the University of Colorado School of Medicine has studied this problem for many years both in human subjects and animal models (jump to discussion of lab research projects). We discuss this question and related topics in a series of blog posts on this site. Check back regularly for new articles or follow us social media to get notifications when something new is posted.
List of Blog Posts:
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Blog: The Science of Hearing Loss
- Apr 20, 2025 The Silent Threat: Why Treating Hearing Loss Matters for Healthy Aging Apr 20, 2025
- Apr 13, 2025 Age-Related Hearing Loss: What Happens in the Ear as We Age Apr 13, 2025
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Klug Lab Other News
- Feb 5, 2025 New Publication Alert: Klug Lab Unveils Novel Sapphire Optrode in International Collaboration Feb 5, 2025
- Oct 1, 2024 Dr. Benzheng Li Awarded Prestigious Hearing Health Foundation Emerging Research Grant Oct 1, 2024