Which of the following is a type of hearing loss commonly associated with aging?

• A. Conductive
• B. Sensorineural
• C. Central
• D. Presbycusis

Answer: (D)

Presbycusis names the hearing loss that specifically develops with age. It is a type of sensorineural loss caused by degenerative changes in the inner ear or the auditory nerve as people get older, usually presenting as a gradual loss of high-frequency sounds and trouble understanding speech in noise. While sensorineural loss describes the general category of inner-ear or nerve-related hearing loss, presbycusis is the aging-specific form, making it the best answer. Conductive and central losses are due to problems in the outer/middle ear or brain processing and aren’t inherently linked to aging, respectively.