What is the issue facing people with hearing loss, beyond audibility and speech in noise issues? It's the impact of hearing on the cognitive ability of people with hearing loss, and whether or not hearing aids have an effect on cognitive function.

Why does hearing loss have an impact on cognitive ability at all? It may seem counterintuitive that damage in the cochlea should have an effect on the auditory cortex and impact things like working memory, but it does.

Auditory perception is one of the first complex stages of auditory processing: creating an auditory scene. The auditory scene is the process by which we organize sound into perceptually meaningful events.

The auditory scene is the beginning of auditory analysis, and it sets up the whole system to understand the world around the person. It is not only a first stage for understanding words, but also a first stage for comprehension, connecting with people, remembering things, and allowing the listener to do multiple tasks at the same time.

Come in and get your hearing tested with Kritsi Murphy A.A.S., HIS at Post Falls Hearing Aid Center, 780 N. Cecil Road in Post Falls (208) 457-8878.