Presbycusis most commonly affects which frequencies due to hair cell degeneration?

Presbycusis most commonly affects which frequencies due to hair cell degeneration?

• A. Low frequencies
• B. Mid frequencies
• C. High frequencies
• D. All frequencies equally

Answer: (C)

Presbycusis typically shows up as a loss of high-frequency hearing because aging preferentially damages the basal part of the cochlea, where high-frequency information is processed. The hair cells there, especially the outer hair cells, become less able to amplify and transmit high-pitched sounds, so sounds like sibilants and other high-frequency cues become harder to hear. The result is a characteristic pattern where high frequencies drop first, while low and mid frequencies remain better preserved in the early stages. If the loss were equal across all frequencies, that would point to a different, non-typical pattern for presbycusis.

Presbycusis typically shows up as a loss of high-frequency hearing because aging preferentially damages the basal part of the cochlea, where high-frequency information is processed. The hair cells there, especially the outer hair cells, become less able to amplify and transmit high-pitched sounds, so sounds like sibilants and other high-frequency cues become harder to hear. The result is a characteristic pattern where high frequencies drop first, while low and mid frequencies remain better preserved in the early stages. If the loss were equal across all frequencies, that would point to a different, non-typical pattern for presbycusis.