Tracking heart rate can help detect hearing loss early

Sydney: Assessing human hearing ability in the development of communication and language skills, say researchers. The team, from the Bionics Institute of Medical Research Facility in Australia, measured heart rate with a brain imaging method called functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The technical records the brain's response to sounds and cardiac information such as heart rate.

The researchers were able to confirm that "directly affect heart rate," reported on Saturday.

Early detection of hearing loss is vital for babies with a hearing impairment. "Life-long consequences for social, educational and employment opportunities, and quality of life," according to the study, published in the journal PLOS One.

The team played a role in monitoring the patient's heart rate, with the results showing that it was "directly affected by sound levels". When lower level sounds were played, an increased rate of heart rate was recorded, for higher level sounds, an increased heart rate occurred.

They are unable to communicate what they hear, said lead author Mehrnaz Shoushtarian, from the varsity. The effects of heart failure is a vital finding that is of importance to the development of a hearing aid assessment.