The Neuroscience of Hearing: What You Don’t Hear Can Hurt Your Brain

In this must-listen episode, Dr. Amen and Tana Amen sit down with Brandon Salawich, President and CEO of Starkey, the largest U.S.-based hearing aid manufacturer, to explore the critical link between hearing and brain health. They uncover how hearing loss isn’t just about missing sounds—it’s a major risk factor for dementia, depression, and relationship struggles. You’ll also discover surprising causes of hearing issues, including why 1 in 6 teenagers are already experiencing hearing loss. If you want to protect your brain, start by protecting your hearing—tune in to learn how.

00:00 Intro

01:01 Hearing & The Brain

01:45 Sponsor

03:03 Hearing is One of the Major Functions of the Brain

06:26 Hearing & Stigma

08:23 Can Your Brain Forget Sounds?

09:16 Overstimulation

10:08 Brandon’s Story

13:31 The Impact of Hearing Loss on the Brain

14:56 Overcoming Vulnerability

17:43 The Causes of Memory Loss

19:41 Damage Elimination

21:56 The Future of Hearing Augmentation/Automatic Translation

25:30 Brands

27:05 Hearing & AI Technology

28:45 Comfort

29:57 Hearing Sound for the First Time

40:16 Superpowered Hearing

46:31 Sponsor

46:54 Wrap Up

Starkey.com

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