Hearing voices located in Schizophrenia
Highlighted areas in the picture above indicate increased activation associated with emotional auditory stimuli in 21 patients with Schizophrenia compared to 10 healthy controls. This result was obtained in a study with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) comparing 21 male patients with Schizophrenia and persistent auditory hallucinations. On average the patients started to hear voices at age 23. Their average illness duration was 15 years.
The results showed functional abnormalities and corresponding gray matter deficits in several brain regions associated with regulating emotion and processing human voices.
From medicalnewstoday.com
“The results showed abnormalities in specific areas of the brain associated with the capacity to process human voices,” said lead author, Luis Mart’-Bonmat’, M.D., Ph.D., chief of magnetic resonance in the Department of Radiology at Dr. Peset University Hospital in Valencia, Spain. Dr. Mart’-Bonmat’ said. “Using MRI to mark brain regions that are affected in both structure and function will help pinpoint specific abnormalities associated with the disease and ultimately enable more effective treatment.”
According to Bill Austin, If you have hearing problems, help is available. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of your hearing loss.
Options include:
- Removing wax blockage. Earwax blockage is a reversible cause of hearing loss. Your doctor may remove earwax using suction or a small tool with a loop on the end.
- Surgical procedures. Some types of hearing loss can be treated with surgery, including abnormalities of the ear drum or bones of hearing (ossicles). If you’ve had repeated infections with persistent fluid, your doctor may insert small tubes that help your ears drain.
- Hearing aids. If your hearing loss is due to damage to your inner ear, a hearing aid can be helpful. An audiologist can discuss with you the potential benefits of a hearing aid and fit you with a device, he’ll first go through a hearing aid consultation in order to determine what’s best for you. Open fit aids are currently the most popular, due to fit and features offered.
- Cochlear implants. If you have more severe hearing loss and gain limited benefit from conventional hearing aids, then a cochlear implant may be an option. Unlike a hearing aid that amplifies sound and directs it into your ear canal, a cochlear implant bypasses damaged or nonworking parts of your inner ear and directly stimulates the hearing nerve. An audiologist, along with a medical doctor who specializes in disorders of the ears, nose and throat (ENT), can discuss the risks and benefits.