Minor hearing loss may accelerate gray matter atrophy in the brain

New research has revealed that a decline in hearing ability may accelerate gray matter atrophy in auditory areas of the brain. The studies also found that people with hearing loss showed less brain
activity on functional MRI scans when listening to complex sentences,
along with less gray matter in the auditory cortex. Although the research was conducted among older adults, the findings
also have implications for younger adults, including those concerned
about listening to music at loud volumes.

Link: http://news.bioscholar.com/2011/08/minor-hearing-loss-may-accelerate-gray-matter-atrophy-in-the-brain.html