SUMMARY
The research involvement and interests of Mayo Clinic audiologist Jennifer E. Gonzalez, Au.D., Ph.D., include:
- The development of methods for measuring central auditory — brainstem through cortex — processing function in people with hearing loss
- Electrophysiological methods of measuring plasticity of the central auditory nervous system resulting from auditory pathology
- Interventions for peripheral hearing loss
- Central auditory training
- The effects of concussion on central auditory processing function
Dr. Gonzalez also focuses on the brain's involvement in overall outcomes of interventions for hearing loss — including hearing aids and cochlear implants — and is investigating the connection between cochlear implant outcomes and lifelong reading, learning or both.
Focus areas
- Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) and hearing loss. Dr. Gonzalez studies methods of diagnosing CAPD in people with comorbid sensorineural hearing loss. Currently, there are no valid and reliable tests to separate the central effects of peripheral hearing loss from true central auditory processing disorder in people with greater than moderate high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. Dr. Gonzalez's work is focused on developing valid and reliable tools for the diagnosis of CAPD in people with comorbid peripheral hearing loss, as the two disorders are not mutually exclusive.
-
Auditory disorders and learning. Dr. Gonzalez studies electrophysiological methods of measuring neural changes resulting from auditory disorders and the effects of hearing devices on central auditory learning, including acclimatization to hearing aids and cochlear implants.
Research shows that the brain changes and adapts according to variations in sensory inputs. The auditory system is no exception to these changes and adaptations. The way a person's central auditory nervous system adapts — either increases or decreases — in response to changes in auditory input from any combination of the outer, middle or inner ear or the auditory nerve, may underlie that person's ultimate success with hearing loss interventions.
Dr. Gonzalez's work in this area aims to develop a tool that can measure these changes. This tool could then be used to identify people who may need additional or different targeted interventions. Further, this tool will be used to document neural changes resulting from hearing loss interventions over time.
- Effects of concussion on central auditory processing function. While many people who have experienced concussions report having hearing difficulties, measurements of hearing sensitivity, such as the pure tone audiogram, fail to reveal those difficulties. As a result, it is not uncommon for people with concussions to be told that they do not have a hearing problem. While hearing sensitivity may be within the standard range, central auditory processing skills may not be, as concussions frequently affect the function of the temporal lobes and corpus callosum, both of which are heavily involved in central auditory processing.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Gonzalez's research in central auditory processing has the capacity to influence many aspects of audiology, including the development of new and improved diagnostic methods for addressing unmet patient needs as well as improvements in precision medicine and individualized care.
Dr. Gonzalez's research also addresses the need to identify people who are at risk of central auditory processing disorder, many of whom may not be aware of the disorder's impact on overall quality of life. In an important connection between research and clinical care, Dr. Gonzalez's work explores the effects of concussion on central auditory processing, including auditory spatial disorientation, and explores the possibility that central auditory processing deficits may increase the likelihood of experiencing a concussion, repeat concussions and second impact syndrome.
Professional highlights
- Ad-hoc member, Pediatric-Adolescent Medicine Subcommittee, Mayo Clinic, 2022-present
- Editorial board, American Journal of Audiology, 2022-present
- Audiology Specialty Council, Mayo Clinic, 2022-present