with Konstantina Stankovic
Andrew Huberman and Dr. Konstantina Stankovic discuss how the auditory system works from the ear to the brain, emphasizing its extraordinary sensitivity and importance for communication, emotion, and cognition. They cover causes and types of hearing loss, tinnitus, noise exposure thresholds, and practical strategies to protect hearing, including sound level limits, earplugs, and possibly magnesium intake. The conversation also explores links between hearing loss and dementia, cochlear implants, genetic and environmental contributors to hearing loss, inner ear regeneration research, and broader issues such as environmental noise pollution and sensory-driven brain plasticity.
Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.
Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.
Protecting your hearing requires actively managing sound exposure, because the auditory system is extraordinarily sensitive and damage from loud noise can accumulate even when standard hearing tests still look normal.
Reflection Questions:
Indirect effects of hearing loss-like social withdrawal, depression, and difficulty following conversations in noise-can quietly undermine cognitive health and increase dementia risk, so early recognition and support are strategic for long-term brain function.
Reflection Questions:
Attention and emotion strongly shape how we experience symptoms like tinnitus, which means that managing what you focus on and how you interpret sensations can change how disabling those sensations become.
Reflection Questions:
Seemingly routine habits with medications, supplements, and plastics can have long-term effects on sensory systems, so it's worth periodically reassessing whether you truly need what you're taking and how you handle food and packaging.
Reflection Questions:
The brain remains remarkably plastic throughout life, and providing it with high-quality, appropriately challenging sensory input (such as music training or richer auditory environments at safe levels) can enhance resilience and function.
Reflection Questions:
Because diagnostic labels like "sensorineural hearing loss" or "tinnitus" each hide many different subtypes, pushing for more precise assessment and personalized treatment is often more effective than accepting one-size-fits-all solutions.
Reflection Questions:
Episode Summary - Notes by Avery