To adapt to changing environments and bodily functions across the lifespan, many mammals rely on compensatory changes in the brain. One major change as mammals age is that individual senses, such as hearing or vision, can be weakened or lost. Preclinical work suggests that when one sense is lost, cortical brain pathways adapt to improve the processing of remaining senses. Hey-Kyoung Lee and colleagues, from Johns Hopkins University, extended this work in their JNeurosci paper by exploring the relationship between adult-onset hearing loss and visual adaptations in mice.
The researchers measured neural responses in a key visual brain area as mice were presented with visuals in either their immediate (focal) or peripheral visual fields. Hearing loss in adulthood didn't affect neural responses to visuals in focal visual fields, but neural responses to visuals in the periphery were strongly dampened. Behavioral measures of mice with adult-onset hearing loss revealed these mice perceived only peripheral visuals with higher clarity than mice without hearing loss, suggesting that this activity change may represent more efficient neural representations of peripheral visuals.
Says Lee, "Our work suggests, rather counterintuitively, that dampening neural activity may be beneficial by improving the brain's efficiency at processing information. Another main conclusion is that, at least in adults, [this visual brain area's] adaptation to hearing loss does not improve all visual function." The researchers plan to follow up on this work by exploring specific mechanisms in this visual brain area that can be leveraged to improve adult visual function.
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About JNeurosci
JNeurosci was launched in 1981 as a means to communicate the findings of the highest quality neuroscience research to the growing field. Today, the journal remains committed to publishing cutting-edge neuroscience that will have an immediate and lasting scientific impact, while responding to authors' changing publishing needs, representing breadth of the field and diversity in authorship.
About The Society for Neuroscience
The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians devoted to understanding the brain and nervous system. The nonprofit organization, founded in 1969, now has nearly 35,000 members in more than 95 countries.
JNeurosci
10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0690-26.2026
Adult-Onset Auditory Deprivation Enhances Attenuation of Neural Responses in the Visual Cortex and Improves Peripheral Visual Acuity
2-Nov-2026
The authors declare no competing financial interests.