09-12, 09:00–10:00 (Europe/Istanbul), Audiology 2
Hearing and vestibular systems are crucial not only for auditory perception and balance but also for supporting a range of cognitive functions. Studies have consistently shown that hearing loss is associated with structural and functional changes in brain regions critical for cognition, including the hippocampus. Similarly, vestibular dysfunction has been linked to impairments in spatial memory, navigation, numerical cognition, and attention, independent of auditory deficits. Notably, experimental studies controlling for hearing loss have demonstrated that vestibular impairment alone can lead to deficits in spatial orientation, visuospatial memory, and executive functions—likely due to disrupted input to hippocampal and parietal regions responsible for spatial representation and body schema.
A central challenge in the literature is disentangling the individual contributions of auditory and vestibular systems, particularly given their anatomical and functional interconnections in the brainstem and shared presence in many otologic conditions. Nonetheless, approximately 43% of published studies on vestibular-related cognitive dysfunction have controlled for hearing status and still report significant cognitive impairments associated with vestibular loss. For example, Brandt et al. (2005) and Kremmyda et al. (2016) showed that patients with bilateral vestibular loss exhibited hippocampal atrophy and impaired performance in spatial memory tasks, even in the absence of significant hearing impairment. Moreover, Moser et al. (2017) demonstrated that patients with acute vestibular neuritis performed worse on mathematical reasoning tasks, suggesting deficits in spatial-numerical processing linked to vestibular disruption.
On the other hand, hearing loss has also been independently associated with impairments in working memory, language processing, and learning, often through mechanisms such as increased cognitive load, reduced sensory stimulation, or neural reorganization. These effects can be compounded when hearing and vestibular impairments co-occur, though most existing studies lack well-defined patient groups to analyze these interactions systematically.
Given the growing recognition that vestibular and auditory inputs are integral to cognitive processing, there is a pressing need to incorporate comprehensive sensory assessment in cognitive evaluations. This presentation will outline an integrated framework for studying multisensory contributions to cognition and advocate for including vestibular function as a standard variable in cognitive research and clinical screening.
In conclusion, hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction should not be seen merely as peripheral sensory issues but as central factors influencing cognitive health. A better understanding of their independent and combined effects may not only illuminate the neurobiology of cognitive decline but also open new avenues for multisensory rehabilitation strategies.
Hearing and vestibular systems are crucial not only for auditory perception and balance but also for supporting a range of cognitive functions. Although traditionally considered in isolation, growing evidence suggests that both hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction can independently, and perhaps synergistically, contribute to impairments in cognition. This presentation aims to synthesize current findings from experimental and epidemiological studies that demonstrate the role of these sensory impairments in cognitive dysfunction, with a particular emphasis on spatial memory, attention, and executive processes.
NINA BOŽANIĆ URBANČIČ MD, PhD ENT specialist
Date of birth: 16th November 1978
Adress: Topniška ulica 11, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
E-mail adress: [email protected]
Telephone number: ++386 40 344 368 Nationality: Croatian
Education
2023- PhD in Medical School University of Ljubljana
2013 completed the ENT specialist training, including final exam
2007-2013 ENT training at University Clinical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
2006 nostrification of a Medical School diploma in Slovenia
2003 graduated from Medical School in Zagreb Medical University, Croatia
2002 1 month at the ENT dep. St'Georges Hospital, London
Work experience
2021- present date: Head of pediatric ward ENT Clinic, UMC Ljubljana
2021- present date: part of the audiological/genetic consillium ENT Clinic Ljubljana Slovenia
2018- present date: Country representative for the European Federation of Audiology Societies
2007- present date- work in the Department for Otorhinolaryngology and cervicofacial surgery at University Clinical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
2005 Rijeka prison – physician
2005 Emergency physician- Island of Rab, Croatia
2004 General Physician, the Island of Rab, Croatia
2003 Internship at Clinical Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
Other skills:
»First Certificate in English«, Cambridge University diploma High level of knowledge of Slovenian language- diploma Active understanding of Italian language
Dr. Nizamettin Burak Avcı is a faculty member at the Department of Audiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Trakya University. He completed his undergraduate education at the Department of Audiology, Istanbul University in 2016, and then completed his master's degree in Audiology, Speech and Language Pathology at Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa in 2019. He received his PhD from the Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Institute of Health Sciences in 2023.