Final answer:
The correct answer is an increase in presbycusis, ossification of the inner ear bones, and a less elastic cochlear membrane. These changes contribute to the common age-related hearing loss experienced in late adulthood.
Step-by-step explanation:
In late adulthood, changes in hearing anatomy often lead to various hearing impairments. The correct option to fill in the blanks regarding these changes is: Increase in presbycusis, bones in the inner ear become more ossified, cochlear membranes become less elastic. Presbycusis is a common type of hearing loss in older adults, typically caused by the natural aging of the auditory system, including the hair cells in the organ of Corti or the auditory nerve. It can result in a gradual reduction in the ability to hear higher frequencies.
Ossification of the bones in the middle ear, such as the ossicles (malleus, incus, and stapes), can diminish their ability to conduct sound effectively. A less elastic cochlear membrane may impact how sound waves are transduced into neural signals, affecting the perception of pitch.
Conditions such as Meniere's disease and otosclerosis also play a role in hearing loss, where Meniere's disease leads to sensorineural hearing loss with symptoms including tinnitus and vertigo, and otosclerosis involves abnormal bone growth that can impede the movement of the ossicles. However, the description provided best fits the general changes associated with presbycusis.