Answer:
The loss of ability to hear high-pitched, high-frequency sounds is known as presbycusis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Presbycusis is the loss of hearing that occurs as people age. It involves several changes in the ear and auditory system:
Loss of hair cells in the cochlea - These are the sensory cells that detect sound waves and transmit signals to the auditory nerve. As people age, hair cells begin to deteriorate. This leads to difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds and reduced volume.
Stiffening of the bones in the middle ear - The tiny bones of the middle ear (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) help transmit sound waves to the cochlea. As people age, these bones can become stiffer and less flexible, reducing the transmission of higher frequency sounds.
Decline in auditory nerve function - The nerve fibers that carry sound information from the cochlea can deteriorate over time. This reduces the number of nerve signals transmitted to the brain and further diminishes the ability to hear high frequencies.
Damage from noise exposure - Noise-induced hearing loss is cumulative. Exposure to loud noises over a lifetime can contribute to presbycusis at an older age.
The progression of presbycusis is gradual. People may first notice difficulty hearing consonants in speech or high-pitched sounds like children's voices or birds singing. As it advances, lower frequencies also become harder to hear and speech comprehension declines. Hearing loss is often worse in noisy environments.