Presbycusis: what is it?

The history and current misusage of the term presbycusis is discussed and current knowledge of pathology associated with presbycusis and aging are reviewed. A study involving retrospective analysis of audiometric data and clinical information on three groups was performed. Results suggest that a group of individuals previously identified as "presbycusic" probably represent undiagnosed cases of familial or genetic related hearing loss. We urge as thorough an identification of correct diagnosis as possible, thus reserving the term "presbycusis" for those rare, soley age-related cases of sensorineural loss.