The Effect of Hearing Loss on the P300 Auditory-Evoked Potential as a Measure of Listening Effort

In quiet, prolonged P300 latencies and N1-P300 interpeak intervals in individuals with hearing loss suggest increased cognitive demands compared with normal-hearing peers. In noise, P300 latencies were affected by both listening condition and hearing loss; however, after accounting for delays in early cortical detection, only hearing loss remained significant-underscoring the impact of hearing loss on higher-order auditory processing. These findings highlight the potential of the P300, particularly the N1-P300 interpeak interval, as physiological markers of cognitive engagement associated with listening effort.