Attention A T users. To access the menus on this page please perform the following steps.
1. Please switch auto forms mode to off.
2. Hit enter to expand a main menu option (Health, Benefits, etc).
3. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow.
You will now be able to tab or arrow up or down through the submenu options to access/activate the submenu links.
Locator
Contact
Search
Search
VA »
Health Care »
National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR)
»
»
Naomi Bramhall, Au.D., Ph.D.
National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR)
Menu
Naomi Bramhall, Au.D., Ph.D.
Email: naomi.bramhall@va.gov
Telephone: 503-220-8262 x54692
Current appointments:
Research Investigator, NCRAR
Associate Professor, Otolaryngology, Oregon Health & Science University
Dr. Bramhall’s research focuses on:
- Identifying auditory physiological measures in humans that can be used for diagnosis of cochlear deafferentation, the disruption of the afferent connection between the peripheral and central auditory system due to loss of inner hair cells, cochlear synapses, or spiral ganglion cells.
- Determining the perceptual consequences of cochlear deafferentation.
Because animal models and human temporal bone studies suggest that noise exposure can lead to significant cochlear synapse loss, Dr. Bramhall is particularly interested in auditory physiological characteristics of Veterans with a history of military noise exposure.
Research projects (Current and recently completed):
- Mouse, Man, and Machine: Combining Model System to Develop a Biomarker for Cochlear Deafferentation in Humans. NIH NIDCD, R01, 2022-2027
- Resolving the Paradox of Hearing Complaints with a Normal Audiogram: Differential Diagnosis and Perceptual Impacts of Cochlear Deafferentation. VA RR&D, Merit Award, 2022-2026
- Listening effort during complex speech perception. American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation Independent Clinical Research Grant December 2019-November 2021.
- Uncovering physiological markers of hidden hearing loss. VA RR&D, Career Development Award, 2016-2021
- Noise-induced cochlear neuronal degeneration and its perceptual consequences. VA RR&D, Career Development Award, 2014-2016
Selected publications:
- Szabo HA, Theodoroff SM, McMillan GP, Kampel SD, Heassler AE, Whittle NK, Bramhall NF. (2026) Tinnitus and decreased sound tolerance in military Veterans: Relationship with cochlear deafferentation. Hear Res. 481:109789.
- Kampel SD, McMillan GP, Heassler AE, Whittle NK, Szabo HA, Bramhall NF. (2026) Normative Ranges for Auditory Brainstem Response Wave I Amplitude: A Potential Diagnostic Indicator of Cochlear Deafferentation. Am J Audiol. 35(3):1088-1101.
- Heassler AE, McMillan GP, Kampel SD, Whittle NK, Szabo HA, Verhulst S, Buran BN, Bramhall NF. (2026) Use of Envelope Following Response Normative Ranges for Diagnosing Cochlear Deafferentation. Am J Audiol. 35(3):903-918.
- Bramhall NF, McMillan GP, Kampel SD, Heassler AE, Whittle NK, Szabo HA. (2026) Normative Ranges for Wideband Middle Ear Muscle Reflex Magnitude: Limited Potential for Diagnosing Cochlear Deafferentation. Am J Audiol. 35(2):457-471.
- Buran BN, Elkins S, He W, Verhulst S, Bramhall NF. (2026) Predicting Cochlear Synaptopathy in Mice with Varying Degrees of Outer Hair Cell Dysfunction Using Auditory Evoked Potentials. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 27(1):61-81.
- Bramhall NF, Buran BN, McMillan GP. (2025) Associations between physiological indicators of cochlear deafferentation and listening effort in military Veterans with normal audiograms. Hear Res. 461:109263.
- Bramhall NF, McMillan GP. (2024) Perceptual Consequences of Cochlear Deafferentation in Humans. Trends Hear. 28:23312165241239541.
- Buran BN, McMillan GP, Keshishzadeh S, Verhulst S, Bramhall NF. (2022) Predicting synapse counts in living humans by combining computational models with auditory physiology. J Acoust Soc Am. 151(1):561.
- Bramhall NF. (2021) Use of the auditory brainstem response for assessment of cochlear synaptopathy in humans. J Acoust Soc Am. 150(6):4440.
- Bramhall NF, McMillan GP, Kampel SD. (2021) Envelope following response measurements in young veterans are consistent with noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy. Hear Res. 408:108310.
- Bramhall NF, Niemczak CE, Kampel SD, Billings CJ, McMillan GP. (2020) Evoked Potentials Reveal Noise Exposure-Related Central Auditory Changes Despite Normal Audiograms. Am J Audiol. 2020 29(2):152-164.
- Bramhall NF, McMillan GP, Gallun FJ, Konrad-Martin D. (2019) Auditory brainstem response demonstrates that reduced peripheral auditory input is associated with self-report of tinnitus. J Acoust Soc Am. 46(5):3849.
- Bramhall N, Beach EF, Epp B, Le Prell CG, Lopez-Poveda EA, Plack CJ, Schaette R, Verhulst S, Canlon B. (2019) The search for noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy in humans: Mission impossible? Hear Res. 377:88-103.
- Bramhall NF, Konrad-Martin D, McMillan GP, Griest SE. (2017) Auditory Brainstem Response Altered in Humans With Noise Exposure Despite Normal Outer Hair Cell Function. Ear Hear. 38(1):e1-e12.
