Hearing loss and neurocognitive disorders will be the focus of the next Science Bar 2026, held in conjunction with Brain Awareness Week

[Press Release] - Published on March 2, 2026 in Press Room, Science and Society

On Thursday, March 19, starting at 7:30 p.m., the third Science Bar of the year will take place, organized by the University of Montpellier. For this event, Germain Busto, a neuroscientist in the Department of Neurology at Montpellier University Hospital and at the Montpellier Institute of Neuroscience, François Dejean, an audiologist at Audilab, Jean-Luc Puel, a professor at the University of Montpellier and head of the hearing team, Elodie Richard, an Inserm research fellow at the Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Dementias laboratory, and Cédric Turpinat, a hospital practitioner and neurologist at the Memory Resource and Research Center, will be present to facilitate a dialogue between researchers and the public on hearing loss and neurocognitive disorders.

The Bar des sciences has become one of Montpellier’s flagship events for science outreach, offering a monthly participatory public discussion on all aspects of science from January through June. Throughout the season, scientists are invited to engage in a dialogue where their knowledge and practices are not only shared but also open to discussion. The season is co-produced by the University of Montpellier’s scientific culture departments and its partners: INRAE, INSERM, IRD, and the Faculty of Sciences, with support from Radio Aviva. Sign language interpretation is provided for this event.

A Science Bar in conjunction with Brain Awareness Week, focusing on hearing loss and neurocognitive disorders

Against the backdrop of a rapidly aging global population, the prevention of neurocognitive disorders is a major public health challenge. Identifying the factors that can help delay their onset is now a priority.  Among modifiable risk factors, hearing loss appears to be the most significant. Numerous scientific publications, reported in the general press, emphasize the importance of early screening for hearing loss and highlight the close links between hearing impairment and cognitive decline.

To better understand this phenomenon and its implications, we invite you to a special event: “ When the ear gets tired, the brain gets confused.”

To discuss this topic at the intersection of science and society, five experts from various disciplines will answer questions from the audience:

• Germain Busto is a neuroscientist in the Department of Neurology at Montpellier University Hospital and at the Montpellier Institute of Neuroscience (INM – Inserm, Montpellier University Hospital, University of Montpellier). His research helps us better understand the mechanisms of memory and how they are altered by certain diseases such as Alzheimer’s;

• François Dejean is an audiologist at Audilab and holds a master’s degree in audiology and hearing disorders from the University of Montpellier. He is also the secretary of the French Society of Audiology;

• Jean-Luc Puel is a professor at the University of Montpellier, head of the hearing research team, and former director of the Montpellier Institute of Neuroscience (INM – Inserm, University of Montpellier). He is also president of the National Hearing Association. His research focuses on the functioning of the inner ear in humans;

• Elodie Richard is an Inserm research fellow at the Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegenerative Dementias laboratory (MMDN – Inserm, University of Montpellier, EPHE). Her research focuses on the cellular determinants of neurodegenerative and neurosensory processes (hearing and vision);

• Cédric Turpinat is a hospital physician and neurologist at the Memory, Resources, and Research Center Research CMRR–Montpellier University Hospital). His research contributes to our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and their detection through the use of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

Once again this year, the Bar des Sciences is supported by the University of Montpellier’s “Science with and for Society” (SAPS) ministerial certification. As part of this certification, we remain committed to making scientific culture increasingly accessible. Special attention will be given to the inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals at every Bar des Sciences event. This event features sign language interpretation provided by Des’L Interprétation.