Usually, hearing loss that is called sensorineural or nerve deafness is actually caused by problems with the cochlea, instead of the actual auditory nerve, but a very small percentage of hearing loss is caused by problems with the nerve, itself ... usually related to acoustic neuromas (tumors) on the nerve covering.
Aug. 16, 2006 - New research is challenging the long-held belief that autism autism affects only those regions of the brain that control social interaction, communication, and reasoning -- suggesting, instead, that the disorder affects the entire brain.
Autism's symptoms result from maturation-related changes in various systems of the brain. How autism occurs is not well understood. Its mechanism can be divided into two areas: the pathophysiology of brain structures and processes associated with autism, and the neuropsychological linkages between brain structures and behaviors. The behaviors appear to have multiple pathophysiologies.