Which type of hearing loss is characterized by damage to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain?

Neural hearing impairment is characterized by damage to the nerve pathways that transmit auditory signals from the inner ear to the brain. This type of hearing loss typically results from issues affecting the auditory nerve or the central auditory processing pathways. Such impairment can cause difficulties in understanding sounds, even if the outer and middle ear are functioning properly.

In contrast, conductive hearing impairment involves problems in the outer or middle ear that prevent sound from being conducted to the inner ear, such as fluid in the ear or earwax buildup. Sensory hearing impairment relates more to damage to the hair cells in the cochlea, which are crucial for hearing. Prelingual hearing loss refers to hearing impairment that occurs before a child develops language, which can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetic conditions or infections in early childhood, but does not specifically define the damage to nerve pathways. Thus, neural hearing impairment is the appropriate term for the specific type of hearing loss indicated in the question.