International Journal of Audiology最新文献

Objective: To investigate older and younger adults' perceptions of older and younger adults who wear hearing aids.

Design: Participants completed two Implicit Association Tests: One with images of older adults (OA-IAT) and one with images of younger adults (YA-IAT), either wearing or not wearing hearing aids. Participants also rated age, attractiveness, and intelligence of younger and older adults pictured with or without a hearing aid.

Study sample: Thirty older adults (M age = 70 years, SD = 4.38) and 30 younger adults (M age = 23 years, SD = 3.01) who reported not having hearing aids or a diagnosed hearing impairment.

Results: For both IATs, older and younger participants responded faster and more accurately when images of individuals wearing hearing aids were paired with negative words in comparison to positive words. Photo ratings did not vary in relation to the presence or absence of hearing aids for either age group.

Conclusion: Although the photo rating tasks indicate neutral explicit attitudes towards individuals who wear hearing aids, our interpretation of the IAT results indicates that younger and older adults may hold negative implicit attitudes towards both older and younger hearing aid users.

Objective: To explore if experience with hearing aid (HA) amplification affects speech-evoked cortical potentials reflecting comprehension abilities.

Design: N400 and late positive complex (LPC) responses as well as behavioural response times to congruent and incongruent digit triplets were measured. The digits were presented against stationary speech-shaped noise 10 dB above individually measured speech recognition thresholds. Stimulus presentation was either acoustic (digits 1-3) or first visual (digits 1-2) and then acoustic (digit 3).

Study sample: Three groups of older participants (N = 3 × 15) with (1) pure-tone average hearing thresholds <25 dB HL from 500-4000 Hz, (2) mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) but no prior HA experience, and (3) mild-to-moderate SNHL and >2 years of HA experience. Groups 2-3 were fitted with test devices in accordance with clinical gain targets.

Results: No group differences were found in the electrophysiological data. N400 amplitudes were larger and LPC latencies shorter with acoustic presentation. For group 1, behavioural response times were shorter with visual-then-acoustic presentation.

Conclusion: When speech audibility is ensured, comprehension-related electrophysiological responses appear intact in individuals with mild-to-moderate SNHL, regardless of prior experience with amplified sound. Further research into the effects of audibility versus acclimatisation-related neurophysiological changes is warranted.

Objective: Modelling the head-shadow effect compensation and speech recognition outcomes, we aimed to study the benefits of a bone conduction device (BCD) during the headband trial for single-sided deafened (SSD) subjects.

Design: This study is based on a database of individual patient measurements, fitting parameters, and acoustic BCD properties retrospectively measured on a skull simulator or from existing literature. The sensation levels of the Bone-Conduction and Air-Conduction sound paths were compared, modelling three spatial conditions with speech in quiet. We calculated the phoneme score using the Speech Intelligibility Index for the three conditions in quiet and seven in noise.

Study sample: Eighty-five SSD adults fitted with BCD during headband trial.

Results: According to our model, most subjects did not achieve a full head-shadow effect compensation with the signal at the BCD side and in front. The modelled speech recognition in the quiet conditions did not improve with the BCD on the headband. In noise, we found a slight improvement in some specific conditions and minimal worsening in others.

Conclusions: Based on an audibility model, this study challenges the fundamentals of a BCD headband trial in SSD subjects. Patients should be counselled regarding the potential outcome and alternative approaches.

Objective: Research on Cochlear implant (CI) outcomes has been mainly focused on verbal communication, whereas music perception has been less extensively explored. This study evaluated a music rehabilitation program, based on the mobile phone app Meludia (Meludia, France) to improve quality of life (QoL) and verbal perception in CI patients.

Design: In this non-randomised clinical trial, the experimental group underwent 16 Meludia sessions, while controls did not receive any music-specific rehabilitation. Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures, including the MUSQUAV questionnaire and NCIQ domains, were utilised alongside Matrix speech perception tests (which measure speech understanding in noise).

Study sample: Forty patients with CI were considered: experimental group (21 patients) and control group (19 patients).

Results: Significant improvements (p = 0.017, and p < 0.001) in music-related PRO (MUSQUAV), and general CI PRO measures (NCIQ), respectively, were found in the experimental group. No significant differences were found in Matrix speech perception tests post-rehabilitation. Overall, 57% of participants in the experimental group reported subjective improvements in music perception.

Conclusions: This study showed the potential of home-based music rehabilitation in enhancing QoL for CI patients, supporting the possibility of implementing specific musical training programs in audiological care. Larger, randomised, controlled trials are necessary for further characterisation of this topic.

Objective: Open-source hearing aid (HA) research tools provide avenues for testing new audiological concepts. This study compared a wearable research HA (RHA) - the "Portable Hearing Laboratory" - to a high-end commercial HA (CHA) in terms of aided outcome. Using this RHA, it also evaluated a fitting approach based on non-individualised gain presets.

Design: Using a randomised repeated-measures design, participants completed speech recognition and speech quality assessments under unaided and several aided (RHA and CHA with omnidirectional and directional microphone settings) conditions. Furthermore, two approaches for prescribing amplification were evaluated with the RHA: (1) a preset approach based on non-verified clinical gain targets calculated for three standard audiograms, and (2) a best-practice approach based on individually prescribed and verified clinical gain targets.

Study sample: Fifteen adults aged 50-78 years with symmetrical, mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing losses.

Results: The RHA and CHA gave similar audibility, speech recognition in quiet and in noise, and speech quality ratings in quiet and in noise. Relative to the best-practice approach, the preset approach resulted in less audibility but similar speech recognition in quiet and in noise.

Conclusion: The RHA appears suited for testing new audiological concepts such as preset-based approaches to HA fitting.

Objective: The upper limit of sensitivity to binaural temporal fine structure (TFS) is around 1400 Hz. Higher values have been reported when keeping interaural phase differences fixed and varying the frequency adaptively, as in the adaptive-frequency TFS test [TFS-AF, Füllgrabe et al., Int J Audiol, 56, 926-935]. The probability of TFS-AF thresholds exceeding 1400 Hz, and the influence of age and hearing threshold were assessed.

Design and study sample: TFS-AF thresholds from 277 participants across five studies were re-analysed as a function of Age, low-frequency pure-tone average threshold (PTL; 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz), and high-frequency pure-tone average threshold (PTH; 6000 and 8000 Hz). The 95% confidence intervals on TFS-AF thresholds were computed. The effects of Age and Hearing threshold on the TFS-AF thresholds were assessed using a multiple-regression model.

Results: The bootstrapped 95% confidence interval for this dataset around the median was 1030 to 1122 Hz, similar to that predicted by Monte Carlo simulation. This range was affected by Age and PTL. Regression modelling showed that the occurrence rate of TFS-AF thresholds exceeding 1400 Hz increased with younger Age and better PTL.

Conclusions: TFS-AF thresholds exceeding 1400 Hz are more likely for lower ages and better hearing thresholds.

Objectives: This two-part pilot study investigated the feasibility of using a frequency selectivity measure (T_FS) to develop a novel hearing screening test for cooperative adults. Study 1 determined the optimal masker level, while Study 2 assessed the reliability of a self-administered T_FS test prototype performed at the selected masker level.

Design and study sample: Study 1 (normal hearing, n = 20) examined masker-level effects on T_FS using a manual threshold determination method from an earlier study. Study 2 (normal hearing, n = 21; hearing loss, n = 5) evaluated the reliability of a self-administered T_FS test using a new automated threshold determination procedure.

Results: Moderate masker levels (30-40 dB SPL) were suitable for the T_FS measurements, with 40 dB SPL being optimal. Lower level (20 dB SPL) led to floor effects, while higher level (50 dB SPL) broadened cochlear tuning and reduced T_FS values. The self-administered test demonstrated ±9 dB limit of agreement, with intra-subject absolute mean differences of 1.8-2.7 dB across test frequencies, indicating greater variability compared to the manual method.

Conclusions: The self-administered T_FS test is a candidate for hearing screening, particularly for mild sensorineural hearing loss. However, further research is needed to reduce measurement variability and optimise testing for real-world use.

Objective: Tinnitus, the perception of sound without an external source, affects many adults, impacting quality of life. While factors like hearing loss and psychological distress are linked to tinnitus, the relationship with physical activity remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the association between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and the presence of tinnitus.

Design: This study is a cross-sectional study. The participants completed the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to investigate associations between (components of) physical activity and the presence of tinnitus, and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated.

Study sample: This study involved 3004 participants (2751 tinnitus patients, 253 healthy controls).

Results: Engaging in moderate or vigorous-intensity physical activity during leisure time for more than 2.5 hours per week was associated with a reduced risk of having tinnitus (OR = 0.515, p < 0.001). Conversely, individuals who reported sitting for more than 7 hours per day had a significantly higher risk of having tinnitus (OR = 2.366, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: The study suggests a potential protective effect of leisure-time physical activity against tinnitus and highlights the importance of reducing sedentary behaviour. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to understand underlying mechanisms.

Objective: To investigate the influence of four major life events (leaving home, full-time employment, married/cohabiting, parenthood) and socio-demographic variables on risky total leisure noise (TLN) during transition to adulthood with a special focus on visiting discotheques and listening to portable listening devices (PLDs).

Design: Longitudinal analysis of the OHRKAN cohort. Risky TLN covering 22 activities was defined as exceeding 85 dB(A) averaged over a 40-hour week. Potential determinants were analysed using Generalised Linear Mixed Models.

Study sample: A closed cohort of 2,148 students recruited in ninth grade at schools in Regensburg in 2009-2011 and surveyed five times over about 10 years. In waves 3 to 5, 1,608 individuals participated at least once.

Results: The prevalence of risky TLN decreased from 72.5% (median age 20) to 38.5% (median age 26). A decrease was also observed for visiting discotheques while exposure to PLD use remained relatively constant. Marriage/cohabiting and parenthood significantly reduced the prevalence of risky TLN and discotheques visits while only marriage/cohabiting reduced the prevalence of risky PLD use.

Conclusions: Young adults are particularly at risk to leisure noise exposure. The later major life events occur, the longer they expose themselves to risky leisure noise. Therefore, prevention is of utmost importance.

Objective: Exploring applications of automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech technologies in hearing assessment and evaluations of hearing aids.

Design: Review protocol was registered at the INPLASY database and was performed following the PRISMA scoping review guidelines. A search in ten databases was conducted in January 2023 and updated in June 2024.

Study sample: Studies that used automatic speech recognition or text-to-speech to assess measures of hearing ability (e.g. speech reception threshold), or to configure hearing aids were retrieved. Of the 2942 records found, 28 met the inclusion criteria.

Results: The results indicated that text-to-speech could effectively replace recorded stimuli in speech intelligibility tests, requiring less effort for experimenters, without negatively impacting outcomes (n = 5). Automatic speech recognition captured verbal responses accurately, allowing for reliable speech reception threshold measurements without human supervision (n = 7). Moreover, automatic speech recognition was employed to simulate participants' hearing, with high correlations between simulated and empirical data (n = 14). Finally, automatic speech recognition was used to optimise hearing aid configurations, leading to higher speech intelligibility for wearers compared to the original configuration (n = 3).

Conclusions: There is the potential for automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech systems to enhance accessibility of, and efficiency in, hearing assessments, offering unsupervised testing options, and facilitating hearing aid personalisation.