Hearing Aids and the Brain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Hearing aids are being fit on inexperienced hearing aid users and the short-term and long-term effects are measured. This research aims to improve understanding of the individual factors that contribute to receiving benefit from hearing aids and lead to more individualized treatment of hearing loss.

Detailed Description
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Hearing aids are used to improve audibility for patients with hearing loss and improve speech perception. In addition to these immediate benefits, amplification has the potential to have long-term effects on higher level auditory processing abilities, such as cognition or other abilities required for complex listening tasks. These long-term acclimatization effects are not well understood and merit further behavioral and physiological examination. Hearing aids will be fit on inexperienced hearing aid users and outcome measures will be used to determine immediate and long-term effects of hearing aids. This research may provide a more detailed view of individual differences that contribute to receiving benefit from a hearing aid and may lead to more individualized treatment of hearing loss.

Official Title
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Hearing Aids and the Brain

Conditions
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Hearing Loss

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: hearing aids


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 50 years of age or older Bilateral, mild to moderately severe hearing loss Inexperienced hearing aid users Exclusion Criteria: Subject deciding that they do not wish to wear hearing aids as necessitated per study protocol Audiometric thresholds that suggest research stimuli would not be audible Conductive hearing loss and/or other significant ear or hearing problems Non-native English speakers Conditions or circumstances that would preclude a participant from wearing hearing aids consistently or finishing the study An inability to perform or complete the experimental tasks

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 50 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Hearing aids<br>All study participants will be fit with hearing aids. | Device: hearing aids<br>* Subjects are fit with hearing aids.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Evoked potential latency | Latency will be measured in milliseconds | Approximately 1 year | 
| Evoked potential amplitude | Amplitude will be measured in microvolts | Approximately 1 year | 
| Frequency following response magnitude | Magnitude of response measured in nanovolts | Approximately 1 year | 
| Frequency following response timing | Timing measured by cross-correlation between stimulus and response | Approximately 1 year | 
| Ongoing electroencephalography power | EEG power as a function of frequency recorded during words-in-noise measure | Approximately 1 year | 
| Montreal Cognitive Assessment score | Assessment score from 1 to 30 | Approximately 1 year | 
| Reading Span | Percent correct recall on working memory task | Approximately 1 year | 
| Hearing aid usage | Data logging from the hearing aid will provide usage in hours per day | Approximately 1 year | 
| Word-in-noise perception testing | Signal-to-noise ratio at which participant correctly understands 50% of speech in noise using WIN test | Approximately 1 year | 
| Listening invested/required effort | Participants' rating of the effort required (0-9) and invested (0-9) for listening task | Approximately 1 year | 
| Working memory testing | Performance on auditory working memory task | Approximately 1 year | 
| Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile (GHABP) | Participants rating on five-point scale their perceived initial (i.e., unaided) hearing disability, initial handicap, aided benefit, aided handicap, HA use and HA satisfaction in four listening situations | Approximately 1 year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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auditory perception, hearing