Gap Detection Thresholds Research Articles

Explaining the deterioration of the relative timing accuracy for across-channel by a simple mathematical model

The perceptual simultaneity range, within which two asynchronous pure tones are perceived to start simultaneously, and the gap detection threshold are known to be wide when the frequency separation of the tones is large. It is generally said that the accuracy of the relative timing for different frequency channels deteriorates. However, there is no clear explanation of why such deteriorations are necessary. This study aimed to show that a simple mathematical model leads to the deterioration of relative timing accuracy for two tones with different frequencies. As a result of the calculations, the model simulated the deterioration of the perceptual simultaneity range not only with the increase of the frequency separation but also with the decrease of the frequency region of two tones. The model also simulated the behavior of the gap detection threshold for two different frequencies (across-channel) with its asymmetric deterioration. Further, the model simulated the behavior of the gap detection threshold for two identical frequencies (within-channel). These results suggest that one simple mathematical model may explain the mechanisms underlying perceptual simultaneity, within-channel gap detection, and between-channel gap detection for two tones.

Effect of Combining Sound Therapy with Pharmacotherapy on the Recovery of Hearing Abilities in the Case of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Prospective Study.

This study investigated the effect of sound therapy combined with drug therapy (SDT) on gap detection threshold and speech recognition scores in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Patients with SSNHL were grouped randomly into SDT and drug therapy (DT) groups. All patients received standard drug treatment and patients in the SDT group additionally received sound stimulation for the affected ears for 6days. Pure tone audiogram, speech recognition scores at normal and time-compressed rates under quiet and noisy conditions, and the gap detection threshold of the SDT and DT groups before treatment and on day6 and 30 after treatment were compared. There were 20 patients in the SDT group and 24 in the DT group. The pure tone thresholds of affected ears were significantly lower in the SDT group on day6 after treatment than those in the DT group at 125 and 250Hz. Significantly lower gap detection thresholds and higher speech recognition scores under noisy conditions were observed at the normal and time-compressed rates in the SDT group than those in the DT group on day6 and 30 after treatment. Significant correlations were observed between the gap thresholds and speech recognition scores in a noisy environment at normal and time-compressed rates on day6 and 30. SDT may improve the recovery of hearing abilities, such as the gap in noise thresholds and speech recognition in noise, in the case of SSNHL. ChiCTR-IOR-17012262.

Cosmic Reionization on Computers: Physical Origin of Long Dark Gaps in Quasar Absorption Spectra

I explore the properties of “dark gaps”—regions in quasar absorption spectra without significant transmission—with several simulations from the Cosmic Reionization On Computers (CROC) project. The CROC simulations in the largest available boxes (120 cMpc) come close to matching both the distribution of mean opacities and the frequency of dark gaps, but alas not in the same model: the run that matches the mean opacities fails to contain enough dark gaps and vice versa. Nevertheless, the run that matches the dark gap distributions serves as a counterexample to claims in the literature that the dark gap statistics requires a late end to reionization—in that run reionization ends at z = 6.7 (likely too early). While multiple factors contribute to the frequency of large dark gaps in the simulations, the primary factor that controls the overall shape of the dark gap distribution is the ionization level in voids—the lowest-density regions produce the highest transmission spikes that terminate long gaps. As the result, the dark gap distribution correlates strongly with the fraction of the spectrum above the gap detection threshold and the observed distribution is matched by the simulation in which this fraction is 2%. Hence, the gap distribution by itself does not constrain the timing of reionization, although it may do so in combination with the distribution of mean opacities.

Effect of Occupational Noise Exposure on Cognition and Suprathreshold Auditory Skills in Normal-Hearing Individuals.

Adverse effects of noise exposure on hearing and cognition are well documented in the literature. Recently, it has becoming increasingly evident that noise exposure deteriorates suprathreshold auditory skills, even though the hearing sensitivity is intact. This condition is termed as cochlear synaptopathy or hidden hearing loss, which is apparent in animal models. However, equivocal findings are reported in humans. This study aimed at assessing the working memory, attention abilities, and suprathreshold hearing abilities in normal-hearing individuals with and without occupational noise exposure. We also explored the relationship between cognitive measures and suprathreshold auditory measures. The study participants were divided into two groups. All the participants had normal-hearing thresholds. The control group consisted of 25 individuals with no occupational noise exposure, whereas the noise exposure group had 25 individuals exposed to occupational noise of 85 dBA for a minimum period of 1 year. Working memory was assessed using auditory digit span (forward and backward), operation span, and reading span. The Erikson flanker test was used to evaluate attention abilities. The suprathreshold hearing was assessed in terms of gap detection thresholds and sentence identification in noise. The results showed that the noise exposure group performed poorly compared to the control group on all auditory and cognitive tasks except the reading span. The results of the study suggest that occupational noise exposure may hamper the cognitive skills and suprathreshold hearing abilities of the individual despite having normal peripheral hearing.

Deep band modulation, frequency discrimination, temporal resolution and audibility effects: phrase perception with and without hearing impairment among older adults

Objective The temporal envelope enhancement using deep band modulation (DBM) exaggerates the temporal peaks and valleys in the speech signal, thereby reducing the difficulty in the perception of speech in noise. Method Ten participants in each group of older adults with and without hearing loss in 65 to 83 years were recruited. A repeated measures research design was utilised to investigate phrase perception in unprocessed and deep band modulated phrases at different signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios (−4, 0, and +4). Temporal processing, spectral discrimination and speech intelligibility index were assessed. Results Regardless of the group, the phrase perception in the deep band modulated condition was significantly better than the unprocessed condition at each SNR. A significantly strong negative correlation was observed between: Gap detection threshold (GDT) and phrase perception scores in unprocessed condition at −4 dB SNR in each group; frequency difference limen in each condition and DBM phrase perception at −4 dB SNR in the older adult group with hearing impaired (OAG-HI) group. Furthermore, audibility reflected in the speech intelligibility index (SII) did not influence phrase recognition irrespective of condition, SNRs and group. Conclusion Increased modulation depth enables the participants to use the available temporal envelope, especially at the portion of the phrase where noise is less energetically masked.

Musical Training and Its Association With Age-Related Changes in Binaural, Temporal, and Spatial Processing.

This article aimed to assess the relationship between musical training and age-related changes in binaural, temporal, and spatial processing abilities. A standard group comparison study was conducted involving both musicians and nonmusicians. The effect of musical training was assessed using a battery of psychoacoustical tests (interaural time and level difference thresholds: ITD & ILD, binaural gap detection threshold, and virtual auditory space identification test) and subjective ratings (Spatial-Hearing subsection of Speech, Spatial, and Quality of Hearing scale in Kannada). A total of 60 participants, between 41 and 70 years, were divided into three groups of 20 each, based on their age (41-50, 51-60, and 61-70 years). Each of these three groups was subdivided into two, one comprising 10 musicians (vocalists practicing South-Indian classical music) and the other comprising 10 nonmusicians. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed that musicians performed significantly better (p < .001) than nonmusicians in all the tests. Analyses of variance showed that whereas age had no effect (p > .05) on performance in any of the tests in musicians, age affected the performance of nonmusicians significantly in terms of ITD (p = .02) and ILD (p = .01) thresholds. Musical training appears to have the potential to slow down age-related decline in binaural, temporal, and spatial processing.

Assessment of outcome measures after audiological computer-based auditory training in cochlear implant children

ObjectiveTo validate the clinical use of acoustic change complex (ACC) as an objective outcome measure of auditory training in Egyptian cochlear implant (CI) children and explore how far electrophysiological measures could be correlated to behavioral measures in assessing training outcome. Also to explore the efficacy of computer-based auditory training programs (CBATP) in the rehabilitation process of CI children. MethodsSixty Arabic speaking children participated in the present study. Forty children using monaural CI device served as study group (20 children in subgroup A and 20 children in subgroup B). Both subgroups received traditional speech therapy sessions, additionally subgroup (A) children received computer-based auditory training program (CBATP) at home for three months. Their age ranged from 8 to 17 years. 20 age and sex-matched normal hearing children served as control group as a standardization for the stimuli used to elicit ACC. The study group children were subjected to detailed history taking, parent reported questionnaire (MAIS, Arabic version), aided sound field evaluation, psychophysical evaluation using auditory fusion test (AFT), speech perception testing according to language age, ACC in response to gaps in 1000 Hz tones and language evaluation. This work-up was repeated after 3&6 months for both study subgroups. ResultsChildren of study subgroup (A) showed improvement of auditory fusion test (AFT) thresholds at 3 & 6 months post-training follow up. As regards acoustic change complex (ACC), it can be detected in 85% of subgroup (A) children, 85% of subgroup (B) children and 100% of control group children. Lower ACC gap detection thresholds were obtained only after 3 months in subgroup (A), while after 6 months in subgroup (B). There were statistically significant differences between initial assessment and 3 & 6 months follow up as regards ACC P1 and N2 latencies and amplitudes in both study subgroups, however in subgroup (A), ACC P1 amplitude at 6 months post-training was significantly larger than values of 3 months follow up. There was highly significant correlation between thresholds of AFT and ACC gap detection threshold. ConclusionsACC can be used as a reliable tool for evaluating auditory training outcome in CI children. ACC gap detection threshold can predict psychophysical temporal resolution after auditory training in difficult to test population. CBATP is an easy and accessible method which may be effective in improving CI outcome.

A temporal-based therapy for children with inconsistent phonological disorder: A case-series

ABSTRACT Deficits in temporal auditory processing, and in particular higher gap detection thresholds have been reported in children with inconsistent phonological disorder (IPD). Here we hypothesized that providing these children with extra time for phoneme identification may in turn enhance their phonological planning abilities for production, and accordingly improve not only consistency but also accuracy of their speech. We designed and tested a new temporal-based therapy, inspired by Core Vocabulary Therapy and called it T-CVT, where we digitally lengthened formant transitions between phonemes of words used for therapy. This allowed to target both temporal auditory processing and word phonological planning. Four preschool Persian native children with IPD received T-CVT for eight weeks. We measured changes in speech consistency (% inconsistency) and accuracy (percentage of consonants correct PCC) to assess the effects of the intervention. Therapy significantly improved both consistency and accuracy of word production in the four children: % inconsistency decreased from 59% on average before therapy to 2% post-T-CVT, and PCC increased from 61% to 92% on average. Consistency and accuracy were furthermore maintained or even still improved at three-month follow-up (2% inconsistency and 99% PCC). Results in a nonword repetition task showed the generalization of these effects to non-treated material: % inconsistency for nonwords decreased from 67% to 10% post-therapy, and PCC increased from 63% to 90%. These preliminary findings support the efficacy of the T-CVT intervention for children with IPD who show temporal auditory processing deficits as reflected by higher gap detection thresholds.

Relationship Between the Ability to Detect Frequency Changes or Temporal Gaps and Speech Perception Performance in Post-lingual Cochlear Implant Users.

Previous studies, using modulation stimuli, on the relative effects of frequency resolution and time resolution on CI users’ speech perception failed to reach a consistent conclusion. In this study, frequency change detection and temporal gap detection were used to investigate the frequency resolution and time resolution of CI users, respectively. Psychophysical and neurophysiological methods were used to simultaneously investigate the effects of frequency and time resolution on speech perception in post-lingual cochlear implant (CI) users. We investigated the effects of psychophysical results [frequency change detection threshold (FCDT), gap detection threshold (GDT)], and acoustic change complex (ACC) responses (evoked threshold, latency, or amplitude of ACC induced by frequency change or temporal gap) on speech perception [recognition rate of monosyllabic words, disyllabic words, sentences in quiet, and sentence recognition threshold (SRT) in noise]. Thirty-one adult post-lingual CI users of Mandarin Chinese were enrolled in the study. The stimuli used to induce ACCs to frequency changes were 800-ms pure tones (fundamental frequency was 1,000 Hz); the frequency change occurred at the midpoint of the tones, with six percentages of frequency changes (0, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50%). Temporal silences with different durations (0, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 ms) were inserted in the middle of the 800-ms white noise to induce ACCs evoked by temporal gaps. The FCDT and GDT were obtained by two 2-alternative forced-choice procedures. The results showed no significant correlation between the CI hearing threshold and speech perception in the study participants. In the multiple regression analysis of the influence of simultaneous psychophysical measures and ACC responses on speech perception, GDT significantly predicted every speech perception index, and the ACC amplitude evoked by the temporal gap significantly predicted the recognition of disyllabic words in quiet and SRT in noise. We conclude that when the ability to detect frequency changes and the temporal gap is considered simultaneously, the ability to detect frequency changes may have no significant effect on speech perception, but the ability to detect temporal gaps could significantly predict speech perception.

PORÓWNANIE RÓŻNYCH POMIARÓW PSYCHOAKUSTYCZNYCH Z ZASTOSOWANIEM DWÓCH PROGRAMÓW: PSYCON I METODY NAJWIĘKSZEJ WIARYGODNOŚCI W MATLAB

BackgroundPsychoacoustic abilities play a crucial role in speech perception. Psycon and Matlab’s maximum likelihood procedure (MLP) are two commonly used pieces of software to assess psychoacoustic ability. The present work compares a number of psychoacoustic abilities based on Psycon and MLP.Material and methodsThere were 39 participants with normal hearing sensitivity who were enrolled in this study. The psychoacoustic measures assessed were gap detection threshold (GDT), duration discrimination threshold (DDT), difference limen of intensity (DLI), and difference limen of frequency (DLF). These measures were done using both Psycon and MLP, and a comparison was made between the two. An attempt was made to keep the stimuli specifications similar in Psycon and MLP except for the duration of stimuli in GDT.ResultsA Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine the significance of differences between MLP and Psycon. The results showed no significant difference in DLI, DLF, and DDT between MLP and Psycon; however, a significant difference was found in GDT.ConclusionsIt can be concluded that the results of DLI, DLF, and DDT can be generalized between Psycon and MLP. However, further research with a larger sample would strengthen the current study’s findings.

Software Application toward Accessible Hearing Care Assessment: Gap in Noise Test.

Currently, several methods are being applied to assess auditory temporal resolution in a controlled clinical environment via the measurements of gap detection thresholds (GDTs). However, these methods face two issues: the relatively long time required to perform the gap detection test in such settings and the potential of inaccessibility to such facilities. This article proposes a fast, affordable, and reliable application-based method for the determination of GDT either inside or outside the soundproof booth. The proposed test and the acoustic stimuli were both developed using the MATLAB® programming platform. GDT is determined when the subject is able to distinguish the shortest silent gap inserted randomly in one of two segments of white noise. GDTs were obtained from 42 normal-hearing subjects inside and outside the soundproof booth. The results of this study indicated that average GDTs measured inside the booth (5.12 ± 1.02 ms) and outside (4.78 ± 1.16 ms) were not significantly different. The measured GDTs were also comparable to that reported in the literature. In addition, the GDT screening time of the proposed method was approximately 5 minutes, a screening time that is much less than that reported by the literature. Data show that the proposed application was fast and reliable to screen GDT compared to the standard method currently used in clinical settings.

Evaluation of temporal processing skills in individuals with normal hearing

Objective: In a cumulative perspective, the aim of this study is to perform Frequency Pattern Test (FPT), Duration Pattern Test (DPT) and Gap In Noise (GIN) Test in order to determine descriptive values of these tests to evaluate central auditory processing on the individuals’ with normal hearing. Material and Methods: A total of 52 participants, as of 28 women and 24 men, with normal hearing, within the age range of 20 to 55 were included in the study. Otoscopic examination, pure tone audiometry and FPT, DPT GIN Test which are central auditory processing tests, were performed on the participants who meet the criteria of the study and voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. Results: Descriptive values were obtained as an average of 78% in FPT, 92.11% in DPT, an average of 61.22% in GIN Test and an average of 6.34 ms in Gap Detection Threshold Conclusions: It is thought that the obtained descriptive values will contribute to the clinics and the literature. Keywords: Auditory temporal tests, central auditory processing, duration pattern test, frequency pattern test, gap in noise test

Effect of gap detection threshold and localisation acuity on spatial release from masking in older adults*

Objective The primary objective of this experiment was to measure the temporal and spatial processing capabilities of older individuals and use statistical models to identify the individual contributions of these temporal and spatial processing capabilities to spatial release from masking (SRM). Design Repeated measures Study sample Twenty-five older listeners with varying degrees of hearing loss participated in this experiment. SRM using the coordinate response measure, gap detection thresholds and localisation acuity for 1/3-octave-wide Gaussian noise bands centred at 500 and 4000 Hz were measured for all the listeners. Results Older listeners had better speech recognition thresholds when target and maskers were spatially separated as compared to when they were co-located. In addition, hearing loss and localisation acuity at 500 Hz were significant predictors in a multiple regression model predicting SRM. However, gap detection thresholds did not significantly contribute to the multiple regression model predicting SRM. Conclusion Based on our data, we conclude that SRM at 30° spatial separation between the target and symmetric maskers is driven by the ability of the individuals to use interaural time difference cues.

Relationship Between Peripheral and Central Auditory Abilities and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Adolescent Girls.

This study evaluated the peripheral hearing and central auditory processing abilities in Indian adolescent girls with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). The participants consisted of 75 adolescent girls with IDA, 50 adolescent girls without IDA, and 50 adolescent boys without IDA. Participants underwent a test battery to evaluate auditory processing and peripheral hearing assessment. In this study, central auditory processing abilities were assessed using Speech Perception in Noise test in Kannada (SPIN-K) and quick speech perception in noise tests in Kannada, dichotic consonant-vowel test, gap detection threshold (GDT), and auditory digit sequencing and auditory digit span tests. Results showed that the hearing thresholds at extremely low and high frequencies (250 and 8000 Hz), although within clinically normal limits, were poorer in girls with IDA than in the control groups. Also, girls with IDA performed poorly in SPIN-K of the right ear, GDT, and auditory backward digit span tests. These subtle auditory deficiencies may be attributed to the compromised blood supply to the central auditory nervous system, as observed in the current study.

Analysis of Early Biomarkers Associated With Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Shipyard Workers

It is important to determine what frequencies and auditory perceptual measures are the most sensitive early indicators of noise-induced hearing impairment. To examine whether hearing loss among shipyard workers increases more rapidly at extended high frequencies than at clinical frequencies and whether subtle auditory processing deficits are present in those with extensive noise exposure but little or no hearing loss. This cross-sectional study collected audiometric data (0.25-16 kHz), survey questionnaires, and noise exposure levels from 7890 shipyard workers in a Shanghai shipyard from 2015 to 2019. Worsening hearing loss was evaluated in the group with hearing loss. Speech processing and temporal processing were evaluated in 610 participants with noise exposure and clinically normal hearing to identify early biomarkers of noise-induced hearing impairment. Data analysis was conducted from November to December 2020. Linear regression was performed to model the increase in hearing loss as function of cumulative noise exposure and compared with a group who were monitored longitudinally for 4 years. Auditory processing tests included speech-in-noise tests, competing sentence tests, dichotic listening tests, and gap detection threshold tests and were compared with a control group without history of noise exposure. Of the 5539 participants (median [interquartile range (IQR)] age, 41.0 [34.0-47.0] years; 3861 [86.6%] men) included in the cross-sectional analysis, 4459 (80.5%) were hearing loss positive and 1080 (19.5%) were hearing loss negative. In younger participants (ie, ≤40 years), the maximum rate of increase in hearing loss was 0.40 (95% CI, 0.39-0.42) dB per A-weighted dB-year (dB/dBA-year) at 12.5 kHz, higher than the growth rates of 0.36 (95% CI, 0.35-0.36) dB/dBA-year at 4 kHz, 0.32 (95% CI, 0.31-0.33) dB/dBA-year at 10 kHz, 0.31 (95% CI, 0.30-0.31) dB/dBA-year at 6 kHz, 0.27 (95% CI, 0.26-0.27) dB/dBA-year at 3 kHz, and 0.27 (95% CI, 0.27-0.28) dB/dBA-year at 8 kHz. In the 4-year longitudinal analysis of hearing loss among 403 participants, the mean (SD) annual deterioration in hearing was 2.70 (2.98) dB/y at 12.5 kHz, almost twice as that observed at lower frequencies (eg, at 3kHz: 1.18 [2.15] dB/y). The auditory processing scores of participants with clinically normal hearing and a history of noise exposure were significantly lower than those of control participants (eg, median [IQR] score on speech-in-noise test, noise-exposed group 1 vs control group: 0.63 [0.55-0.66] vs 0.78 [0.76-0.80]; P < .001). These findings suggest that the increase in hearing loss among shipyard workers was more rapid at 12.5 kHz than at other frequencies; workers with clinically normal hearing but high cumulative noise exposure are likely to exhibit deficits in speech and temporal processing.

The search for correlates of age-related cochlear synaptopathy: Measures of temporal envelope processing and spatial release from speech-on-speech masking

Older adults often experience difficulties understanding speech in adverse listening conditions. It has been suggested that for listeners with normal and near-normal audiograms, these difficulties may, at least in part, arise from age-related cochlear synaptopathy. The aim of this study was to assess if performance on auditory tasks relying on temporal envelope processing reveal age-related deficits consistent with those expected from cochlear synaptopathy. Listeners aged 20 to 66 years were tested using a series of psychophysical, electrophysiological, and speech-perception measures using stimulus configurations that promote coding by medium- and low-spontaneous-rate auditory-nerve fibers. Cognitive measures of executive function were obtained to control for age-related cognitive decline. Results from the different tests were not significantly correlated with each other despite a presumed reliance on common mechanisms involved in temporal envelope processing. Only gap-detection thresholds for a tone in noise and spatial release from speech-on-speech masking were significantly correlated with age. Increasing age was related to impaired cognitive executive function. Multivariate regression analyses showed that individual differences in hearing sensitivity, envelope-based measures, and scores from nonauditory cognitive tests did not significantly contribute to the variability in spatial release from speech-on-speech masking for small target/masker spatial separation, while age was a significant contributor.

Auditory processing in normally hearing individuals with and without tinnitus: assessment with four psychoacoustic tests

PurposeIn most cases, tinnitus co-exists with hearing loss, suggesting that poorer speech understanding is simply due to a lack of acoustic information reaching the central nervous system (CNS). However, it also happens that patients with tinnitus who have normal hearing also report problems with speech understanding, and it is possible to suppose that tinnitus is to blame for difficulties in perceptual processing of auditory information. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the auditory processing abilities of normally hearing subjects with and without tinnitus.MethodsThe study group comprised 97 adults, 54 of whom had normal hearing and chronic tinnitus (the study group) and 43 who had normal hearing and no tinnitus (the control group). The audiological assessment comprised pure-tone audiometry and high-frequency pure-tone audiometry, impedance audiometry, and distortion product oto-acoustic emission assessment. To evaluate possible auditory processing deficits, the Frequency Pattern Test (FPT), Duration Pattern Test (DPT), Dichotic Listening Test (DLT), and Gap Detection Threshold (GDT) tests were performed.ResultsThe tinnitus subjects had significantly lower scores than the controls in the gap detection test (p < 0.01) and in the dichotic listening test (p < 0.001), but only for the right ear. The results for both groups were similar in the temporal ordering tests (FPT and DPT). Right-ear advantage (REA) was found for the controls, but not for the tinnitus subjects.ConclusionIn normally hearing patients, the presence of tinnitus may be accompanied with auditory processing difficulties.

Temporal processing, spectral processing, and speech perception in noise abilities among individuals with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis

Background In the literature, the effect of chronic kidney disease on the peripheral auditory system has been well documented. But studies investigating the effect of chronic kidney disease on speech perception and auditory processing abilities are limited. Aims/objectives The present study investigated the effect of chronic kidney disease on different auditory processing tasks and speech perception in noise among adults. Material and methods A total of 28 adults participated in the study. Group 1 included 14 individuals with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis, and Group 2 included 14 individuals with no known kidney complications. Amplitude modulation detection threshold, gap detection threshold, spectral ripple discrimination threshold, and speech recognition threshold in noise were measured. Independent samples t-test was carried out to investigate whether mean thresholds are significantly different between groups. Results Results showed poorer gap detection threshold, amplitude modulation detection threshold, spectral ripple discrimination threshold, and speech recognition threshold in noise among individuals with chronic kidney disease compared to individuals with no known kidney complications. Conclusions The present study showed poorer auditory processing and speech perception abilities in individuals with chronic kidney disease.

Factors Underlying Individual Differences in Speech-Recognition Threshold (SRT) in Noise Among Older Adults.

Many older adults have difficulty understanding speech in noisy backgrounds. In this study, we examined peripheral auditory, higher-level auditory, and cognitive factors that may contribute to such difficulties. A convenience sample of 137 volunteer older adults, 90 women, and 47 men, ranging in age from 47 to 94 years (M = 69.2 and SD = 10.1 years) completed a large battery of tests. Auditory tests included measures of pure-tone threshold, clinical and psychophysical, as well as two measures of gap-detection threshold and four measures of temporal-order identification. The latter included two monaural and two dichotic listening conditions. In addition, cognition was assessed using the complete Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-3rd Edition (WAIS-III). Two monaural measures of speech-recognition threshold (SRT) in noise, the QuickSIN, and the WIN, were obtained from each ear at relatively high presentation levels of 93 or 103 dB SPL to minimize audibility concerns. Group data, both aggregate and by age decade, were evaluated initially to allow comparison to data in the literature. Next, following the application of principal-components factor analysis for data reduction, individual differences in speech-recognition-in-noise performance were examined using multiple-linear-regression analyses. Excellent fits were obtained, accounting for 60–77% of the total variance, with most accounted for by the audibility of the speech and noise stimuli and the severity of hearing loss with the balance primarily associated with cognitive function.

Investigating the Role of Auditory Processing Abilities in Long-Term Self-Reported Hearing Aid Outcomes among Adults Age 60+ Years.

Self-reported hearing aid outcomes among older adults are variable and important to improve. The extent of the role of auditory processing in long-term hearing aid outcomes is not well understood. To determine how auditory processing abilities are related to self-reported hearing aid satisfaction and benefit along with either aided audibility alone or exploratory factors suggested by previous literature. Descriptive analyses and multiple regression analyses of cross-sectional self-reported outcomes. Adult participants, >60 years (n = 78), fitted with bilateral hearing aids to treat symmetric, mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Participants were recruited from a single audiology clinic to complete a series of questionnaires, behavioral assessments, and obtain data from their hearing aids, including real ear measures and data logging of hearing aid use. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the amount of variance explained by predictive factors in self-reported hearing aid satisfaction and benefit. The primary predictive factors included gap detection threshold, spatial advantage score, dichotic difference score, and aided audibility. Exploratory factors included personality, self-efficacy, self-report of disability, and hearing aid use. All interpretations of statistical significance used p < 0.05. Effect sizes were determined using Cohen's f 2 with a medium effect suggesting clinical relevance. Gap detection threshold was a statistically significant predictor in both primary regression models with a medium effect size for satisfaction and a small effect size for benefit. When additional exploratory factors were included in the regression models with auditory processing abilities, gap detection and self-efficacy were both significant predictors of hearing aid satisfaction with medium effect sizes, explaining 10 and 17% of the variance, respectively. There were no medium effect sizes found for other predictor variables in either the primary or exploratory hearing aid benefit models. Additional factors were statistically significant in the models, explaining a small amount of variance, but did not meet the medium effect size criterion. This study provides initial evidence supporting the incorporation of measures of gap detection ability and hearing aid self-efficacy into clinical practice for the interpretation of postfitting long-term hearing aid satisfaction.