Speech Perception In Noise Test Research Articles

Auditory and vestibular function in mitochondrial patients harbouring the m.3243A>G variant.

Hearing impairment is a frequent clinical feature in patients with mitochondrial disease harbouring the pathogenic variant, m.3243A>G. However, auditory neural dysfunction, its perceptual consequences and implications for patient management are not established. Similarly, the association with vestibular impairment has not yet been explored. This case-control study investigated in 12 adults with genetically confirmed m.3243A>G adults [9 females; 45.5 ± 16.3 years (range 18-66); 47.1 ± 21.5 hearing level, dB] compared with 12 age, sex and hearing level-matched controls with sensory (cochlear level) hearing loss [9 females; 46.6 ± 11.8 years (range 23-59); 47.7 ± 25.4 hearing level, dB]. Participants underwent a battery of electroacoustic, electrophysiologic and perceptual tests, which included pure tone audiometry, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem responses, auditory temporal processing measures, monaural/binaural speech perception, balance and vestibular testing and self-reported questionnaires (dizziness and hearing disability). Our findings showed evidence of auditory neural abnormality and perceptual deficits greater than expected for cochlear pathology. Compared with matched controls with sensory hearing loss, adults with mitochondrial disease harbouring m.3243A>G had abnormal electrophysiologic responses from the VIII nerve and auditory brainstem (P = 0.005), an impaired capacity to encode rapidly occurring acoustic signal changes (P = 0.005), a reduced ability to localize sound sources (P = 0.028) and impaired speech perception in background noise (P = 0.008). Additionally, vestibular dysfunction (P = 0.011), greater perceived dizziness (P = 0.001) and reduced stance time (balance, P = 0.009) were also seen in participants with m.3243A>G mitochondrial disease when compared with matched counterparts. This pilot study revealed that auditory evaluation including evoked potential responses from the auditory nerve/brainstem and speech perception in noise tests should form an important part of the management for individuals with m.3243A>G-related mitochondrial disease. Those presenting with hearing impairment and symptoms concerning balance and dizziness should undergo vestibular testing and appropriate management.

Auditory processing abilities of children with congenital blindness

BackgroundChildren with visual challenges rely on their hearing ability to accomplish daily tasks more efficiently. Many investigations show changes in the auditory pathway in children and adults with early blindness. It can be hypothesized that the auditory processing abilities of children with congenital blindness will be superior to those of typically developing children without any visual challenges. PurposeThe current study was designed to compare some of the auditory processing abilities of children with congenital blindness and typically developing children who do not have any visual challenges. Specifically, the study compared the perception of speech in noise, temporal patterning ability, binaural integration ability as well as auditory memory and sequencing abilities of children in two groups. Research designIt was a prospective cross-sectional study comparing two groups. Study sampleA total of 160 children, 80 typically developing children without any visual challenges (reference group) and 80 children with congenital blindness, in the age range of 7–11 years, participated in the study. Data collection and analysisPitch pattern test (PPT), perception of speech perception in noise test in Marathi (PSIN-M), dichotic digit test in Marathi (DDT-M), and auditory memory and sequencing test in Marathi (AMST-M) were administered. Independent sample T test and Mann Whitney U test were used to compare the performance of the two groups on these tests. ResultsChildren with congenital blindness showed significantly better scores on PPT, PSIN-M, and DDT-M as compared to children in the reference group in all the age groups. A clear trend was not observed on DDT-M. ConclusionIt can be concluded that children with congenital blindness have better auditory processing, auditory memory, and sequencing abilities compared to typically developing children without any visual challenges.

Tracking age-related changes in voice and speech production with Landmark-based analysis of speech.

Voice and speech production change with age, which can lead to potential communication challenges. This study explored the use of Landmark-based analysis of speech (LMBAS), a knowledge-based speech analysis algorithm based on Stevens' Landmark Theory, to describe age-related changes in adult speakers. The speech samples analyzed were sourced from the University of Florida Aging Voice Database, which included recordings of 16 sentences from the Speech Perception in Noise test of Bilger, Rzcezkowski, Nuetzel, and Rabinowitz [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 65, S98-S98 (1979)] and Bilger, Nuetzel, Rabinowitz, and Rzeczkowski [J. Speech. Lang. Hear. Res. 27, 32-84 (1984)]. These sentences were read in quiet environments by 50 young, 50 middle-aged, and 50 older American English speakers, with an equal distribution of sexes. Acoustic landmarks, specifically, glottal, bursts, and syllabicity landmarks, were extracted using SpeechMark®, MATLAB Toolbox version 1.1.2. The results showed significant age effect on glottal and burst landmarks. Furthermore, the sex effect was significant for burst and syllabicity landmarks. While the results of LMBAS suggest its potential in detecting age-related changes in speech, increase in syllabicity landmarks with age was unexpected. This finding may suggest the need for further refinement and adjustment of this analytical approach.

Development of Trisyllabic Word Recognition in Noise Test for Marathi-Speaking Children

Abstract Background Language and culture-specific speech perception tests help in the assessment of children's linguistic proficiency and comprehension. Recognizing difficulties in speech perception and implementing interventions in challenging auditory conditions are pivotal for their holistic development. Objective The aim of this study was to develop a speech perception in noise test in Marathi using trisyllabic words for children between the age ranges of 3 and 6 years. Method The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase comprised the development of trisyllabic word recognition in noise test in Marathi and the second phase comprised administration of the test on 90 typically developing normal hearing children aged 3 to 6 years. These children were divided into three groups (group A: >3–4 years; group B: >4–5 years; and group C: >5–6 years), with 30 participants in each group. Results As the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increases, children across different age range show an improvement in their speech perception scores. Also, young children require a more favorable SNR compared with older children to effectively comprehend speech in noisy conditions. Conclusion The Trisyllabic word recognition in noise test will help in optimizing classroom acoustics for typical developing and hearing-impaired children. An SNR-based evaluation can provide guidance regarding interventions, amplification decisions, and auditory training, ensuring effective education and communication for children with hearing impairment.

Integrated bimodal fitting and binaural streaming technology outcomes for unilateral cochlear implant users

Objective Adults typically receive only one cochlear implant (CI) due to cost constraints, with a contralateral hearing aid recommended when there is aidable hearing. Standard hearing aids differ from a CI in terms of processing strategy and function as a separate entity, requiring the user to integrate the disparate signals. Integrated bimodal technology has recently been introduced to address this challenge. The aim of the study was to investigate the performance of unilateral CI users with and without an integrated bimodal fitting and determine whether binaural streaming technology offers additional benefit. Study sample Twenty-six CI users using integrated bimodal technology. Design Repeated measures where outcomes and user experience were assessed using a functional test battery more representative of real life listening (speech perception in noise tests, localisation test, tracking test) and the speech, spatial and qualities-of-hearing scale (SSQ). Results Bimodal outcomes were significantly better than for CI alone. Speech perception in noise improvements ranged from 1.4 dB to 3.5 dB depending on the location of speech and noise. The localisation and tracking tests, and the SSQ also showed significant improvements. Binaural streaming offered additional improvement (1.2 dB to 6.1 dB on the different speech tests). Conclusions Integrated bimodal and binaural streaming technology improved the performance of unilateral CI users.

Changes in Listening Effort Through Pupil Response After Atresioplasty in Children With Congenital Aural Atresia.

This study aimed to determine whether the improvement of hearing by surgical treatment alleviates cognitive demands through pupil response in patients with unilateral congenital aural atresia (CAA). A prospective study was performed on patients with unilateral CAA who were scheduled to undergo primary atresioplasty between November 2017 and May 2020. Pure-tone audiometry, auditory digit span test, Korean Speech Perception in Noise test, pupil measurement during speech tests, and questionnaires (Sound-Spatial-Qualities of Hearing Scale; subjective listening effort rating) were performed before and 6 months after surgery. Of 30 consecutive patients who initially enrolled, only 18 patients (12 males and 6 females) were included in the analysis. When the improvement of the air-bone gap and interaural difference of air conduction within 30 dB was defined as a successful hearing outcome, successful hearing improvement was achieved in 50% of the 18 patients. In pupil measurement, the success group had a significantly smaller mean pupil dilation response than the nonsuccess group at 0 and -3 dB signal to noise ratio (SNR) (all p < 0.01). In addition, significant differences were identified between the two groups for peak dilation and peak latency at all noise levels (all p < 0.01). When analyzing the change in pupil response before and after surgery, the difference in relative mean pupil dilation in the success group was significantly greater than that in the nonsuccess group at -3 dB SNR ( p = 0.02). In addition, the success group showed a significantly greater change in peak latency than the nonsuccess group at the -3 dB SNR ( p < 0.01). The difference in peak dilation tended to be greater in the success group than in the nonsuccess group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Patients with unilateral CAA who achieved surgically improved hearing had a smaller pupil dilation response than those who did not. These results suggest that successful hearing outcomes after surgery in patients with unilateral CAA may reduce the cognitive effort required to understand speech under difficult listening conditions.

The right ear advantage – a perspective from speech perception in noise test

Objective So far, binaural summation for speech stimuli has been less evaluated in the literature, without the head shadow effect and spatial release from masking. Moreover, the right ear advantage has been shown mostly in the dichotic listening situation, but with conflicting results in the monaural/binaural listening condition. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate binaural hearing advantage utilizing only binaural summation without other factors and to evaluate the right ear advantage in the monaural listening situation. Methods Thirty-seven participants with normal hearing in the range of 0.125–20 kHz participated current study. Evaluation of speech perception in noise (SPIN) performances were conducted by Matrix test. Participants assessed in three different conditions including the right ear condition, the left ear condition and the binaural condition. Test order of the ears was counterbalanced and noises presented ipsilateral for monaural conditions. Results The lowest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values needed for understanding speech in noise were statistically significantly lower in binaural listening conditions compared to monaural listening conditions. In monaural listening conditions, the SNR value needed to understand speech in noise in the right ear was statistically significantly lower than in the left ear. Conclusion The results showed that the rehabilitation/habilitation of hearing-impairment patient should consider binaural amplification options to improve SPIN. In case of the symmetric hearing loss with the encountering compulsory situations which bring about the necessity to use only one ear, then right ear preference for amplification devices can provide better SPIN performance.

Central Auditory Processing Disorder in Patients with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

This study was conducted to comprehensively examine the central auditory processing (CAP) abilities of patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) as well as to compare the results with cognitively normal elderly controls. A total of 78 participants were screened through pure-tone audiometry and word recognition score in order to exclude peripheral auditory dysfunction. Forty-five people passed screening tests, and 33 people failed. Finally, 25 aMCI (mean age = 71.52 ± 4.8; male : female = 24 : 76) and 20 controls (mean age = 73.45 ± 4.32; male : female = 45 : 55) were enrolled in the study. Seven CAP tests (frequency pattern test, duration pattern test, Gap-In-Noise© test, dichotic digits test, low-pass filtered word test, speech perception in noise test, and binaural fusion test) were conducted only after the two groups passed the screening. A linear mixed model was applied to analyze CAP tests except for the binaural fusion test. For the binaural fusion test, the independent t-test was used to compare the means of test score between two groups. The aMCI group had a decrease in the mean score of the frequency pattern test, duration pattern test, Gaps-In-Noise© test, dichotic digits test, and speech perception in noise test compared with the control group. The aMCI group's CAP abilities were significantly lower than those of the control group. Thus, if the cognitive assessment and hearing evaluation are conducted in combination, the sensitivity of the diagnostic process for aMCI will be increased.

Listening Effort in Prelingual Cochlear Implant Recipients: Effects of Spectral and Temporal Auditory Processing and Contralateral Acoustic Hearing.

Considering the impact of listening effort (LE) on auditory perception, attention, and memory, it is a significant aspect in the daily hearing experiences of cochlear implant (CI) recipients. Reduced spectral and temporal information on an acoustic signal can make listening more difficult; as a result, it is important to understand the relationship between LE and spectral and temporal auditory processing capacities in CI receivers. This study used spectral ripple discrimination and temporal modulation transfer function to evaluate 20 prelingually deafened and early implanted CI recipients. The speech perception in noise test (primary) and the digit recall task (DRT-secondary) were used to assess LE using the dual-task paradigm. To assess the effects of acoustic hearing, contralateral acoustic hearing thresholds between 125 Hz and 8 kHz with a hearing aid were also acquired. To examine the relationship between the research variables, correlation coefficients were generated. Furthermore, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare unilateral and bimodal users. There was a statistically significant correlation between LE and spectral ripple discrimination (r = 0.56; p = 0.011), 125 Hz (r = 0.51; p = 0.020), 250 Hz (r = 0.48; p = 0.030), 500 Hz (r = 0.45; p = 0.045), 1,000 Hz (r = 0.51; p = 0.023), 2000 Hz (r = 0.48; p = 0.031), and 4,000 Hz (r = 0.48; p = 0.031), whereas no statistically significant correlations were observed between temporal modulation transfer function in four frequencies and LE. There was no statistically significant difference between unilateral and bimodal CI recipients ( p > 0.05). As a result of the improved signal-to-noise ratio in the auditory environment, CI users with better spectral resolutions and acoustic hearing have a reduced LE. On the other hand, temporal auditory processing, as measured by temporal modulation detection, does not contribute to the LE.

Relationship Between Central Auditory Processing Abilities and Working Memory During Adolescence.

Adolescence is a period of transformation in humans with changes in the neural physiology at subcortical and cortical levels. However, its significance on auditory processing skills and working memory skills and their association is yet to be well understood. Hence, the current study was designed to evaluate and establish the association between auditory processing skills and working memory abilities in adolescents. A total of 125 adolescents within the age range of 10 to 15years participated in the current study. All of them had normal hearing sensitivity and no associated obvious peripheral or central deficits. All the participants underwent auditory closure ability assessment using quick speech perception in noise test in Kannada, binaural integration ability assessment using dichotic CV test, and temporal processing assessment using gap detection test. Auditory working memory abilities were assessed using auditory digit span and digit sequencing. Spearman correlation was done to assess the correlation between auditory processing skills and working memory abilities. Results revealed a significant negative correlation between most of the central auditory processing abilities and all the working memory spans. Findings of the current study indicate that individuals with poor working memory abilities have difficulty in auditory processing abilities.

Longitudinal auditory data of children with prelingual single-sided deafness managed with early cochlear implantation

Individuals with single-sided deafness (SSD) have no access to binaural hearing, which limits their ability to localize sounds and understand speech in noisy environments. In addition, children with prelingual SSD are at risk for neurocognitive and academic difficulties. Early cochlear implantation may lead to improved hearing outcomes by restoring bilateral hearing. However, its longitudinal impact on the development of children with SSD remains unclear. In the current study, a group of young children with prelingual SSD received a cochlear implant at an early age. From the age of four, the children’s spatial hearing skills could be assessed using a spatial speech perception in noise test and a sound localization test. The results are compared to those of two control groups: children with SSD without a cochlear implant and children with bilateral normal hearing. Overall, the implanted group exhibited improved speech perception in noise abilities and better sound localization skills, compared to their non-implanted peers. On average, the children wore their device approximately nine hours a day. Given the large contribution of maturation to the development of spatial hearing skills, further follow-up is important to understand the long-term benefit of a cochlear implant for children with prelingual SSD.

THE ROLE OF SPEECH-IN-NOISE IN JAPANESE EFL LEARNERS’ LISTENING COMPREHENSION PROCESS AND THEIR USE OF CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ use of context information under various noise conditions. The participants were seven Japanese undergraduate students. A noise test adopted from the Speech-Perception-in-Noise (SPIN) test (Kalikow et al., 1977) was used. Four signal-tonoise ratio (SNR) conditions (SNR = 0, 5, 10, 15) and a condition without noise were added to the SPIN test. Data were collected using think-aloud protocol procedures. Some target words presented in the noise test were supported with contextual information, enabling learners to use top-down prediction, whereas others were not supported with contextual information, making it difficult for learners to predict the target words. The results showed that, first, learners used contextual information at all noise levels, but differently in high- and low-context sentences. Second, participants’ listening comprehension was greatly affected by background noise. The scores on the noise test and their confidence levels decreased as the level of noise increased. Third, the participants used contextual information successfully and most frequently when the SNR = 15. It was also found that the tolerance level for noise varied among participants. Implications for listening assessment and teaching are discussed.

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.

Reduced Semantic Context and Signal-to-Noise Ratio Increase Listening Effort As Measured Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Objectives: Understanding speech-in-noise can be highly effortful. Decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of speech increases listening effort, but it is relatively unclear if decreasing the level of semantic context does as well. The current study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to evaluate two primary hypotheses: (1) listening effort (operationalized as oxygenation of the left lateral PFC) increases as the SNR decreases and (2) listening effort increases as context decreases. Design: Twenty-eight younger adults with normal hearing completed the Revised Speech Perception in Noise Test, in which they listened to sentences and reported the final word. These sentences either had an easy SNR (+4 dB) or a hard SNR (−2 dB), and were either low in semantic context (e.g., “Tom could have thought about the sport”) or high in context (e.g., “She had to vacuum the rug”). PFC oxygenation was measured throughout using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Results: Accuracy on the Revised Speech Perception in Noise Test was worse when the SNR was hard than when it was easy, and worse for sentences low in semantic context than high in context. Similarly, oxygenation across the entire PFC (including the left lateral PFC) was greater when the SNR was hard, and left lateral PFC oxygenation was greater when context was low. Conclusions: These results suggest that activation of the left lateral PFC (interpreted here as reflecting listening effort) increases to compensate for acoustic and linguistic challenges. This may reflect the increased engagement of domain-general and domain-specific processes subserved by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (e.g., cognitive control) and inferior frontal gyrus (e.g., predicting the sensory consequences of articulatory gestures), respectively.

Improving speech perception in noise in young and older adults using transcranial magnetic stimulation

Normal aging is associated with speech perception in noise (SPiN) difficulties. The objective of this study was to determine if SPiN performance can be enhanced by intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) in young and older adults. MethodWe developed a sub-lexical SPiN test to evaluate the contribution of age, hearing, and cognition to SPiN performance in young and older adults. iTBS was applied to the left posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) and the left ventral premotor cortex (PMv) to examine its impact on SPiN performance. ResultsAging was associated with reduced SPiN accuracy. TMS-induced performance gain was greater after stimulation of the PMv compared to the pSTS. Participants with lower scores in the baseline condition improved the most. DiscussionSPiN difficulties can be reduced by enhancing activity within the left speech-processing network in adults. This study paves the way for the development of TMS-based interventions to reduce SPiN difficulties in adults.

Medial Olivocochlear Functioning and Speech Perception in Noise in Individuals with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Introduction The current study aimed to evaluate the olivocochlear bundle functioning and speech perception in the presence of noise in females with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Method Twenty participants in the age range of 18-25 years were included in the study. They were equally divided into two groups: group 1 included females diagnosed with PCOS, and group 2 included healthy adult male participants. Medial olivocochlear (MOC) functioning was evaluated using contralateral suppression of transient otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE). In addition, speech perception in noise was assessed using a quick speech perception in noise test in Malayalam. Results Results showed a significant difference for the TEOAE amplitude and signal to noise ratio (SNR) of TEOAEs in quiet and in the presence of contralateral noise and the speech perception in noise between the two groups. Also, no contralateral suppression was noted in the clinical group suggesting that MOC functioning is affected in individuals with PCOS. Conclusion It can be concluded that medial olivocochlear bundle functioning and speech perception in noise is affected in individuals with PCOS, which can be attributed to the abnormality in the hormonal status of PCOS.

Measuring Auditory Fitness in Locomotive Engineers: Development and Validation of a Signal Detection Test.

To perform their job safely and effectively, locomotive engineers are required to detect auditory warning signals in the noisy work setting of a train cabin. Based on audio recordings of Dutch train cabins, we have developed a task and job-specific test for assessing the engineer's ability to detect the two acoustic warning signals for the Dutch situation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability, agreement, and construct validity of this test. Two experiments were performed. In the first experiment, reliability and agreement of the signal detection test were assessed. Normally hearing individuals (N = 12) completed a signal detection test twice in 12 driving conditions. In the second experiment, construct validity was assessed. We retrospectively identified locomotive engineers, suspected of being hearing impaired, who were referred to the Amsterdam UMC for an auditory fitness for job assessment. All included engineers (N = 83) performed the signal detection test in four driving conditions, underwent tone audiometry and two speech perception in noise tests, and rated the effort and concentration it takes to detect the auditory signals. Seven a priori formulated hypotheses were tested. In the first experiment, sufficient reliability and agreement were found in nine driving conditions (ICC = 0.54-0.81; standard error of measurement = 1.15-1.92), poor reliability in two driving conditions (ICC < 0.50), and poor agreement in one driving condition (standard error of measurement = 2.67 dBA). In the second experiment, the results of the signal detection test correlated moderately with the pure-tone thresholds, speech reception threshold in fluctuating noise, and engineer's subjective rating of effort and concentration, but not with the speech reception threshold in continuous noise. According to the hypotheses, poorer test scores were obtained by hearing aid users compared with nonhearing aid users. The signal detection test has sufficient reliability and agreement in all but three driving conditions. This study provides evidence supporting the construct validity of the signal detection test in locomotive engineers. The moderate associations with conventional hearing tests show that the conventional hearing tests did not cover the whole construct measured with the signal detection test. The results, therefore, underpin the importance of evaluating the ability to detect auditory warning signals separately from other hearing-critical job tasks.

The Presence of Another Individual Influences Listening Effort, But Not Performance.

The aim of this study was to modify a speech perception in noise test to assess whether the presence of another individual (copresence), relative to being alone, affected listening performance and effort expenditure. Furthermore, this study assessed if the effect of the other individual's presence on listening effort was influenced by the difficulty of the task and whether participants had to repeat the sentences they listened to or not. Thirty-four young, normal-hearing participants (mean age: 24.7 years) listened to spoken Dutch sentences that were masked with a stationary noise masker and presented through a loudspeaker. The participants alternated between repeating sentences (active condition) and not repeating sentences (passive condition). They did this either alone or together with another participant in the booth. When together, participants took turns repeating sentences. The speech-in-noise test was performed adaptively at three intelligibility levels (20%, 50%, and 80% sentences correct) in a block-wise fashion. During testing, pupil size was recorded as an objective outcome measure of listening effort. Lower speech intelligibility levels were associated with increased peak pupil dilation (PPDs) and doing the task in the presence of another individual (compared with doing it alone) significantly increased PPD. No interaction effect between intelligibility and copresence on PPD was found. The results suggested that the change of PPD between doing the task alone or together was especially apparent for people who started the experiment in the presence of another individual. Furthermore, PPD was significantly lower during passive listening, compared with active listening. Finally, it seemed that performance was unaffected by copresence. The increased PPDs during listening in the presence of another participant suggest that more effort was invested during the task. However, it seems that the additional effort did not result in a change of performance. This study showed that at least one aspect of the social context of a listening situation (in this case copresence) can affect listening effort, indicating that social context might be important to consider in future cognitive hearing research.

Acute Alcohol Intake Deteriorates Hearing Thresholds and Speech Perception in Noise

Objectives: The hearing process involves complex peripheral and central auditory pathways and could be influenced by various situations or medications. To date, there is very little known about the effects of alcohol on the auditory performances. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate how acute alcohol administration affects various aspects of hearing performance in human subjects, from the auditory perceptive threshold to the speech-in-noise task, which is cognitively demanding. Methods: A total of 43 healthy volunteers were recruited, and each of the participants received calculated amounts of alcohol according to their body weight and sex with a targeted blood alcohol content level of 0.05% using the Widmark formula. Hearing was tested in alcohol-free conditions (no alcohol intake within the previous 24 h) and acute alcohol conditions. A test battery composed of pure-tone audiometry, speech reception threshold (SRT), word recognition score (WRS), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), gaps-in-noise (GIN) test, and Korean matrix sentence test (testing speech perception in noise) was performed in the 2 conditions. Results: Acute alcohol intake elevated pure-tone hearing thresholds and SRT but did not affect WRS. Both otoacoustic emissions recorded with DPOAE and the temporal resolution measured with the GIN test were not influenced by alcohol intake. The hearing performance in a noisy environment in both easy (−2 dB signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]) and difficult (−8 dB SNR) conditions was decreased by alcohol. Conclusions: Acute alcohol elevated auditory perceptive thresholds and affected performance in complex and difficult auditory tasks rather than simple tasks.

WPŁYW PAMIĘCI ROBOCZEJ I UMIEJĘTNOŚCI PERCEPCJI MOWY NA UŻYWANIE APARATÓW SŁUCHOWYCH I KORZYŚCI U OSÓB STARSZYCH

BackgroundHearing aids are equipped with many features to improve the speech perception abilities in quiet as well as in challenging situations. Despite that, older adults who use and benefit from hearing aids remain less satisfied. The present study focuses on aspects such as working memory, speech perception in noise (SNR-50), hearing aid usage, and its impact on perceived hearing aid benefit in older adults.Material and methodsDigit backward test and speech perception in noise test were administered on 34 older adults having mild to moderately-severe sensorineural hearing loss who were naïve users of hearing aids. The participants were divided into good and poor performers based on SNR-50. Two months later, the same tests were repeated along with administration of International Outcome Inventory - Hearing Aids (IOI-HA).ResultsThere was a significant difference in working memory and speech perception in noise with hearing aid outcome measures. It was also seen that individuals with better working memory and lower SNR-50 scores benefited more from a hearing aid. Cognition plays an important role in determining the amount of benefit derived from hearing aids in older adults.ConclusionsThe present study highlights the importance of measuring working memory and speech perception abilities in older adults with hearing loss before fitting a hearing aid. These measures have a significant role in counselling about the realistic expectations of benefits from a hearing aid.