[Newborn hearing screening and deafness care in deaf families: Be careful of tactlessness!].

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[Newborn hearing screening and deafness care in deaf families: Be careful of tactlessness!].

Arch Pediatr. 2016 Jul;23(7):773-4

Authors: Drion B

PMID: 27117995 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Language Choices for Deaf Infants: Advice for Parents Regarding Sign Languages.

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Language Choices for Deaf Infants: Advice for Parents Regarding Sign Languages.

Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2016 Jun;55(6):513-7

Authors: Humphries T, Kushalnagar P, Mathur G, Napoli DJ, Padden C, Rathmann C, Smith S

PMID: 26603583 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Inclusion Criteria and Follow-Up Duration Are Important When Evaluating the Outcomes of Inlay Butterfly Cartilage Tympanoplasty

No abstract available

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Treatment of Lateral Skull Base and Posterior Cranial Fossa Lesions Utilizing the Extended Middle Cranial Fossa Approach

Objective: Define the indications and outcomes for subjects undergoing treatment utilizing the extended middle cranial fossa approach (EMCF). Study Design: Retrospective records review. Setting: University-based tertiary referral center. Patients: Subjects undergoing treatment of posterior cranial fossa (PCF) lesions. Intervention(s): EMCF exposure and treatment of the indicating PCF lesion. Main Outcome Measure(s): Demographic, audiometric, and cranial nerve functioning variables were assessed. Results: Thirty-five subjects who underwent an EMCF exposure were identified over a 12-year period. The most common indication was meningioma (18; 51%) followed by schwannomas (six, 17%), and vascular lesions (five, 14%). Preoperative cranial nerve complaints were common (32, 94%) as were objective cranial nerve abnormalities on physical examination (21; 60%). Preoperative audiometric data from subjects with hearing demonstrated good functioning including pure-tone average (PTA) (21.7 ± 15.6 dB HL) and word understanding scores (95.1 ± 7.4%). Most (34, 97%) subjects had intact facial nerve function. The average length of stay was 11.6 days (median = 9). Cranial neuropathies were common postoperatively with 27 (79%) subjects demonstrating some objective cranial nerve dysfunction, the most common of which was trigeminal nerve hypesthesia (21, 61.7%). Subjects with identifiable pre- and postoperative audiometric data and preoperative hearing demonstrated small declines in the four-tone average (16.2 dB) and word recognition scores (22.4%). Two subjects (6%) had new profound hearing loss postoperatively. Conclusions: The EMCF approach can provide safe and effective exposure of the anterior PCF.

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Diagnosis and Treatment of Vestibular Neuritis/Neuronitis or Peripheral Vestibulopathy (PVP)? Open Questions and Possible Answers

The acute vestibular syndrome is a clinically defined entity consisting of vertigo or dizziness that develops acutely over minutes to hours and is accompanied by nausea/vomiting, gait instability, head motion intolerance, and nystagmus, while persisting over a day or more. When it is caused by a peripheral vestibular lesion and is not associated with clinically manifest auditory deficits, it is mostly labeled vestibular neuritis/neuronitis/neuropathy or sometimes peripheral vestibulopathy. Here, we propose hypotheses and discuss current research advances on viral or vascular factors in the pathogenesis, the recurrence, the site of lesion, old and new treatment options, contraindicated measures, the differential diagnosis, and the prognosis of vestibular neuritis/neuronitis/neuropathy or vestibulopathy. Possibly, other structures than the vestibular nerve are also involved in the pathogenetic process and the label peripheral vestibulopathy would be more apt.

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Nerve Surgery: Susan E. Mackinnon, ed.; New York: Thieme Medical Publishers Inc., 2016

No abstract available

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Systematic Review on the Trial Period for Bone Conduction Devices in Single-Sided Deafness: Rates and Reasons for Rejection

Objective: To systematically review the literature to evaluate the trial period of bone conduction devices (BCDs) for adult patients with single-sided deafness (SSD). Data Sources: The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from their inception up to August 15, 2016 for SSD, BCD, and their synonyms. Study Selection: In total, 523 articles were retrieved, of which 12 satisfied the eligibility quality criteria. Our outcomes of interest were: 1) the BCD implantation rejection percentage, 2) reasons to reject BCD implantation, and 3) possible prognostic factors predicting the trial outcome. Data Extraction and Synthesis: At critical appraisal, six studies (n = 471 patients) scored a moderate to high directness of evidence and a medium or low risk of bias and were selected for data extraction. Due to heterogeneity between studies, pooling of data for meta-analysis was not feasible. Therefore, results of studies were summarized per outcome: 1) after the BCD trial, 32.0 to 69.6% of SSD patients rejected BCD implantation, 2) the three main reasons for rejection were experiencing limited benefit from the device, patients fearing or being unfit for surgery and cosmetic aspects, 3) no clear prognostic factors predicting the trial outcome could be identified. Conclusion: Roughly half of patients rejected BCD implantation after a trial period. From the current literature it is unclear which patients could benefit most from BCD implantation. High level of evidence studies should be conducted to investigate possible prognostic factors that predict the BCD trial outcome.

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Population Statistics Approach for Safety Assessment in Robotic Cochlear Implantation

Hypothesis: Descriptive statistics with respect to patient anatomy and image guidance accuracy can be used to assess the effectiveness of any system for minimally invasive cochlear implantation, on both an individual patient and wider population level. Background: Minimally invasive cochlear implantation involves the drilling of a tunnel from the surface of the mastoid to cochlea, with the trajectory passing through the facial recess. The facial recess anatomy constrains the drilling path and places prohibitive accuracy requirements on the used system. Existing single thresholds are insufficient for assessing the effectiveness of these systems. Methods: A statistical model of the anatomical situation encountered during minimally invasive drilling of the mastoid for cochlear implantation was developed. A literature review was performed to determine the statistical distribution of facial recess width; these values were confirmed through facial recess measurements on computed tomography (CT) data. Based on the accuracy of a robotic system developed by the authors, the effect of variation of system accuracy, precision, and tunnel diameter examined with respect to the potential treatable portion of the population. Results: A facial recess diameter of 2.54 ± 0.51 mm (n = 74) was determined from a review of existing literature; subsequent measurements on CT data revealed a facial recess diameter of 2.54 ± 0.5 mm (n = 23). The developed model demonstrated the effects of varying accuracy on the treatable portion of the population. Conclusions: The presented model allows the assessment of the applicability of a system on a wider population scale beyond examining only the system's ability to reach an arbitrary threshold accuracy.

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Audiological Results in SSD With an Active Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Implant at a Retrosigmoidal Position

Objective: One option for patients with single sided deafness (SSD) who experience problems with insufficient hearing in different surroundings is the treatment with percutaneous bone-anchored hearing aids. Common medical problems associated to a skin penetrating abutment can be avoided by active transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implants. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the benefit of an active transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implant in patients with SSD. Patients and Methods: Patients suffering from SSD who are implanted with an active transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implant in retrosigmoidal position were audiologically analyzed. The audiological test battery included air and bone conduction thresholds, word recognition score (WRS) in quiet and speech intelligibility (Oldenburg Sentence Test [OLSA]) in noise. Patient satisfaction was evaluated with the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) and the Bern-Benefit in Single-Sided Deafness (BBSS) questionnaire. Results: The monosyllable WRS and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) assessed by the OLSA was significantly better in all aided conditions. Also, the APHAB categories ease of communication and reverberation and the average benefit in the BBSS improved significantly if using the device. Conclusion: The Bonebridge is a transcutaneous alternative to the well-established percutaneous bone conducting devices in patients with single sided deafness. An improvement in hearing in noise and quiet as well as a decrease of the head shadow effect can be expected.

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Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis of the Temporomandibular Joint With Petrous Bone Invasion

No abstract available

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Drug-induced Defibrinogenation as New Treatment Approach of Acute Hearing Loss in an Animal Model for Inner Ear Vascular Impairment

Objective: Disturbance of cochlear microcirculation is considered to be the final common pathway of various inner ear diseases. Hyperfibrinogenemia causing increased plasma viscosity is a known risk factor for sudden sensorineural hearing loss and may lead to a critical reduction of cochlear blood flow. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a substantial reduction of plasma fibrinogen levels by drug-induced defibrinogenation for the treatment of acute hearing loss in vivo. Methods: Acute hearing loss was induced by hyperfibrinogenemia (i.v. injection of 330 mg/kg BW fibrinogen), using a guinea pig animal model. Parameters of cochlear microcirculation and hearing thresholds were quantified by intravital microscopy and evoked response audiometry. After obtaining baseline values, the course of hearing loss and disturbances of microcirculation were investigated under influence of intravenous defibrinogenation therapy (ancrod), corticosteroid, or placebo treatment, using 5 animals/group. Results: Acute hyperfibrinogenemia caused hearing loss from 10 ± 7 to 26 ± 10 dB SPL at baseline. Drug-induced reduction of fibrinogen levels showed a significant increase of cochlear microcirculation (1.6-fold) and recovered hearing threshold (11 ± 6 dB SPL). Placebo or corticosteroid treatment had no effect on hearing loss (35 ± 7 dB SPL and 32 ± 18 dB SPL, respectively). Conclusion: Acute hyperfibrinogenemia resulted in hearing loss. Drug-induced reduction of elevated fibrinogen levels caused an increase in cochlear blood flow and a decrease in hearing thresholds. Placebo or corticosteroid treatment had no effect. Reduction of plasma fibrinogen levels could serve as a clinical treatment option for acute hearing loss.

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Can the Video Head Impulse Test Define Severity of Bilateral Vestibular Hypofunction?

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare rotary chair and video head impulse test (vHIT) findings in patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) to determine whether vHIT can: 1) define severity of BVH and 2) accurately predict rotary chair findings in patients with BVH. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Research hospital. Patients: Twenty subjects with bilateral vestibular hypofunction as assessed by rotary chair. Intervention: Rotary chair and vHIT. Main Outcome Measures: The main outcome measures were rotary chair phase, gain, and symmetry and vHIT vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain. Rotary chair and vHIT results were assessed and subjects were stratified into groups according to the severity of their vestibular hypofunction. For rotary chair, subjects were classified as mild, moderate, or severe BVH. For vHIT, subjects were classified as normal, unilateral, or bilateral. Results: Average lateral canal vHIT VOR gain: 1) significantly increased as severity of BVH decreased, and 2) demonstrated a significant and positive, linear relationship with rotary chair gains. vHIT was in disagreement with rotary chair in the classification of five subjects, which could be due to right-left asymmetry of BVH. Conclusion: vHIT can serve as an initial tool for identifying patients with BVH. Lower vHIT gains are consistent with having severe BVH. There was disagreement between vHIT and rotary chair, though not for any patients with severe BVH. Compared with rotary chair, the clinical gold standard for identifying BVH, vHIT possesses 100% sensitivity for excluding severe BVH when average vHIT gains are greater than 0.46.

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Clinical Validation of a Sound Processor Upgrade in Direct Acoustic Cochlear Implant Subjects

Objective: The objectives of the investigation were to evaluate the effect of a sound processor upgrade on the speech reception threshold in noise and to collect long-term safety and efficacy data after 2½ to 5 years of device use of direct acoustic cochlear implant (DACI) recipients. Study Design: The study was designed as a mono-centric, prospective clinical trial. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Fifteen patients implanted with a direct acoustic cochlear implant. Intervention: Upgrade with a newer generation of sound processor. Main Outcome Measures: Speech recognition test in quiet and in noise, pure tone thresholds, subject-reported outcome measures. Results: The speech recognition in quiet and in noise is superior after the sound processor upgrade and stable after long-term use of the direct acoustic cochlear implant. The bone conduction thresholds did not decrease significantly after long-term high level stimulation. Conclusions: The new sound processor for the DACI system provides significant benefits for DACI users for speech recognition in both quiet and noise. Especially the noise program with the use of directional microphones (Zoom) allows DACI patients to have much less difficulty when having conversations in noisy environments. Furthermore, the study confirms that the benefits of the sound processor upgrade are available to the DACI recipients even after several years of experience with a legacy sound processor. Finally, our study demonstrates that the DACI system is a safe and effective long-term therapy.

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Arteriovenous Lesions of the Internal Auditory Canal

Objective: To describe a unique case of an asymptomatic arteriovenous lesion of the internal auditory canal (IAC) and present the associated imaging findings. Methods: Retrospective case report and review of the literature. Results: A 55-year-old man presented for further evaluation of a left-sided sudden sensorineural hearing loss that occurred 8 years earlier. Careful review of outside serial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed a contralateral, ill-defined right-sided IAC mass with low T2 signal and subtle peripheral enhancement on postcontrast T1-weighted sequencing. The patient had no history of right-sided otologic symptoms. Subsequent dedicated IAC MR imaging confirmed the presence of a space-occupying lesion adjacent to a complexity of vasculature. The presence of prominent flow voids, paucity of avid enhancement on previous studies, and marked signal within the lesion on time-of-flight MR angiography and MR venography was consistent with the diagnosis of a solitary arteriovenous lesion of the IAC. There was no radiological evidence of recent or remote parenchymal or subarachnoid hemorrhage or stroke. Conclusion: We report a novel case of an occult asymptomatic IAC arteriovenous lesion. Vascular anomalies confined to the IAC are rare. To date, there have been only four reports in the literature of IAC arteriovenous lesions and our case is the first to present asymptomatically. A high index of suspicion and dedicated imaging is required to identify and accurately diagnose these lesions to guide appropriate counseling and potential intervention.

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Endoscopic Stapes Surgery: A Comparison With Microscopic Surgery

Objective: To investigate postoperative audiological outcomes and complication rates for fully endoscopic and microscopic stapes surgery carried out by a single surgeon in one center. Patients: All patients having undergone endoscopic and non-endoscopic stapes surgery for otosclerosis from September 2009 to August 2016 under a single surgeon. Intervention(s): Stapedotomy using either an operating microscope or endoscope for visualization. Stapedotomy was carried out using a standard approach. Main Outcome Measure(s): Pre- and postoperative audiometry and complications. Results: Thirty-four patients who underwent endoscopic stapes surgery and 47 patients who underwent non-endoscopic stapes surgery were included in this study. Seventy-nine percent of both endoscopic and non-endoscopic groups had the average air-bone gap closed to less than 10 dBHL, respectively; the difference was not significant (p = 0.940, χ2 test). No patients with sensorineural hearing loss, vertigo, or facial nerve paresis were reported. Two of 34 patients (6%) of the endoscopic group had the chorda tympani cut intraoperatively for access compared with 11 of 47 patients (23%) of the non-endoscopic group. Sixteen of 47 patients (34%) required an endaural incision for access in the non-endoscopic group; no endaural incisions were made in the endoscopic group. Conclusion: Air-bone gap closure and patient complications did not vary significantly between endoscopic and non-endoscopic groups in this study of 34 endoscopic procedures. There is a requirement for further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods to fully gauge the safety and effectiveness of this technique.

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Round and Oval Window Anatomic Variability: Its Implication for the Vibroplasty Technique

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the anatomical variability of round and oval window regions and its relationship with their closest structures, to determine its implication on the fitting and stabilization of the middle ear implant Vibrant Soundbridge. Methods: Variations of the anatomy of round and oval window regions were assessed in a total of 85 human dissected temporal bones. Afterward, we evaluated the adaptation and subsequent stabilization of the floating mass transducer (FMT) of the Vibrant Soundbridge in 67 cases in round window (RW) and in 22 cases in oval window (OW), and the influence that the variability of the different anatomical features examined had on this stabilization. We also assessed access and surgeon's view of the RW niche through the facial recess approach. Results: Stabilization of the FMT in the RW was achieved in 53 (79%) of the 67 cases; we found that the less favorable anatomical conditions for stabilization were: membrane smaller than 1.5 mm, presence of a high jugular bulb and a narrow or very narrow RW niche. Frequently, two or more of these conditions happened simultaneously. In seven cases (22%) access to the RW through facial recess approach did not allow positioning the FMT in place. OW stabilization succeeded in 18 (82%) of the 22 cases. Conclusion: Round and oval window vibroplasty are difficult surgical techniques. To place the FMT directly on the OW may be easier as we do not have to drill the niche. In both regions there are some anatomical conditions that hinder fitting the FMT and even make it impossible. Once fitted, the main problem is to achieve good stabilization of the device.

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Electrode Array Displacement into the Fallopian Canal in Revisions of Long-standing Cochlear Implants

Objective: To describe extracochlear extension of revision cochlear implant arrays into the Fallopian canal. Patients: Two adult patients with extension of revision cochlear implant arrays into the Fallopian canal. Interventions: Computed tomography (CT), selective deactivation of non-functional electrodes. Main Outcome Measures: Facial nerve function, facial nerve stimulation, cochlear implant electrode position, radiography, functional hearing. Results: Two patients presented with failure of their long-standing cochlear implants (CIs). One patient with presumed postviral hearing loss presented with declining function and increasing facial stimulation from an implant placed 30 years previous. A second with postmeningitic hearing loss presented with a draining mastoid fistula from an implant placed 7 years before. Both patients were reimplanted with minimal insertion resistance via the established electrode tract, yet demonstrated facial nerve stimulation during intraoperative telemetry and on device activation. Postoperative CTs of each patient showed exit of the electrode from the cochlea into the tympanic or labyrinthine Fallopian canal. Both patients can use their devices effectively with selective electrode deactivation. Conclusions: Our cases illustrate the potential association of long-standing electrodes with otic capsule changes, allowing extracochlear malposition of subsequent arrays. This can occur despite apparently uneventful reinsertion of a flexible array without undue force. Previously reported histopathology confirms the potential for a reactive osteitis from arrays that may contribute to this phenomenon. Intraoperative facial stimulation with neural telemetry testing can raise suspicion of a malpositioned array involving the Fallopian canal. Such cases can be effectively managed with selective deactivation of malpositioned electrode contacts.

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Comment on: “Outcomes of Drill Canalplasty in Exostoses and Osteoma: Analysis of 256 Cases and Literature Review”

No abstract available

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Impact of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media in Pediatric Cochlear Implant Recipients—Insight into the Challenges from a Tertiary Referral Center in UK

Objective: Analyze the presentation and evolution of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in children with cochlear implants (CI) and explore the merit of early intervention. Study Design: Retrospective patient review. Setting: Tertiary referral hospital and cochlear implant programme. Patients: Children with a CI who developed CSOM. Intervention: Tympanoplasty. Main Outcome Measures: Disease control, recurrence of cholesteatoma, cochlear implant preservation. Results: Eight children fit our inclusion criteria with a mean follow up of 8 years. Onset of CSOM symptoms was observed on an average of 5 years after implantation (range, 2–13 yr) and led to surgical intervention in an average of 15.6 months following symptom onset. Cholesteatoma was found in four of the eight patients. Of these, one patient underwent a subtotal petrosectomy and explantation with reimplantation at the same stage but the reimplant failed to function and was explanted subsequently. One patient was initially managed by a canal wall up mastoidectomy and explantation but went on to require subtotal petrosectomy and labyrinthectomy for recurrent disease. One patient underwent a subtotal petrosectomy with explantation and is awaiting a reimplantation. The fourth patient had limited disease around the electrodes that was excised without compromising the implant. In the group of patients with CSOM without cholesteatoma, one underwent an explantation due to recurrent ear infections and a subsequent cartilage tympanoplasty for a retracted eardrum. The remaining three patients underwent successful excision of retraction pockets and repair of eardrums using cartilage with the implant in situ. A mean follow up of 2 years after the implant preservation surgeries shows good functioning of the CI. Conclusion: Early recognition of CSOM is paramount in patients with CI as delay in treatment can result in the infection spreading via the cochleostomy resulting in loss of the cochlea. Recurrent ear infections in an implanted ear should prompt early examination to exclude the presence of middle ear disease, which may require anesthesia in a young child.

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MRI Showing Bilateral Facial Nerve Enhancement: A Diagnostic Enigma

No abstract available

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Hearing Preservation Outcomes for 139 Cochlear Implant Recipients Using a Thin Straight Electrode Array

Objective: To assess the hearing preservation outcomes in a large group of adult cochlear implant recipients implanted with a thin straight electrode array using atraumatic surgical techniques. Factors affecting hearing preservation will be investigated. Study Design: Prospective cohort study undertaken at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne, Australia from December 2010 to May 2015. Setting: Tertiary academic hospital. Patients: One hundred thirty-nine adults undergoing cochlear implantation (CI). Main Outcome Measure: Primary outcome measure of interest was pre and postoperative pure-tone audiometry. Results: Median low-frequency hearing change for the whole group of 139 recipients was −22.5 dB at the 3 months postop point. Eighty-six participants had functional preoperative low-frequency hearing (≤70 dB average at 250 and 500 Hz). Of these, 90.7% retained measureable hearing at 3 months postimplant. 39.5% of this original 86 participants retained functional hearing at 3 months postimplant. At 12 months postimplant, those who retained functional hearing at 3 months had no significant change in hearing. The group who lost functional hearing continued to have a significant deterioration in low-frequency hearing. Degree of hearing loss preimplant was identified as a predictor for the preservation of hearing postoperatively. Conclusion: Preservation of hearing is possible following atraumatic cochlear implant surgery with a thin straight electrode array. The amount of hearing preserved seems to be variable, and factors related to this variability are not yet known. The results of the present study suggest preoperative low-frequency hearing at or better than 45 dB may be related to preservation of functional hearing.

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A Three-Dimensional Geometric-Morphometric Study to Quantify Temporal Bone Growth and its Consequences for the Success of Implanting Bone Anchored Hearing Devices

Objective: A computed tomography (CT)-based morphological-investigation to describe temporal bone growth and to devise a predictive test of the likely success of Bonebridge implantation into the growing mastoid region of the temporal bone in young patients. Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting: University Hospital Halle (Saale), Germany. Patients: Two cohorts participated. This first, of patients aged less than 21 years, comprised 42 men, and 33 women patients. The second cohort, for those aged more than or equal to 21 years, comprised 17 men, and 20 women patients. Intervention: One hundred eighty three three-dimensional (3-D) reconstructions of the mastoid portion of the temporal bone without malformations or chronic middle ear disease were created on the base of high resolution computer tomography. The 3-D-reconstructions were analyzed using 13 linear measurements and volumetry. Primary Outcome Measure: A CT/3-D model derived metric with which to best estimate the likely success of fitting a Bonebridge. Results: Volume increase stagnated at, on average, 15.6 years of age (men), or 17.5 years (women). The most obvious extent of growth was observed in the craniocaudal direction from the middle cranial fossa to the tip of the mastoid process (total height). This growth is highly correlated with the increase of the mastoid volume (r = 0.938) and thus represents the most influential factor on mastoid volume increase. The total height of the mastoid portion can be used to usefully predict the chance of successful Bonebridge implantation. The depth of the mastoid almost doubled its size from birth (8.93 mm) to adulthood (16.34 mm) and also strongly affects the mastoid volume (r = 0.912). That portion between the external auditory canal (EAC) and the sigmoid sinus showed a lower growth capacity. Conclusions: The highly significant correlations between CT derived linear parameters and Bonebridge fitting (p 

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A comparison of the ground reaction force frequency content during rearfoot and non-rearfoot running patterns

Publication date: July 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 56
Author(s): Allison H. Gruber, W. Brent Edwards, Joseph Hamill, Timothy R. Derrick, Katherine A. Boyer
Running with a non-rearfoot pattern has been claimed to reduce injury risk because the impact peak in the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) is visually absent in the time-domain compared with a rearfoot pattern. However, running results in a rapid deceleration of the lower extremity segments immediately following initial contact with the ground, regardless of footfall pattern. Therefore, the frequency content of the GRF is expected to contain evidence of this collision. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the waveform components of the GRF generated during the impact phase by habitual rearfoot and habitual non-rearfoot pattern groups using the continuous wavelet transform. Twenty rearfoot and 20 non-rearfoot participants ran over-ground at a standardized speed with their habitual footfall pattern. The continuous wavelet transform was performed on the resultant GRF vector and the vertical GRF. GRF signals generated by the non-rearfoot pattern group during early stance had maximum signal power of 15.4±9.1Hz occurring at 23.1±6.3% of stance, which is within the 10–20Hz range previously associated with impact in rearfoot runners. Maximum signal power occurred earlier in the impact phase (11.5±1.5%) and with a higher frequency (27.2±3.9Hz) in the rearfoot pattern group verses the non-rearfoot pattern group (P<0.05). While the impact force transient may not appear as a prominent feature within the time-domain GRF with a non-rearfoot pattern, the results indicate that both footfall patterns generate frequencies associated with the impact peak in the resultant and vertical GRF.



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Dual task interference on postural sway, postural transitions and gait in people with Parkinson’s disease and Freezing of Gait

Publication date: Available online 10 May 2017
Source:Gait & Posture
Author(s): Ana Claudia Fortaleza, Martina Mancini, Patty Carlson-Kuhta, Laurie A. King, John G. Nutt, Eliane Ferrari Chagas, Ismael Forte Freitas, Fay B. Horak
Freezing of gait (FoG) is associated with less automatic gait and more impaired cognition, balance and postural transitions compared to people with PD who do not have FoG. However, it is unknown whether dual-task cost during postural sway, postural transitions (such as gait initiation and turning), and gait are more in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who have freezing of gait (FoG+) compared to those who do not have FoG (FoG−). Here, we hypothesized that the effects of a cognitive dual task on postural sway, postural transitions and gait would be larger in FoG+ than FoG−. Thirty FoG− and 24 FoG+ performed an Instrumented Stand and Walk test in OFF medication state, with and without a secondary cognitive task (serial subtraction by 3s). Measures of postural sway, gait initiation, turning, and walking were extracted using body-worn inertial sensors. FoG+ showed significantly larger dual task cost than FoG− for several gait metrics, but not during postural sway or postural transitions. During walking, FoG+ exhibited a larger dual task cost than FoG− resulting in shorter stride length and slower stride velocity. During standing, FoG+ showed a larger postural sway compared to FoG− and during gait initiation, FoG+, but not FoG−, showed a longer first step duration during the dual-task condition compared to single-task condition (interaction effect, p=0.04). During turning, both groups showed a slower turn peak speed in the dual-task condition compared to single task condition. These findings partly support our hypothesis that dual task cost on walking is greater in FoG+ than FoG−.



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A comparison of the ground reaction force frequency content during rearfoot and non-rearfoot running patterns

Publication date: July 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 56
Author(s): Allison H. Gruber, W. Brent Edwards, Joseph Hamill, Timothy R. Derrick, Katherine A. Boyer
Running with a non-rearfoot pattern has been claimed to reduce injury risk because the impact peak in the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) is visually absent in the time-domain compared with a rearfoot pattern. However, running results in a rapid deceleration of the lower extremity segments immediately following initial contact with the ground, regardless of footfall pattern. Therefore, the frequency content of the GRF is expected to contain evidence of this collision. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the waveform components of the GRF generated during the impact phase by habitual rearfoot and habitual non-rearfoot pattern groups using the continuous wavelet transform. Twenty rearfoot and 20 non-rearfoot participants ran over-ground at a standardized speed with their habitual footfall pattern. The continuous wavelet transform was performed on the resultant GRF vector and the vertical GRF. GRF signals generated by the non-rearfoot pattern group during early stance had maximum signal power of 15.4±9.1Hz occurring at 23.1±6.3% of stance, which is within the 10–20Hz range previously associated with impact in rearfoot runners. Maximum signal power occurred earlier in the impact phase (11.5±1.5%) and with a higher frequency (27.2±3.9Hz) in the rearfoot pattern group verses the non-rearfoot pattern group (P<0.05). While the impact force transient may not appear as a prominent feature within the time-domain GRF with a non-rearfoot pattern, the results indicate that both footfall patterns generate frequencies associated with the impact peak in the resultant and vertical GRF.



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Dual task interference on postural sway, postural transitions and gait in people with Parkinson’s disease and Freezing of Gait

Publication date: Available online 10 May 2017
Source:Gait & Posture
Author(s): Ana Claudia Fortaleza, Martina Mancini, Patty Carlson-Kuhta, Laurie A. King, John G. Nutt, Eliane Ferrari Chagas, Ismael Forte Freitas, Fay B. Horak
Freezing of gait (FoG) is associated with less automatic gait and more impaired cognition, balance and postural transitions compared to people with PD who do not have FoG. However, it is unknown whether dual-task cost during postural sway, postural transitions (such as gait initiation and turning), and gait are more in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who have freezing of gait (FoG+) compared to those who do not have FoG (FoG−). Here, we hypothesized that the effects of a cognitive dual task on postural sway, postural transitions and gait would be larger in FoG+ than FoG−. Thirty FoG− and 24 FoG+ performed an Instrumented Stand and Walk test in OFF medication state, with and without a secondary cognitive task (serial subtraction by 3s). Measures of postural sway, gait initiation, turning, and walking were extracted using body-worn inertial sensors. FoG+ showed significantly larger dual task cost than FoG− for several gait metrics, but not during postural sway or postural transitions. During walking, FoG+ exhibited a larger dual task cost than FoG− resulting in shorter stride length and slower stride velocity. During standing, FoG+ showed a larger postural sway compared to FoG− and during gait initiation, FoG+, but not FoG−, showed a longer first step duration during the dual-task condition compared to single-task condition (interaction effect, p=0.04). During turning, both groups showed a slower turn peak speed in the dual-task condition compared to single task condition. These findings partly support our hypothesis that dual task cost on walking is greater in FoG+ than FoG−.



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A comparison of the ground reaction force frequency content during rearfoot and non-rearfoot running patterns

Publication date: July 2017
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 56
Author(s): Allison H. Gruber, W. Brent Edwards, Joseph Hamill, Timothy R. Derrick, Katherine A. Boyer
Running with a non-rearfoot pattern has been claimed to reduce injury risk because the impact peak in the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) is visually absent in the time-domain compared with a rearfoot pattern. However, running results in a rapid deceleration of the lower extremity segments immediately following initial contact with the ground, regardless of footfall pattern. Therefore, the frequency content of the GRF is expected to contain evidence of this collision. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the waveform components of the GRF generated during the impact phase by habitual rearfoot and habitual non-rearfoot pattern groups using the continuous wavelet transform. Twenty rearfoot and 20 non-rearfoot participants ran over-ground at a standardized speed with their habitual footfall pattern. The continuous wavelet transform was performed on the resultant GRF vector and the vertical GRF. GRF signals generated by the non-rearfoot pattern group during early stance had maximum signal power of 15.4±9.1Hz occurring at 23.1±6.3% of stance, which is within the 10–20Hz range previously associated with impact in rearfoot runners. Maximum signal power occurred earlier in the impact phase (11.5±1.5%) and with a higher frequency (27.2±3.9Hz) in the rearfoot pattern group verses the non-rearfoot pattern group (P<0.05). While the impact force transient may not appear as a prominent feature within the time-domain GRF with a non-rearfoot pattern, the results indicate that both footfall patterns generate frequencies associated with the impact peak in the resultant and vertical GRF.



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Dual task interference on postural sway, postural transitions and gait in people with Parkinson’s disease and Freezing of Gait

Publication date: Available online 10 May 2017
Source:Gait & Posture
Author(s): Ana Claudia Fortaleza, Martina Mancini, Patty Carlson-Kuhta, Laurie A. King, John G. Nutt, Eliane Ferrari Chagas, Ismael Forte Freitas, Fay B. Horak
Freezing of gait (FoG) is associated with less automatic gait and more impaired cognition, balance and postural transitions compared to people with PD who do not have FoG. However, it is unknown whether dual-task cost during postural sway, postural transitions (such as gait initiation and turning), and gait are more in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who have freezing of gait (FoG+) compared to those who do not have FoG (FoG−). Here, we hypothesized that the effects of a cognitive dual task on postural sway, postural transitions and gait would be larger in FoG+ than FoG−. Thirty FoG− and 24 FoG+ performed an Instrumented Stand and Walk test in OFF medication state, with and without a secondary cognitive task (serial subtraction by 3s). Measures of postural sway, gait initiation, turning, and walking were extracted using body-worn inertial sensors. FoG+ showed significantly larger dual task cost than FoG− for several gait metrics, but not during postural sway or postural transitions. During walking, FoG+ exhibited a larger dual task cost than FoG− resulting in shorter stride length and slower stride velocity. During standing, FoG+ showed a larger postural sway compared to FoG− and during gait initiation, FoG+, but not FoG−, showed a longer first step duration during the dual-task condition compared to single-task condition (interaction effect, p=0.04). During turning, both groups showed a slower turn peak speed in the dual-task condition compared to single task condition. These findings partly support our hypothesis that dual task cost on walking is greater in FoG+ than FoG−.



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Hormone replacement therapy may increase risk of hearing loss

A new, first-of-its-kind study investigates the link between hormone replacement therapy and hearing loss in menopausal and postmenopausal women.

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Hormone replacement therapy may increase risk of hearing loss

A new, first-of-its-kind study investigates the link between hormone replacement therapy and hearing loss in menopausal and postmenopausal women.

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Hormone replacement therapy may increase risk of hearing loss

A new, first-of-its-kind study investigates the link between hormone replacement therapy and hearing loss in menopausal and postmenopausal women.

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Apoptosis and Vocal Fold Disease: Clinically Relevant Implications of Epithelial Cell Death

Purpose

Vocal fold diseases affecting the epithelium have a detrimental impact on vocal function. This review article provides an overview of apoptosis, the most commonly studied type of programmed cell death. Because apoptosis can damage epithelial cells, this article examines the implications of apoptosis on diseases affecting the vocal fold cover.

Method

A review of the extant literature was performed. We summarized the topics of epithelial tissue properties and apoptotic cell death, described what is currently understood about apoptosis in the vocal fold, and proposed several possible explanations for how the role of abnormal apoptosis during wound healing may be involved in vocal pathology.

Results and Conclusions

Apoptosis plays an important role in maintaining normal epithelial tissue function. The biological mechanisms responsible for vocal fold diseases of epithelial origin are only beginning to emerge. This article discusses speculations to explain the potential role of deficient versus excessive rates of apoptosis and how disorganized apoptosis may contribute to the development of common diseases of the vocal folds.

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Spoken Language Production in Young Adults: Examining Syntactic Complexity

Purpose

In this study, we examined syntactic complexity in the spoken language samples of young adults. Its purpose was to contribute to the expanding knowledge base in later language development and to begin building a normative database of language samples that potentially could be used to evaluate young adults with known or suspected language impairment.

Method

Forty adults (mean age = 22 years, 10 months) with typical language development participated in an interview that consisted of 3 speaking tasks: a general conversation about common, everyday topics; a narrative retelling task that involved fables; and a question-and-answer, critical-thinking task about the fables. Each speaker's interview was audio-recorded, transcribed, broken into communication units, coded for main and subordinate clauses, entered into Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (Miller, Iglesias, & Nockerts, 2004), and analyzed for mean length of communication unit and clausal density.

Results

Both the narrative and critical-thinking tasks elicited significantly greater syntactic complexity than the conversational task. It was also found that syntactic complexity was significantly greater during the narrative task than the critical-thinking task.

Conclusion

Syntactic complexity was best revealed by a narrative task that involved fables. The study offers benchmarks for language development during early adulthood.

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Auditory Verbal Working Memory as a Predictor of Speech Perception in Modulated Maskers in Listeners With Normal Hearing

Purpose

Background noise can interfere with our ability to understand speech. Working memory capacity (WMC) has been shown to contribute to the perception of speech in modulated noise maskers. WMC has been assessed with a variety of auditory and visual tests, often pertaining to different components of working memory. This study assessed the relationship between speech perception in modulated maskers and components of auditory verbal working memory (AVWM) over a range of signal-to-noise ratios.

Method

Speech perception in noise and AVWM were measured in 30 listeners (age range 31–67 years) with normal hearing. AVWM was estimated using forward digit recall, backward digit recall, and nonword repetition.

Results

After controlling for the effects of age and average pure-tone hearing threshold, speech perception in modulated maskers was related to individual differences in the phonological component of working memory (as assessed by nonword repetition) but only in the least favorable signal-to-noise ratio. The executive component of working memory (as assessed by backward digit) was not predictive of speech perception in any conditions.

Conclusions

AVWM is predictive of the ability to benefit from temporal dips in modulated maskers: Listeners with greater phonological WMC are better able to correctly identify sentences in modulated noise backgrounds.

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Apoptosis and Vocal Fold Disease: Clinically Relevant Implications of Epithelial Cell Death

Purpose

Vocal fold diseases affecting the epithelium have a detrimental impact on vocal function. This review article provides an overview of apoptosis, the most commonly studied type of programmed cell death. Because apoptosis can damage epithelial cells, this article examines the implications of apoptosis on diseases affecting the vocal fold cover.

Method

A review of the extant literature was performed. We summarized the topics of epithelial tissue properties and apoptotic cell death, described what is currently understood about apoptosis in the vocal fold, and proposed several possible explanations for how the role of abnormal apoptosis during wound healing may be involved in vocal pathology.

Results and Conclusions

Apoptosis plays an important role in maintaining normal epithelial tissue function. The biological mechanisms responsible for vocal fold diseases of epithelial origin are only beginning to emerge. This article discusses speculations to explain the potential role of deficient versus excessive rates of apoptosis and how disorganized apoptosis may contribute to the development of common diseases of the vocal folds.

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Spoken Language Production in Young Adults: Examining Syntactic Complexity

Purpose

In this study, we examined syntactic complexity in the spoken language samples of young adults. Its purpose was to contribute to the expanding knowledge base in later language development and to begin building a normative database of language samples that potentially could be used to evaluate young adults with known or suspected language impairment.

Method

Forty adults (mean age = 22 years, 10 months) with typical language development participated in an interview that consisted of 3 speaking tasks: a general conversation about common, everyday topics; a narrative retelling task that involved fables; and a question-and-answer, critical-thinking task about the fables. Each speaker's interview was audio-recorded, transcribed, broken into communication units, coded for main and subordinate clauses, entered into Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (Miller, Iglesias, & Nockerts, 2004), and analyzed for mean length of communication unit and clausal density.

Results

Both the narrative and critical-thinking tasks elicited significantly greater syntactic complexity than the conversational task. It was also found that syntactic complexity was significantly greater during the narrative task than the critical-thinking task.

Conclusion

Syntactic complexity was best revealed by a narrative task that involved fables. The study offers benchmarks for language development during early adulthood.

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Auditory Verbal Working Memory as a Predictor of Speech Perception in Modulated Maskers in Listeners With Normal Hearing

Purpose

Background noise can interfere with our ability to understand speech. Working memory capacity (WMC) has been shown to contribute to the perception of speech in modulated noise maskers. WMC has been assessed with a variety of auditory and visual tests, often pertaining to different components of working memory. This study assessed the relationship between speech perception in modulated maskers and components of auditory verbal working memory (AVWM) over a range of signal-to-noise ratios.

Method

Speech perception in noise and AVWM were measured in 30 listeners (age range 31–67 years) with normal hearing. AVWM was estimated using forward digit recall, backward digit recall, and nonword repetition.

Results

After controlling for the effects of age and average pure-tone hearing threshold, speech perception in modulated maskers was related to individual differences in the phonological component of working memory (as assessed by nonword repetition) but only in the least favorable signal-to-noise ratio. The executive component of working memory (as assessed by backward digit) was not predictive of speech perception in any conditions.

Conclusions

AVWM is predictive of the ability to benefit from temporal dips in modulated maskers: Listeners with greater phonological WMC are better able to correctly identify sentences in modulated noise backgrounds.

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Apoptosis and Vocal Fold Disease: Clinically Relevant Implications of Epithelial Cell Death

Purpose

Vocal fold diseases affecting the epithelium have a detrimental impact on vocal function. This review article provides an overview of apoptosis, the most commonly studied type of programmed cell death. Because apoptosis can damage epithelial cells, this article examines the implications of apoptosis on diseases affecting the vocal fold cover.

Method

A review of the extant literature was performed. We summarized the topics of epithelial tissue properties and apoptotic cell death, described what is currently understood about apoptosis in the vocal fold, and proposed several possible explanations for how the role of abnormal apoptosis during wound healing may be involved in vocal pathology.

Results and Conclusions

Apoptosis plays an important role in maintaining normal epithelial tissue function. The biological mechanisms responsible for vocal fold diseases of epithelial origin are only beginning to emerge. This article discusses speculations to explain the potential role of deficient versus excessive rates of apoptosis and how disorganized apoptosis may contribute to the development of common diseases of the vocal folds.

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Spoken Language Production in Young Adults: Examining Syntactic Complexity

Purpose

In this study, we examined syntactic complexity in the spoken language samples of young adults. Its purpose was to contribute to the expanding knowledge base in later language development and to begin building a normative database of language samples that potentially could be used to evaluate young adults with known or suspected language impairment.

Method

Forty adults (mean age = 22 years, 10 months) with typical language development participated in an interview that consisted of 3 speaking tasks: a general conversation about common, everyday topics; a narrative retelling task that involved fables; and a question-and-answer, critical-thinking task about the fables. Each speaker's interview was audio-recorded, transcribed, broken into communication units, coded for main and subordinate clauses, entered into Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (Miller, Iglesias, & Nockerts, 2004), and analyzed for mean length of communication unit and clausal density.

Results

Both the narrative and critical-thinking tasks elicited significantly greater syntactic complexity than the conversational task. It was also found that syntactic complexity was significantly greater during the narrative task than the critical-thinking task.

Conclusion

Syntactic complexity was best revealed by a narrative task that involved fables. The study offers benchmarks for language development during early adulthood.

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via IFTTT

Auditory Verbal Working Memory as a Predictor of Speech Perception in Modulated Maskers in Listeners With Normal Hearing

Purpose

Background noise can interfere with our ability to understand speech. Working memory capacity (WMC) has been shown to contribute to the perception of speech in modulated noise maskers. WMC has been assessed with a variety of auditory and visual tests, often pertaining to different components of working memory. This study assessed the relationship between speech perception in modulated maskers and components of auditory verbal working memory (AVWM) over a range of signal-to-noise ratios.

Method

Speech perception in noise and AVWM were measured in 30 listeners (age range 31–67 years) with normal hearing. AVWM was estimated using forward digit recall, backward digit recall, and nonword repetition.

Results

After controlling for the effects of age and average pure-tone hearing threshold, speech perception in modulated maskers was related to individual differences in the phonological component of working memory (as assessed by nonword repetition) but only in the least favorable signal-to-noise ratio. The executive component of working memory (as assessed by backward digit) was not predictive of speech perception in any conditions.

Conclusions

AVWM is predictive of the ability to benefit from temporal dips in modulated maskers: Listeners with greater phonological WMC are better able to correctly identify sentences in modulated noise backgrounds.

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The Relationship Between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Sensorineural Hearing Loss in the Pediatric and Adolescent Population

Purpose

A correlation between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was described in adults. In this study, we examined if there is a relationship between IDA and hearing loss in the pediatric population.

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of data collected from the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside database from 2011 to 2016. Children and adolescents 4–21 years old seen at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, were examined for hearing loss and IDA status. Hearing loss was determined by International Classification of Disease-9 and -10 codes, and IDA was determined by both low hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels for age and sex.

Results

We identified 20,113 patients. Prevalence of hearing loss and IDA was 1.7% and 2.3%, respectively. The prevalence of all hearing loss was 3.0% in the IDA cohort and 1.7% in those without IDA. Children and adolescents with IDA are at increased odds of developing SNHL (adjusted odds ratio: 3.67, 95% CI [1.60–7.30]).

Conclusions

Children with IDA demonstrate increased likelihood of SNHL. Although correction of IDA in those with hearing loss has yet to be linked to improvements in hearing outcomes, screening for and correcting IDA among pediatric patients will positively affect overall health status.

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Changes in Psychosocial Measures after a 6-Week Field Trial

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which intervention with hearing aids, namely, a 6-week hearing aid field trial, can minimize the psychosocial consequences of hearing loss in adults who have previously not sought treatment for their hearing loss.

Method

Twenty-four adults with mild to moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, who had never worn hearing aids or sought help for their hearing loss, participated in this study. Participants were fitted with receiver-in-canal hearing aids, bilaterally, and wore them for 6 weeks. Participants completed subjective measures of hearing handicap and attitudes about hearing loss and hearing aids before, during, and after the hearing aid trial. A control group of age-matched participants followed the same experimental protocol, except they were not fitted with hearing aids.

Results

Using hearing aids for 6 weeks significantly reduced participants' perceived stigma of hearing aids, personal distress and inadequacy due to hearing difficulties, and hearing handicap.

Conclusions

A hearing aid trial can have a positive effect on a person's attitudes toward wearing hearing aids and decrease hearing handicap.

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The Relationship Between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Sensorineural Hearing Loss in the Pediatric and Adolescent Population

Purpose

A correlation between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was described in adults. In this study, we examined if there is a relationship between IDA and hearing loss in the pediatric population.

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of data collected from the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside database from 2011 to 2016. Children and adolescents 4–21 years old seen at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, were examined for hearing loss and IDA status. Hearing loss was determined by International Classification of Disease-9 and -10 codes, and IDA was determined by both low hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels for age and sex.

Results

We identified 20,113 patients. Prevalence of hearing loss and IDA was 1.7% and 2.3%, respectively. The prevalence of all hearing loss was 3.0% in the IDA cohort and 1.7% in those without IDA. Children and adolescents with IDA are at increased odds of developing SNHL (adjusted odds ratio: 3.67, 95% CI [1.60–7.30]).

Conclusions

Children with IDA demonstrate increased likelihood of SNHL. Although correction of IDA in those with hearing loss has yet to be linked to improvements in hearing outcomes, screening for and correcting IDA among pediatric patients will positively affect overall health status.

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Changes in Psychosocial Measures after a 6-Week Field Trial

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which intervention with hearing aids, namely, a 6-week hearing aid field trial, can minimize the psychosocial consequences of hearing loss in adults who have previously not sought treatment for their hearing loss.

Method

Twenty-four adults with mild to moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, who had never worn hearing aids or sought help for their hearing loss, participated in this study. Participants were fitted with receiver-in-canal hearing aids, bilaterally, and wore them for 6 weeks. Participants completed subjective measures of hearing handicap and attitudes about hearing loss and hearing aids before, during, and after the hearing aid trial. A control group of age-matched participants followed the same experimental protocol, except they were not fitted with hearing aids.

Results

Using hearing aids for 6 weeks significantly reduced participants' perceived stigma of hearing aids, personal distress and inadequacy due to hearing difficulties, and hearing handicap.

Conclusions

A hearing aid trial can have a positive effect on a person's attitudes toward wearing hearing aids and decrease hearing handicap.

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The Relationship Between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Sensorineural Hearing Loss in the Pediatric and Adolescent Population

Purpose

A correlation between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was described in adults. In this study, we examined if there is a relationship between IDA and hearing loss in the pediatric population.

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of data collected from the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside database from 2011 to 2016. Children and adolescents 4–21 years old seen at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, were examined for hearing loss and IDA status. Hearing loss was determined by International Classification of Disease-9 and -10 codes, and IDA was determined by both low hemoglobin and serum ferritin levels for age and sex.

Results

We identified 20,113 patients. Prevalence of hearing loss and IDA was 1.7% and 2.3%, respectively. The prevalence of all hearing loss was 3.0% in the IDA cohort and 1.7% in those without IDA. Children and adolescents with IDA are at increased odds of developing SNHL (adjusted odds ratio: 3.67, 95% CI [1.60–7.30]).

Conclusions

Children with IDA demonstrate increased likelihood of SNHL. Although correction of IDA in those with hearing loss has yet to be linked to improvements in hearing outcomes, screening for and correcting IDA among pediatric patients will positively affect overall health status.

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Changes in Psychosocial Measures after a 6-Week Field Trial

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which intervention with hearing aids, namely, a 6-week hearing aid field trial, can minimize the psychosocial consequences of hearing loss in adults who have previously not sought treatment for their hearing loss.

Method

Twenty-four adults with mild to moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, who had never worn hearing aids or sought help for their hearing loss, participated in this study. Participants were fitted with receiver-in-canal hearing aids, bilaterally, and wore them for 6 weeks. Participants completed subjective measures of hearing handicap and attitudes about hearing loss and hearing aids before, during, and after the hearing aid trial. A control group of age-matched participants followed the same experimental protocol, except they were not fitted with hearing aids.

Results

Using hearing aids for 6 weeks significantly reduced participants' perceived stigma of hearing aids, personal distress and inadequacy due to hearing difficulties, and hearing handicap.

Conclusions

A hearing aid trial can have a positive effect on a person's attitudes toward wearing hearing aids and decrease hearing handicap.

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Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing

.


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The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group

.


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Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

.


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Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds – perception by normal hearing subjects

.


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Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing

.


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The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group

.


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Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

.


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Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds – perception by normal hearing subjects

.


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Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-11

Authors: Prabhu P, Barman A

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study attempted to compare the aided benefit using low-cut modified amplification and channel-free hearing aids in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). It was also attempted to determine these effects in good and poor performers with ANSD.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional within group pretest, post-test design.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-five individuals with acquired ANSD were selected for the study. The study sample included 11 males and 14 females between the age ranges of 17-40 years (mean age of 24.6 years).
RESULTS: The results of the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that aided benefit was significantly higher with the channel-free hearing aid. Mixed ANOVA results showed that the improvement was more in good performers than poor performers with ANSD. Multiple regression analyses showed that speech identification scores are a strong predictor of aided benefit.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that channel-free hearing aids and low-cut modified amplification can be used as an efficient alternative technique during hearing aid fitting for individuals with ANSD. However, further evidence-based studies on a larger group are essential to validate the results.

PMID: 28485679 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-5

Authors: Corry M, Sanders M, Searchfield GD

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To undertake a preliminary evaluation of the test-retest reliability, and accuracy of an iPad audiometer app using commercial earphones as a low-cost alternative to a clinical audiometer in a restricted sample of normal hearing participants.
DESIGN: Twenty participants self-reporting normal hearing undertook four pure-tone audiometry tests in a single session. Two tests were performed with a 2-channel Type 1 audiometer (GSI-61) using EAR insert earphones and two tests with an iPad based app (Audiogram Mobile) using Apple earbud headphones.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty normal hearing participants (13 female and seven male participants, aged 21-26 years) were recruited for the test-retest and accuracy evaluations.
RESULTS: The app resulted in different thresholds to the audiometer (F(1, 19) = 16.635, p < 0.001). However test-retest reliability was similar. The app froze or quit unexpectedly over 25% of times used.
CONCLUSIONS: Audiometer apps have great potential for clinical settings, especially in resource scarce environments, but reliability should not be assumed. While a low cost-alternative to standard transducers, issues of accuracy and calibration of consumer headphones need to be addressed before such combinations can be used with confidence.

PMID: 28485673 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-9

Authors: Skagerstrand Å, Köbler S, Stenfelt S

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Sounds in the daily environment may cause loudness and annoyance. The present study investigated the perception of loudness and annoyance for eight different sounds present in a daily sound environment and at nine different levels varying by ±20 dB around the recorded level. The outcomes were related to tests of participants' auditory and cognitive abilities.
DESIGN: The participants undertook auditory and working memory (WM) tests prior to ratings of everyday sounds previously shown to be disturbing for persons with hearing impairment (hearing aid users).
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-one participants aged between 24 and 71 years, with normal hearing threshold levels.
RESULTS: Both perceived loudness and annoyance were primarily driven by the sound level. Sounds emitted from paper were rated as having greater loudness and being more annoying than the other sound sources at the same sound level. Auditory and cognitive abilities did not influence the perception of loudness and annoyance.
CONCLUSIONS: Loudness and annoyance ratings were mainly driven by sound level. Expectations of a sound seemed to influence the assessment of loudness and annoyance while auditory performance and WM capacity showed no influence on the ratings.

PMID: 28485649 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-6

Authors: Yang HI, Zeng FG

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to measure bimodal benefits and probe their underlying mechanisms in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) subjects who had contralateral residual acoustic hearing.
DESIGN: The subjects recognised words or phonemes from the Mandarin Lexical Neighborhood Test in noise at a 10-dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with acoustic stimulation, electric stimulation or the combined bimodal stimulation.
STUDY SAMPLE: Thirteen Mandarin-speaking subjects wore a CI in one ear and had residual acoustic hearing in the contralateral ear. Six of the subjects (5.2-13.0 years) had pre-lingual onset of severe hearing loss, and seven of them (8.6-45.8 years) had post-lingual onset of severe hearing loss.
RESULTS: Both groups of subjects produced a significant bimodal benefit in word recognition in noise. Consonants and tones accounted for the bimodal benefit. The bimodal integration efficiency was negatively correlated with the duration of deafness in the implanted ear for vowel recognition but positively correlated with CI or bimodal experience for consonant recognition.
CONCLUSIONS: The present results support preservation of residual acoustic hearing, early cochlear implantation and continuous use of bimodal hearing for subjects who have significant residual hearing in the non-implanted ear.

PMID: 28485635 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-11

Authors: Prabhu P, Barman A

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study attempted to compare the aided benefit using low-cut modified amplification and channel-free hearing aids in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). It was also attempted to determine these effects in good and poor performers with ANSD.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional within group pretest, post-test design.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-five individuals with acquired ANSD were selected for the study. The study sample included 11 males and 14 females between the age ranges of 17-40 years (mean age of 24.6 years).
RESULTS: The results of the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that aided benefit was significantly higher with the channel-free hearing aid. Mixed ANOVA results showed that the improvement was more in good performers than poor performers with ANSD. Multiple regression analyses showed that speech identification scores are a strong predictor of aided benefit.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that channel-free hearing aids and low-cut modified amplification can be used as an efficient alternative technique during hearing aid fitting for individuals with ANSD. However, further evidence-based studies on a larger group are essential to validate the results.

PMID: 28485679 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-5

Authors: Corry M, Sanders M, Searchfield GD

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To undertake a preliminary evaluation of the test-retest reliability, and accuracy of an iPad audiometer app using commercial earphones as a low-cost alternative to a clinical audiometer in a restricted sample of normal hearing participants.
DESIGN: Twenty participants self-reporting normal hearing undertook four pure-tone audiometry tests in a single session. Two tests were performed with a 2-channel Type 1 audiometer (GSI-61) using EAR insert earphones and two tests with an iPad based app (Audiogram Mobile) using Apple earbud headphones.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty normal hearing participants (13 female and seven male participants, aged 21-26 years) were recruited for the test-retest and accuracy evaluations.
RESULTS: The app resulted in different thresholds to the audiometer (F(1, 19) = 16.635, p < 0.001). However test-retest reliability was similar. The app froze or quit unexpectedly over 25% of times used.
CONCLUSIONS: Audiometer apps have great potential for clinical settings, especially in resource scarce environments, but reliability should not be assumed. While a low cost-alternative to standard transducers, issues of accuracy and calibration of consumer headphones need to be addressed before such combinations can be used with confidence.

PMID: 28485673 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-9

Authors: Skagerstrand Å, Köbler S, Stenfelt S

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Sounds in the daily environment may cause loudness and annoyance. The present study investigated the perception of loudness and annoyance for eight different sounds present in a daily sound environment and at nine different levels varying by ±20 dB around the recorded level. The outcomes were related to tests of participants' auditory and cognitive abilities.
DESIGN: The participants undertook auditory and working memory (WM) tests prior to ratings of everyday sounds previously shown to be disturbing for persons with hearing impairment (hearing aid users).
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-one participants aged between 24 and 71 years, with normal hearing threshold levels.
RESULTS: Both perceived loudness and annoyance were primarily driven by the sound level. Sounds emitted from paper were rated as having greater loudness and being more annoying than the other sound sources at the same sound level. Auditory and cognitive abilities did not influence the perception of loudness and annoyance.
CONCLUSIONS: Loudness and annoyance ratings were mainly driven by sound level. Expectations of a sound seemed to influence the assessment of loudness and annoyance while auditory performance and WM capacity showed no influence on the ratings.

PMID: 28485649 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-6

Authors: Yang HI, Zeng FG

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to measure bimodal benefits and probe their underlying mechanisms in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) subjects who had contralateral residual acoustic hearing.
DESIGN: The subjects recognised words or phonemes from the Mandarin Lexical Neighborhood Test in noise at a 10-dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with acoustic stimulation, electric stimulation or the combined bimodal stimulation.
STUDY SAMPLE: Thirteen Mandarin-speaking subjects wore a CI in one ear and had residual acoustic hearing in the contralateral ear. Six of the subjects (5.2-13.0 years) had pre-lingual onset of severe hearing loss, and seven of them (8.6-45.8 years) had post-lingual onset of severe hearing loss.
RESULTS: Both groups of subjects produced a significant bimodal benefit in word recognition in noise. Consonants and tones accounted for the bimodal benefit. The bimodal integration efficiency was negatively correlated with the duration of deafness in the implanted ear for vowel recognition but positively correlated with CI or bimodal experience for consonant recognition.
CONCLUSIONS: The present results support preservation of residual acoustic hearing, early cochlear implantation and continuous use of bimodal hearing for subjects who have significant residual hearing in the non-implanted ear.

PMID: 28485635 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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via IFTTT

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing

.


from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0XNap
via IFTTT

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group

.


from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqJCyp
via IFTTT

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

.


from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0VK6c
via IFTTT

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds – perception by normal hearing subjects

.


from #Audiology via xlomafota13 on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqMviD
via IFTTT

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0XNap
via IFTTT

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqJCyp
via IFTTT

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0VK6c
via IFTTT

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds – perception by normal hearing subjects

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqMviD
via IFTTT

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-11

Authors: Prabhu P, Barman A

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study attempted to compare the aided benefit using low-cut modified amplification and channel-free hearing aids in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). It was also attempted to determine these effects in good and poor performers with ANSD.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional within group pretest, post-test design.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-five individuals with acquired ANSD were selected for the study. The study sample included 11 males and 14 females between the age ranges of 17-40 years (mean age of 24.6 years).
RESULTS: The results of the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that aided benefit was significantly higher with the channel-free hearing aid. Mixed ANOVA results showed that the improvement was more in good performers than poor performers with ANSD. Multiple regression analyses showed that speech identification scores are a strong predictor of aided benefit.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that channel-free hearing aids and low-cut modified amplification can be used as an efficient alternative technique during hearing aid fitting for individuals with ANSD. However, further evidence-based studies on a larger group are essential to validate the results.

PMID: 28485679 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqyDVE
via IFTTT

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-5

Authors: Corry M, Sanders M, Searchfield GD

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To undertake a preliminary evaluation of the test-retest reliability, and accuracy of an iPad audiometer app using commercial earphones as a low-cost alternative to a clinical audiometer in a restricted sample of normal hearing participants.
DESIGN: Twenty participants self-reporting normal hearing undertook four pure-tone audiometry tests in a single session. Two tests were performed with a 2-channel Type 1 audiometer (GSI-61) using EAR insert earphones and two tests with an iPad based app (Audiogram Mobile) using Apple earbud headphones.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty normal hearing participants (13 female and seven male participants, aged 21-26 years) were recruited for the test-retest and accuracy evaluations.
RESULTS: The app resulted in different thresholds to the audiometer (F(1, 19) = 16.635, p < 0.001). However test-retest reliability was similar. The app froze or quit unexpectedly over 25% of times used.
CONCLUSIONS: Audiometer apps have great potential for clinical settings, especially in resource scarce environments, but reliability should not be assumed. While a low cost-alternative to standard transducers, issues of accuracy and calibration of consumer headphones need to be addressed before such combinations can be used with confidence.

PMID: 28485673 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0ZSTE
via IFTTT

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-9

Authors: Skagerstrand Å, Köbler S, Stenfelt S

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Sounds in the daily environment may cause loudness and annoyance. The present study investigated the perception of loudness and annoyance for eight different sounds present in a daily sound environment and at nine different levels varying by ±20 dB around the recorded level. The outcomes were related to tests of participants' auditory and cognitive abilities.
DESIGN: The participants undertook auditory and working memory (WM) tests prior to ratings of everyday sounds previously shown to be disturbing for persons with hearing impairment (hearing aid users).
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-one participants aged between 24 and 71 years, with normal hearing threshold levels.
RESULTS: Both perceived loudness and annoyance were primarily driven by the sound level. Sounds emitted from paper were rated as having greater loudness and being more annoying than the other sound sources at the same sound level. Auditory and cognitive abilities did not influence the perception of loudness and annoyance.
CONCLUSIONS: Loudness and annoyance ratings were mainly driven by sound level. Expectations of a sound seemed to influence the assessment of loudness and annoyance while auditory performance and WM capacity showed no influence on the ratings.

PMID: 28485649 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqHaYE
via IFTTT

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-6

Authors: Yang HI, Zeng FG

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to measure bimodal benefits and probe their underlying mechanisms in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) subjects who had contralateral residual acoustic hearing.
DESIGN: The subjects recognised words or phonemes from the Mandarin Lexical Neighborhood Test in noise at a 10-dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with acoustic stimulation, electric stimulation or the combined bimodal stimulation.
STUDY SAMPLE: Thirteen Mandarin-speaking subjects wore a CI in one ear and had residual acoustic hearing in the contralateral ear. Six of the subjects (5.2-13.0 years) had pre-lingual onset of severe hearing loss, and seven of them (8.6-45.8 years) had post-lingual onset of severe hearing loss.
RESULTS: Both groups of subjects produced a significant bimodal benefit in word recognition in noise. Consonants and tones accounted for the bimodal benefit. The bimodal integration efficiency was negatively correlated with the duration of deafness in the implanted ear for vowel recognition but positively correlated with CI or bimodal experience for consonant recognition.
CONCLUSIONS: The present results support preservation of residual acoustic hearing, early cochlear implantation and continuous use of bimodal hearing for subjects who have significant residual hearing in the non-implanted ear.

PMID: 28485635 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0Wo3m
via IFTTT

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0XNap
via IFTTT

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqJCyp
via IFTTT

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0VK6c
via IFTTT

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds – perception by normal hearing subjects

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqMviD
via IFTTT

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Effectiveness of low-cut modified amplification strategy and channel-free hearing aid in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-11

Authors: Prabhu P, Barman A

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study attempted to compare the aided benefit using low-cut modified amplification and channel-free hearing aids in individuals with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). It was also attempted to determine these effects in good and poor performers with ANSD.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional within group pretest, post-test design.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-five individuals with acquired ANSD were selected for the study. The study sample included 11 males and 14 females between the age ranges of 17-40 years (mean age of 24.6 years).
RESULTS: The results of the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that aided benefit was significantly higher with the channel-free hearing aid. Mixed ANOVA results showed that the improvement was more in good performers than poor performers with ANSD. Multiple regression analyses showed that speech identification scores are a strong predictor of aided benefit.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that channel-free hearing aids and low-cut modified amplification can be used as an efficient alternative technique during hearing aid fitting for individuals with ANSD. However, further evidence-based studies on a larger group are essential to validate the results.

PMID: 28485679 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqyDVE
via IFTTT

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

The accuracy and reliability of an app-based audiometer using consumer headphones: pure tone audiometry in a normal hearing group.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-5

Authors: Corry M, Sanders M, Searchfield GD

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To undertake a preliminary evaluation of the test-retest reliability, and accuracy of an iPad audiometer app using commercial earphones as a low-cost alternative to a clinical audiometer in a restricted sample of normal hearing participants.
DESIGN: Twenty participants self-reporting normal hearing undertook four pure-tone audiometry tests in a single session. Two tests were performed with a 2-channel Type 1 audiometer (GSI-61) using EAR insert earphones and two tests with an iPad based app (Audiogram Mobile) using Apple earbud headphones.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty normal hearing participants (13 female and seven male participants, aged 21-26 years) were recruited for the test-retest and accuracy evaluations.
RESULTS: The app resulted in different thresholds to the audiometer (F(1, 19) = 16.635, p < 0.001). However test-retest reliability was similar. The app froze or quit unexpectedly over 25% of times used.
CONCLUSIONS: Audiometer apps have great potential for clinical settings, especially in resource scarce environments, but reliability should not be assumed. While a low cost-alternative to standard transducers, issues of accuracy and calibration of consumer headphones need to be addressed before such combinations can be used with confidence.

PMID: 28485673 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2r0ZSTE
via IFTTT

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Loudness and annoyance of disturbing sounds - perception by normal hearing subjects.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-9

Authors: Skagerstrand Å, Köbler S, Stenfelt S

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Sounds in the daily environment may cause loudness and annoyance. The present study investigated the perception of loudness and annoyance for eight different sounds present in a daily sound environment and at nine different levels varying by ±20 dB around the recorded level. The outcomes were related to tests of participants' auditory and cognitive abilities.
DESIGN: The participants undertook auditory and working memory (WM) tests prior to ratings of everyday sounds previously shown to be disturbing for persons with hearing impairment (hearing aid users).
STUDY SAMPLE: Twenty-one participants aged between 24 and 71 years, with normal hearing threshold levels.
RESULTS: Both perceived loudness and annoyance were primarily driven by the sound level. Sounds emitted from paper were rated as having greater loudness and being more annoying than the other sound sources at the same sound level. Auditory and cognitive abilities did not influence the perception of loudness and annoyance.
CONCLUSIONS: Loudness and annoyance ratings were mainly driven by sound level. Expectations of a sound seemed to influence the assessment of loudness and annoyance while auditory performance and WM capacity showed no influence on the ratings.

PMID: 28485649 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2qqHaYE
via IFTTT

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Bimodal benefits in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant users with contralateral residual acoustic hearing.

Int J Audiol. 2017 May 09;:1-6

Authors: Yang HI, Zeng FG

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to measure bimodal benefits and probe their underlying mechanisms in Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) subjects who had contralateral residual acoustic hearing.
DESIGN: The subjects recognised words or phonemes from the Mandarin Lexical Neighborhood Test in noise at a 10-dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with acoustic stimulation, electric stimulation or the combined bimodal stimulation.
STUDY SAMPLE: Thirteen Mandarin-speaking subjects wore a CI in one ear and had residual acoustic hearing in the contralateral ear. Six of the subjects (5.2-13.0 years) had pre-lingual onset of severe hearing loss, and seven of them (8.6-45.8 years) had post-lingual onset of severe hearing loss.
RESULTS: Both groups of subjects produced a significant bimodal benefit in word recognition in noise. Consonants and tones accounted for the bimodal benefit. The bimodal integration efficiency was negatively correlated with the duration of deafness in the implanted ear for vowel recognition but positively correlated with CI or bimodal experience for consonant recognition.
CONCLUSIONS: The present results support preservation of residual acoustic hearing, early cochlear implantation and continuous use of bimodal hearing for subjects who have significant residual hearing in the non-implanted ear.

PMID: 28485635 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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via IFTTT

The Effects of Age and Hearing Loss on Dual-Task Balance and Listening.

The Effects of Age and Hearing Loss on Dual-Task Balance and Listening.

J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2017 May 09;:

Authors: Bruce H, Aponte D, St-Onge N, Phillips N, Gagné JP, Li KZH

Abstract
Objectives: Among older adults (OA), hearing loss is associated with an increased risk for falls. The aim of the present study was to experimentally investigate the cognitive compensation hypothesis, wherein decreased auditory and motor functioning are compensated by the recruitment of cognitive resources.
Method: Twenty-nine younger adults (YA), 26 OA, and 32 OA with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) completed a dual-task paradigm consisting of cognitive and balance recovery tasks performed singly and concurrently. The auditory stimuli were presented with or without background noise.
Results: Both older adult groups performed significantly worse than YA on the cognitive task in noisy conditions and ARHL also demonstrated disproportionate negative effects of dual-tasking and noise. The kinematic data indicated that OA and ARHL demonstrated greater plantarflexion when compared with YA. Conversely, YA showed greater hip extension in response to dual-tasking.
Discussion: The cognitive and balance results suggest that YA were able to flexibly allocate their attention between tasks, whereas ARHL exhibited prioritization of posture over cognitive performance.

PMID: 28486677 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The surgical treatment results of otosclerosis at the Department of Otolaryngology Silesian Medical University in Zabrze in years 2000-2010.

The surgical treatment results of otosclerosis at the Department of Otolaryngology Silesian Medical University in Zabrze in years 2000-2010.

Otolaryngol Pol. 2017 Apr 30;71(2):16-21

Authors: Czerwińska G, Ścierski W, Namysłowski G, Lisowska G, Misiołek M

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Otosclerosis is a cause of 5-9% of all hearing loss. The most effective treatment of otoslerosis is stapedotomy.
AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of otosclerosis surgical treatment and to examine the impact of disease stage, time of the signs, age and sex on the results.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: 105 patients who underwent operation due to otosclerosis at the Department of Otolaryngology University Hospital in Zabrze at the age of 18-65 were analyzed. In 25 patients stapedotomy was bilateral. 130 cases of treated ears were included in the statistical analysis. The state of hearing after operation was evaluated with regard to guidance of Hearing and Balance Committee of American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery and with consideration of suggestions made by European Academy of Otolaryngology and Neurootology. Mean values of bone and air conduction, air bone gap before, one year after treatment, and at least 4 years after surgery were compared. The influence of stage of the disease in terms of Shambaugh index, lasting of signs, age and sex were evaluated with regard to change of mean hearing loss according to Bell Telephone Laboratories.
RESULTS: On the basis of hearing examination evaluating improvement in air and bone conduction and reduction of cochlear reserve, very good and good treatment results were obtained in over 90% of patients in short and long term observations. No influence of disease stage, time of signs lasting, age and sex on the results of treatment - with regard to change in mean hearing loss was shown.

PMID: 28485298 [PubMed - in process]

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