New NIH Study to Investigate Hearing Loss among Firefighters

​A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health will examine the connection between heavy metal exposure, genetic predisposition, and auditory dysfunction among firefighters, paving the way for the development of preventive measures to reduce the risk of hearing loss within this population. The nearly $400,000 three-year research project will test the hearing, assay bone lead, and urinary cadmium levels of 200 firefighters in Detroit, MI, and assess the frequency of two distinct variants of an antioxidant gene (SOD2) to determine the interaction between environmental exposure to heavy metals, genetic factors, and hearing loss. Samson Jamesdaniel, PhD, an assistant professor in the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at Wayne State University who will be leading this study, said this research is expected to directly benefit firefighters by identifying the environmental risk factors and genetic susceptibilities that contribute to hearing impairment. "The ultimate goal will be to apply this knowledge to human remediation studies in this vulnerable population and identify preventative measures that will protect firefighters and others from hearing loss caused by environmental exposure," Jamesdaniel said. 

Published: 11/16/2018 10:07:00 AM

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InnerScope Opens its First Hearing Aid Retail Clinic

​InnerScope (https://www.innd.com/) has opened the first of its 22 new hearing aid retail clinics planned within Northern California in the coming six to 12 months. Each clinic is expected to generate $500,000 to $1 million in its first-year annual hearing aid sales revenue with a growth factor of at least five percent every year after, with some retail clinics expecting to generate $1.5 to $2 million in annual hearing aid sales revenue in its first year based on its location, senior demographics, and the reported number of hearing aid sales currently generated from the competition in the market area. The founders of InnerScope generated over $16 million in annual hearing aid sales from the 20 retail clinics they opened and sold in 2016. The rollout plan of these new clinics aims at opening two or more new locations every month starting in November 2018. The company is looking to staff these new hearing aid retail clinics with experienced hearing health professionals and open four more clinics before the end of the year, two in the Sacramento area and two in the east San Francisco Bay area. 

Published: 11/16/2018 10:07:00 AM

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New NIH Study to Investigate Hearing Loss among Firefighters

​A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health will examine the connection between heavy metal exposure, genetic predisposition, and auditory dysfunction among firefighters, paving the way for the development of preventive measures to reduce the risk of hearing loss within this population. The nearly $400,000 three-year research project will test the hearing, assay bone lead, and urinary cadmium levels of 200 firefighters in Detroit, MI, and assess the frequency of two distinct variants of an antioxidant gene (SOD2) to determine the interaction between environmental exposure to heavy metals, genetic factors, and hearing loss. Samson Jamesdaniel, PhD, an assistant professor in the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at Wayne State University who will be leading this study, said this research is expected to directly benefit firefighters by identifying the environmental risk factors and genetic susceptibilities that contribute to hearing impairment. "The ultimate goal will be to apply this knowledge to human remediation studies in this vulnerable population and identify preventative measures that will protect firefighters and others from hearing loss caused by environmental exposure," Jamesdaniel said. 

Published: 11/16/2018 10:07:00 AM

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InnerScope Opens its First Hearing Aid Retail Clinic

​InnerScope (https://www.innd.com/) has opened the first of its 22 new hearing aid retail clinics planned within Northern California in the coming six to 12 months. Each clinic is expected to generate $500,000 to $1 million in its first-year annual hearing aid sales revenue with a growth factor of at least five percent every year after, with some retail clinics expecting to generate $1.5 to $2 million in annual hearing aid sales revenue in its first year based on its location, senior demographics, and the reported number of hearing aid sales currently generated from the competition in the market area. The founders of InnerScope generated over $16 million in annual hearing aid sales from the 20 retail clinics they opened and sold in 2016. The rollout plan of these new clinics aims at opening two or more new locations every month starting in November 2018. The company is looking to staff these new hearing aid retail clinics with experienced hearing health professionals and open four more clinics before the end of the year, two in the Sacramento area and two in the east San Francisco Bay area. 

Published: 11/16/2018 10:07:00 AM

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Sensitivity to Morphosyntactic Information in Preschool Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorder: A Follow-Up Study

Purpose

This study tested children's sensitivity to tense/agreement information in fronted auxiliaries during online comprehension of questions (e.g., Are the nice little dogs running?). Data from children with developmental language disorder (DLD) were compared to previously published data from typically developing (TD) children matched according to sentence comprehension test scores.

Method

Fifteen 5-year-old children with DLD and fifteen 3-year-old TD children participated in a looking-while-listening task. Children viewed pairs of pictures, 1 with a single agent and 1 with multiple agents, accompanied by a sentence with a fronted auxiliary (is + single agent or are + two agents) or a control sentence. Proportion looking to the target was measured.

Results

Children with DLD did not show anticipatory looking based on the number information contained in the auxiliary (is or are) as the younger TD children had. Both groups showed significant increases in looking to the target upon hearing the subject noun (e.g., dogs).

Conclusions

Despite the groups' similar sentence comprehension abilities and ability to accurately respond to the information provided by the subject noun, children with DLD did not show sensitivity to number information on the fronted auxiliary. This insensitivity is considered in light of these children's weaker command of tense/agreement forms in their speech. Specifically, we consider the possibility that failure to grasp the relation between the subject–verb sequence (e.g., dogs running) and preceding information (e.g., are) in questions in the input contributes to the protracted inconsistency in producing auxiliary forms in obligatory contexts by children with DLD.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7283459

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Sensitivity to Morphosyntactic Information in Preschool Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorder: A Follow-Up Study

Purpose

This study tested children's sensitivity to tense/agreement information in fronted auxiliaries during online comprehension of questions (e.g., Are the nice little dogs running?). Data from children with developmental language disorder (DLD) were compared to previously published data from typically developing (TD) children matched according to sentence comprehension test scores.

Method

Fifteen 5-year-old children with DLD and fifteen 3-year-old TD children participated in a looking-while-listening task. Children viewed pairs of pictures, 1 with a single agent and 1 with multiple agents, accompanied by a sentence with a fronted auxiliary (is + single agent or are + two agents) or a control sentence. Proportion looking to the target was measured.

Results

Children with DLD did not show anticipatory looking based on the number information contained in the auxiliary (is or are) as the younger TD children had. Both groups showed significant increases in looking to the target upon hearing the subject noun (e.g., dogs).

Conclusions

Despite the groups' similar sentence comprehension abilities and ability to accurately respond to the information provided by the subject noun, children with DLD did not show sensitivity to number information on the fronted auxiliary. This insensitivity is considered in light of these children's weaker command of tense/agreement forms in their speech. Specifically, we consider the possibility that failure to grasp the relation between the subject–verb sequence (e.g., dogs running) and preceding information (e.g., are) in questions in the input contributes to the protracted inconsistency in producing auxiliary forms in obligatory contexts by children with DLD.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7283459

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A preliminary study on time-compressed speech recognition in noise among teenage students who use personal listening devices

.


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International journal of audiology reviewer contact information

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2Bavz3V
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A preliminary study on time-compressed speech recognition in noise among teenage students who use personal listening devices

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2Kf9swp
via IFTTT

International journal of audiology reviewer contact information

.


from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2Bavz3V
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A preliminary study on time-compressed speech recognition in noise among teenage students who use personal listening devices

.


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International journal of audiology reviewer contact information

.


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A preliminary study on time-compressed speech recognition in noise among teenage students who use personal listening devices

.


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International journal of audiology reviewer contact information

.


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Impact of cochlear implantation on peripheral vestibular function in adults.

Impact of cochlear implantation on peripheral vestibular function in adults.

Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2018 Dec;135(6):417-420

Authors: Colin V, Bertholon P, Roy S, Karkas A

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cochlear implantation may have a detrimental effect on vestibular function and residual hearing. Our goal was to investigate the impact of cochlear implantation on peripheral vestibular function and the symptomatology that ensues.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective observational study included all adults undergoing cochlear implantation by the same operator between July 2014 and December 2015, with pre- and postoperative (4 months) neurovestibular balance examination comprising a questionnaire and clinical tests [head impulse test (HIT), head-shaking test (HST), skull vibration test (SVT)] and instrumental tests [caloric test of the lateral semicircular canal and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP)].
RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were included, with a mean age of 62 years and sex-ratio of 1.2. Before implantation, 50% of subjects (n=11) reported at least one episode of vertigo associated with balance disorder during their life. After implantation, there were 11 cases of vertigo but only one patient described persistent discomfort related to vertigo 4 months after surgery. Patients with impaired vestibular function after 4 months, taking all symptoms together, were all aged more than 75 years. HIT was abnormal in 18% of cases before implantation and in 59% after (P=NS). HST showed nystagmus in one patient both before and after surgery. Only 18% of patients showed nystagmus induced by SVT before surgery, increasing to one-third after surgery (P=NS). Caloric test of the lateral canal showed hypofunction in 50% of cases before surgery, including 10% of cases with areflexia. This rate increased after surgery to 58%, with 18% areflexia (P=NS). cVEMPs were not detected in 68% of cases before implantation and this rate increased to 86% after surgery (P=NS). There were no significant associations (P>0.05) between test results and symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS: In the medium term, although older subjects more frequently presented vestibular disorder, cochlear implantation induced little vertigo or balance disorder, sometimes even improving vestibular function. However, vestibular disorders were frequent preoperatively and increased postoperatively. We tested vestibular function on different stimulation frequencies and yet found no correlation between postoperative test results and postoperative vertigo.

PMID: 30431000 [PubMed - in process]

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Impact of cochlear implantation on peripheral vestibular function in adults.

Impact of cochlear implantation on peripheral vestibular function in adults.

Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis. 2018 Dec;135(6):417-420

Authors: Colin V, Bertholon P, Roy S, Karkas A

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cochlear implantation may have a detrimental effect on vestibular function and residual hearing. Our goal was to investigate the impact of cochlear implantation on peripheral vestibular function and the symptomatology that ensues.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective observational study included all adults undergoing cochlear implantation by the same operator between July 2014 and December 2015, with pre- and postoperative (4 months) neurovestibular balance examination comprising a questionnaire and clinical tests [head impulse test (HIT), head-shaking test (HST), skull vibration test (SVT)] and instrumental tests [caloric test of the lateral semicircular canal and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP)].
RESULTS: Twenty-two patients were included, with a mean age of 62 years and sex-ratio of 1.2. Before implantation, 50% of subjects (n=11) reported at least one episode of vertigo associated with balance disorder during their life. After implantation, there were 11 cases of vertigo but only one patient described persistent discomfort related to vertigo 4 months after surgery. Patients with impaired vestibular function after 4 months, taking all symptoms together, were all aged more than 75 years. HIT was abnormal in 18% of cases before implantation and in 59% after (P=NS). HST showed nystagmus in one patient both before and after surgery. Only 18% of patients showed nystagmus induced by SVT before surgery, increasing to one-third after surgery (P=NS). Caloric test of the lateral canal showed hypofunction in 50% of cases before surgery, including 10% of cases with areflexia. This rate increased after surgery to 58%, with 18% areflexia (P=NS). cVEMPs were not detected in 68% of cases before implantation and this rate increased to 86% after surgery (P=NS). There were no significant associations (P>0.05) between test results and symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS: In the medium term, although older subjects more frequently presented vestibular disorder, cochlear implantation induced little vertigo or balance disorder, sometimes even improving vestibular function. However, vestibular disorders were frequent preoperatively and increased postoperatively. We tested vestibular function on different stimulation frequencies and yet found no correlation between postoperative test results and postoperative vertigo.

PMID: 30431000 [PubMed - in process]

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Speech Recognition in Noise in Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Digital Remote Wireless Microphone Technology.

Speech Recognition in Noise in Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Digital Remote Wireless Microphone Technology.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Nov 15;:

Authors: Wesarg T, Arndt S, Wiebe K, Schmid F, Huber A, Mülder HE, Laszig R, Aschendorff A, Speck I

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous research in cochlear implant (CI) recipients with bilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss showed improvements in speech recognition in noise using remote wireless microphone systems. However, to our knowledge, no previous studies have addressed the benefit of these systems in CI recipients with single-sided deafness.
PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential improvement in speech recognition in noise for distant speakers in single-sided deaf (SSD) CI recipients obtained using the digital remote wireless microphone system, Roger. In addition, we evaluated the potential benefit in normal hearing (NH) participants gained by applying this system.
RESEARCH DESIGN: Speech recognition in noise for a distant speaker in different conditions with and without Roger was evaluated with a two-way repeated-measures design in each group, SSD CI recipients, and NH participants. Post hoc analyses were conducted using pairwise comparison t-tests with Bonferroni correction.
STUDY SAMPLE: Eleven adult SSD participants aided with CIs and eleven adult NH participants were included in this study.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All participants were assessed in 15 test conditions (5 listening conditions × 3 noise levels) each. The listening conditions for SSD CI recipients included the following: (I) only NH ear and CI turned off, (II) NH ear and CI (turned on), (III) NH ear and CI with Roger 14, (IV) NH ear with Roger Focus and CI, and (V) NH ear with Roger Focus and CI with Roger 14. For the NH participants, five corresponding listening conditions were chosen: (I) only better ear and weaker ear masked, (II) both ears, (III) better ear and weaker ear with Roger Focus, (IV) better ear with Roger Focus and weaker ear, and (V) both ears with Roger Focus. The speech level was fixed at 65 dB(A) at 1 meter from the speech-presenting loudspeaker, yielding a speech level of 56.5 dB(A) at the recipient's head. Noise levels were 55, 65, and 75 dB(A). Digitally altered noise recorded in school classrooms was used as competing noise. Speech recognition was measured in percent correct using the Oldenburg sentence test.
RESULTS: In SSD CI recipients, a significant improvement in speech recognition was found for all listening conditions with Roger (III, IV, and V) versus all no-Roger conditions (I and II) at the higher noise levels (65 and 75 dB[A]). NH participants significantly benefited from the application of Roger in noise for higher levels, too. In both groups, no significant difference was detected between any of the different listening conditions at 55 dB(A) competing noise. There was also no significant difference between any of the Roger conditions III, IV, and V across all noise levels.
CONCLUSIONS: The application of the advanced remote wireless microphone system, Roger, in SSD CI recipients provided significant benefits in speech recognition for distant speakers at higher noise levels. In NH participants, the application of Roger also produced a significant benefit in speech recognition in noise.

PMID: 30430986 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Optimum Response Filter Setting for Air Conduction-Induced Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential.

Optimum Response Filter Setting for Air Conduction-Induced Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Nov 15;:

Authors: Singh NK, Thirunavukkarasu K, Barman A

Abstract
BACKGROUND: A wide range of normative values of amplitude and latencies can be noticed in the publications on ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), possibly because of the inconsistent use of various stimulus and acquisition-related parameters such as response filter, gaze angle, onset polarity of stimulus, etc. One major nonuniform parameter across studies is the response filter. Several band-pass response filters such as 0.5-500, 1-1000, 5-500, 5-800, 10-750, 20-2000, 100-3000, and 200-1000 Hz have been used across published studies, and a wide range of normative values can be noticed. However, there is paucity of literature evidence to show that variations in response filters could cause alterations in oVEMP response.
PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of changes in response filter setting on oVEMP.
RESEARCH DESIGN: Normative study using repeated measures research design.
STUDY SAMPLE: Young adults in the age range of 18-35 years (N = 150) and older adults in the age range of 60-70 years (N = 10).
INTERVENTION: Contralateral air conduction oVEMP.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Contralateral air conduction oVEMP was obtained from only one ear of all participants. Low-pass filters (LPFs) of 500, 700, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 Hz and high-pass filters (HPFs) of 0.1, 1, 10, and 30 Hz were used in all possible combinations of one LPF and one HPF to create band-pass filters. Latencies, peak-to-peak amplitude, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were obtained for each response and comparison was made between various band-pass filters.
RESULTS: In young adults, there was a significant reduction in n1 and p1 latencies with increasing HPF and LPF (p < 0.01) and a significant reduction in peak-to-peak amplitude with increasing HPF (p < 0.008). The peak-to-peak amplitude was significantly not affected by changes in LPF (p > 0.05). In older adults, the response rate was better for 0.1- to 1000-Hz than 1- to 1000-Hz band-pass filters.
CONCLUSIONS: The optimum band-pass filter is 0.1-1000 Hz for recording oVEMP as it produces the largest amplitude oVEMP without compromising on SNR and causes improved response rate in older adults compared with 1- to 1000-Hz filters. Therefore, clinical recording of oVEMP should use 0.1-1000 Hz for obtaining large amplitude potentials and improving the chances of response detection in clinical population.

PMID: 30430985 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Effect of Intensity Level and Speech Stimulus Type on the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex.

Effect of Intensity Level and Speech Stimulus Type on the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Nov 15;:

Authors: Easterday M, Plyler PN, Lewis JD, Doettl SM

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Accurate vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) measurement requires control of extravestibular suppressive factors such as visual fixation. Although visual fixation is the dominant suppressor and has been extensively studied, the mechanisms underlying suppression from nonvisual factors of attention and auditory stimulation are less clear. It has been postulated that the nonvisual suppression of the VOR is the result of one of two mechanisms: (1) activation of auditory reception areas excites efferent pathways to the vestibular nuclei, thus inhibiting the VOR or (2) cortical modulation of the VOR results from directed attention, which implies a nonmodality-specific process.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to determine if the VOR is affected by the intensity level and/or type of speech stimulus.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A repeated measures design was used. The experiment was single-blinded.
STUDY SAMPLE: Participants included 17 adults (14 females, three males) between the ages of 18-34 years who reported normal oculomotor, vestibular, neurological, and musculoskeletal function.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Each participant underwent slow harmonic acceleration testing in a rotational chair. VOR gain was assessed at 0.02, 0.08, and 0.32 Hz in quiet (baseline). VOR gain was also assessed at each frequency while a forward running speech stimulus (attentional) or a backward running speech stimulus (nonattentional) was presented binaurally via insert earphones at 42, 62, and 82 dBA. The order of the conditions was randomized across participants. VOR difference gain was calculated as VOR gain in the auditory condition minus baseline VOR gain. To evaluate auditory efferent function, the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) was assayed using transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (right ear) measured in the presence and absence of broadband noise (left ear). Contralateral acoustic reflex thresholds were also assessed using a broadband noise elicitor. A three-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the effect of frequency, intensity level, and speech type on VOR difference gain. Correlations were conducted to determine if difference gain was related to the strength of the MOCR and/or to the acoustic reflex threshold.
RESULTS: The analysis of variance indicated that VOR difference gain was not significantly affected by the intensity level or the type of speech stimulus. Correlations indicated VOR difference gain was not significantly related to the strength of the MOCR or the acoustic reflex threshold.
CONCLUSIONS: The results were in contrast to previous research examining the effect of auditory stimulation on VOR gain as auditory stimulation did not produce VOR suppression or enhancement for most of the participants. Methodological differences between the studies may explain the discrepant results. The removal of an acoustic target from space to attend to may have prevented suppression or enhancement of the VOR. Findings support the hypothesis that VOR gain may be affected by cortical modulation through directed attention rather than due to activation of efferent pathways to the vestibular nuclei.

PMID: 30430984 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Speech Recognition in Noise in Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Digital Remote Wireless Microphone Technology.

Speech Recognition in Noise in Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Recipients Using Digital Remote Wireless Microphone Technology.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Nov 15;:

Authors: Wesarg T, Arndt S, Wiebe K, Schmid F, Huber A, Mülder HE, Laszig R, Aschendorff A, Speck I

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous research in cochlear implant (CI) recipients with bilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss showed improvements in speech recognition in noise using remote wireless microphone systems. However, to our knowledge, no previous studies have addressed the benefit of these systems in CI recipients with single-sided deafness.
PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential improvement in speech recognition in noise for distant speakers in single-sided deaf (SSD) CI recipients obtained using the digital remote wireless microphone system, Roger. In addition, we evaluated the potential benefit in normal hearing (NH) participants gained by applying this system.
RESEARCH DESIGN: Speech recognition in noise for a distant speaker in different conditions with and without Roger was evaluated with a two-way repeated-measures design in each group, SSD CI recipients, and NH participants. Post hoc analyses were conducted using pairwise comparison t-tests with Bonferroni correction.
STUDY SAMPLE: Eleven adult SSD participants aided with CIs and eleven adult NH participants were included in this study.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: All participants were assessed in 15 test conditions (5 listening conditions × 3 noise levels) each. The listening conditions for SSD CI recipients included the following: (I) only NH ear and CI turned off, (II) NH ear and CI (turned on), (III) NH ear and CI with Roger 14, (IV) NH ear with Roger Focus and CI, and (V) NH ear with Roger Focus and CI with Roger 14. For the NH participants, five corresponding listening conditions were chosen: (I) only better ear and weaker ear masked, (II) both ears, (III) better ear and weaker ear with Roger Focus, (IV) better ear with Roger Focus and weaker ear, and (V) both ears with Roger Focus. The speech level was fixed at 65 dB(A) at 1 meter from the speech-presenting loudspeaker, yielding a speech level of 56.5 dB(A) at the recipient's head. Noise levels were 55, 65, and 75 dB(A). Digitally altered noise recorded in school classrooms was used as competing noise. Speech recognition was measured in percent correct using the Oldenburg sentence test.
RESULTS: In SSD CI recipients, a significant improvement in speech recognition was found for all listening conditions with Roger (III, IV, and V) versus all no-Roger conditions (I and II) at the higher noise levels (65 and 75 dB[A]). NH participants significantly benefited from the application of Roger in noise for higher levels, too. In both groups, no significant difference was detected between any of the different listening conditions at 55 dB(A) competing noise. There was also no significant difference between any of the Roger conditions III, IV, and V across all noise levels.
CONCLUSIONS: The application of the advanced remote wireless microphone system, Roger, in SSD CI recipients provided significant benefits in speech recognition for distant speakers at higher noise levels. In NH participants, the application of Roger also produced a significant benefit in speech recognition in noise.

PMID: 30430986 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Optimum Response Filter Setting for Air Conduction-Induced Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential.

Optimum Response Filter Setting for Air Conduction-Induced Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Nov 15;:

Authors: Singh NK, Thirunavukkarasu K, Barman A

Abstract
BACKGROUND: A wide range of normative values of amplitude and latencies can be noticed in the publications on ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), possibly because of the inconsistent use of various stimulus and acquisition-related parameters such as response filter, gaze angle, onset polarity of stimulus, etc. One major nonuniform parameter across studies is the response filter. Several band-pass response filters such as 0.5-500, 1-1000, 5-500, 5-800, 10-750, 20-2000, 100-3000, and 200-1000 Hz have been used across published studies, and a wide range of normative values can be noticed. However, there is paucity of literature evidence to show that variations in response filters could cause alterations in oVEMP response.
PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of changes in response filter setting on oVEMP.
RESEARCH DESIGN: Normative study using repeated measures research design.
STUDY SAMPLE: Young adults in the age range of 18-35 years (N = 150) and older adults in the age range of 60-70 years (N = 10).
INTERVENTION: Contralateral air conduction oVEMP.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Contralateral air conduction oVEMP was obtained from only one ear of all participants. Low-pass filters (LPFs) of 500, 700, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 3000 Hz and high-pass filters (HPFs) of 0.1, 1, 10, and 30 Hz were used in all possible combinations of one LPF and one HPF to create band-pass filters. Latencies, peak-to-peak amplitude, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were obtained for each response and comparison was made between various band-pass filters.
RESULTS: In young adults, there was a significant reduction in n1 and p1 latencies with increasing HPF and LPF (p < 0.01) and a significant reduction in peak-to-peak amplitude with increasing HPF (p < 0.008). The peak-to-peak amplitude was significantly not affected by changes in LPF (p > 0.05). In older adults, the response rate was better for 0.1- to 1000-Hz than 1- to 1000-Hz band-pass filters.
CONCLUSIONS: The optimum band-pass filter is 0.1-1000 Hz for recording oVEMP as it produces the largest amplitude oVEMP without compromising on SNR and causes improved response rate in older adults compared with 1- to 1000-Hz filters. Therefore, clinical recording of oVEMP should use 0.1-1000 Hz for obtaining large amplitude potentials and improving the chances of response detection in clinical population.

PMID: 30430985 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Effect of Intensity Level and Speech Stimulus Type on the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex.

Effect of Intensity Level and Speech Stimulus Type on the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2018 Nov 15;:

Authors: Easterday M, Plyler PN, Lewis JD, Doettl SM

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Accurate vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) measurement requires control of extravestibular suppressive factors such as visual fixation. Although visual fixation is the dominant suppressor and has been extensively studied, the mechanisms underlying suppression from nonvisual factors of attention and auditory stimulation are less clear. It has been postulated that the nonvisual suppression of the VOR is the result of one of two mechanisms: (1) activation of auditory reception areas excites efferent pathways to the vestibular nuclei, thus inhibiting the VOR or (2) cortical modulation of the VOR results from directed attention, which implies a nonmodality-specific process.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to determine if the VOR is affected by the intensity level and/or type of speech stimulus.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A repeated measures design was used. The experiment was single-blinded.
STUDY SAMPLE: Participants included 17 adults (14 females, three males) between the ages of 18-34 years who reported normal oculomotor, vestibular, neurological, and musculoskeletal function.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Each participant underwent slow harmonic acceleration testing in a rotational chair. VOR gain was assessed at 0.02, 0.08, and 0.32 Hz in quiet (baseline). VOR gain was also assessed at each frequency while a forward running speech stimulus (attentional) or a backward running speech stimulus (nonattentional) was presented binaurally via insert earphones at 42, 62, and 82 dBA. The order of the conditions was randomized across participants. VOR difference gain was calculated as VOR gain in the auditory condition minus baseline VOR gain. To evaluate auditory efferent function, the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) was assayed using transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (right ear) measured in the presence and absence of broadband noise (left ear). Contralateral acoustic reflex thresholds were also assessed using a broadband noise elicitor. A three-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the effect of frequency, intensity level, and speech type on VOR difference gain. Correlations were conducted to determine if difference gain was related to the strength of the MOCR and/or to the acoustic reflex threshold.
RESULTS: The analysis of variance indicated that VOR difference gain was not significantly affected by the intensity level or the type of speech stimulus. Correlations indicated VOR difference gain was not significantly related to the strength of the MOCR or the acoustic reflex threshold.
CONCLUSIONS: The results were in contrast to previous research examining the effect of auditory stimulation on VOR gain as auditory stimulation did not produce VOR suppression or enhancement for most of the participants. Methodological differences between the studies may explain the discrepant results. The removal of an acoustic target from space to attend to may have prevented suppression or enhancement of the VOR. Findings support the hypothesis that VOR gain may be affected by cortical modulation through directed attention rather than due to activation of efferent pathways to the vestibular nuclei.

PMID: 30430984 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Tonotopy in calcium homeostasis and vulnerability of cochlear hair cells

Publication date: Available online 16 November 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Robert Fettiplace, Jong-Hoon Nam

Abstract

Ototoxicity, noise overstimulation, or aging, can all produce hearing loss with similar properties, in which outer hair cells (OHCs), principally those at the high-frequency base of the cochlea, are preferentially affected. We suggest that the differential vulnerability may partly arise from differences in Ca²⁺ balance among cochlear locations. Homeostasis is determined by three factors: Ca²⁺ influx mainly via mechanotransducer (MET) channels; buffering by calcium-binding proteins and organelles like mitochondria; and extrusion by the plasma membrane CaATPase pump. We review quantification of these parameters and use our experimentally-determined values to model changes in cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ during Ca²⁺ influx through the MET channels. We suggest that, in OHCs, there are two distinct micro-compartments for Ca²⁺ handling, one in the hair bundle and the other in the cell soma. One conclusion of the modeling is that there is a tonotopic gradient in the ability of OHCs to handle the Ca²⁺ load, which correlates with their vulnerability to environmental challenges. High-frequency basal OHCs are the most susceptible because they have much larger MET currents and have smaller dimensions than low-frequency apical OHCs.

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Tonotopy in calcium homeostasis and vulnerability of cochlear hair cells

Publication date: Available online 16 November 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Robert Fettiplace, Jong-Hoon Nam

Abstract

Ototoxicity, noise overstimulation, or aging, can all produce hearing loss with similar properties, in which outer hair cells (OHCs), principally those at the high-frequency base of the cochlea, are preferentially affected. We suggest that the differential vulnerability may partly arise from differences in Ca²⁺ balance among cochlear locations. Homeostasis is determined by three factors: Ca²⁺ influx mainly via mechanotransducer (MET) channels; buffering by calcium-binding proteins and organelles like mitochondria; and extrusion by the plasma membrane CaATPase pump. We review quantification of these parameters and use our experimentally-determined values to model changes in cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ during Ca²⁺ influx through the MET channels. We suggest that, in OHCs, there are two distinct micro-compartments for Ca²⁺ handling, one in the hair bundle and the other in the cell soma. One conclusion of the modeling is that there is a tonotopic gradient in the ability of OHCs to handle the Ca²⁺ load, which correlates with their vulnerability to environmental challenges. High-frequency basal OHCs are the most susceptible because they have much larger MET currents and have smaller dimensions than low-frequency apical OHCs.

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Tonotopy in calcium homeostasis and vulnerability of cochlear hair cells

Publication date: Available online 16 November 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Robert Fettiplace, Jong-Hoon Nam

Abstract

Ototoxicity, noise overstimulation, or aging, can all produce hearing loss with similar properties, in which outer hair cells (OHCs), principally those at the high-frequency base of the cochlea, are preferentially affected. We suggest that the differential vulnerability may partly arise from differences in Ca²⁺ balance among cochlear locations. Homeostasis is determined by three factors: Ca²⁺ influx mainly via mechanotransducer (MET) channels; buffering by calcium-binding proteins and organelles like mitochondria; and extrusion by the plasma membrane CaATPase pump. We review quantification of these parameters and use our experimentally-determined values to model changes in cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ during Ca²⁺ influx through the MET channels. We suggest that, in OHCs, there are two distinct micro-compartments for Ca²⁺ handling, one in the hair bundle and the other in the cell soma. One conclusion of the modeling is that there is a tonotopic gradient in the ability of OHCs to handle the Ca²⁺ load, which correlates with their vulnerability to environmental challenges. High-frequency basal OHCs are the most susceptible because they have much larger MET currents and have smaller dimensions than low-frequency apical OHCs.

from #Audiology via ola Kala on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2PXJxys
via IFTTT

Tonotopy in calcium homeostasis and vulnerability of cochlear hair cells

Publication date: Available online 16 November 2018

Source: Hearing Research

Author(s): Robert Fettiplace, Jong-Hoon Nam

Abstract

Ototoxicity, noise overstimulation, or aging, can all produce hearing loss with similar properties, in which outer hair cells (OHCs), principally those at the high-frequency base of the cochlea, are preferentially affected. We suggest that the differential vulnerability may partly arise from differences in Ca²⁺ balance among cochlear locations. Homeostasis is determined by three factors: Ca²⁺ influx mainly via mechanotransducer (MET) channels; buffering by calcium-binding proteins and organelles like mitochondria; and extrusion by the plasma membrane CaATPase pump. We review quantification of these parameters and use our experimentally-determined values to model changes in cytoplasmic and mitochondrial Ca²⁺ during Ca²⁺ influx through the MET channels. We suggest that, in OHCs, there are two distinct micro-compartments for Ca²⁺ handling, one in the hair bundle and the other in the cell soma. One conclusion of the modeling is that there is a tonotopic gradient in the ability of OHCs to handle the Ca²⁺ load, which correlates with their vulnerability to environmental challenges. High-frequency basal OHCs are the most susceptible because they have much larger MET currents and have smaller dimensions than low-frequency apical OHCs.

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