Audiology by Alexandros G. Sfakianakis: Απριλίου 2016

Σάββατο 30 Απριλίου 2016

Frequency selectivity of the human cochlea: Suppression tuning of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions

Publication date: Available online 29 April 2016
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Geoffrey A. Manley, Pim van Dijk
Frequency selectivity is a key functional property of the inner ear and since hearing research began, the frequency resolution of the human ear has been a central question. In contrast to animal studies, which permit invasive recording of neural activity, human studies must rely on indirect methods to determine hearing selectivity. Psychophysical studies, which used masking of a tone by other sounds, indicate a modest frequency selectivity in humans. By contrast, estimates using the phase delays of stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAE) predict a remarkably high selectivity, unique among mammals. An alternative measure of cochlear frequency selectivity are suppression tuning curves of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAE). Several animal studies show that these measures are in excellent agreement with neural frequency selectivity. Here we contribute a large data set from normal-hearing young humans on suppression tuning curves (STC) of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAE). The frequency selectivities of human STC measured near threshold levels agree with the earlier, much lower, psychophysical estimates. They differ, however, from the typical patterns seen in animal auditory nerve data in that the selectivity is remarkably independent of frequency. In addition, SOAE are suppressed by higher-level tones in narrow frequency bands clearly above the main suppression frequencies. These narrow suppression bands suggest interactions between the suppressor tone and a cochlear standing wave corresponding to the SOAE frequency being suppressed. The data show that the relationship between pre-neural mechanical processing in the cochlea and neural coding at the hair-cell/auditory nerve synapse needs to be reconsidered.

Graphical abstract

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Frequency selectivity of the human cochlea: Suppression tuning of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions

Graphical abstract

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Παρασκευή 29 Απριλίου 2016

Development and validation of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test in South African English

10.3109/14992027.2016.1172269<br/>Jenni-Marí Potgieter

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Development and validation of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test in South African English.

Development and validation of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test in South African English.

Int J Audiol. 2016 Apr 28;:1-7

Authors: Potgieter JM, Swanepoel W, Myburgh HC, Hopper TC, Smits C

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test for South African English.
DESIGN: Single digits (0-9) were recorded and spoken by a first language English female speaker. Level corrections were applied to create a set of homogeneous digits with steep speech recognition functions. A smartphone application was created to utilize 120 digit-triplets in noise as test material. An adaptive test procedure determined the speech reception threshold (SRT). Experiments were performed to determine headphones effects on the SRT and to establish normative data.
STUDY SAMPLE: Participants consisted of 40 normal-hearing subjects with thresholds ≤15 dB across the frequency spectrum (250-8000 Hz) and 186 subjects with normal-hearing in both ears, or normal-hearing in the better ear.
RESULTS: The results show steep speech recognition functions with a slope of 20%/dB for digit-triplets presented in noise using the smartphone application. The results of five headphone types indicate that the smartphone-based hearing test is reliable and can be conducted using standard Android smartphone headphones or clinical headphones.
CONCLUSION: A digits-in-noise hearing test was developed and validated for South Africa. The mean SRT and speech recognition functions correspond to previous developed telephone-based digits-in-noise tests.

PMID: 27121117 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Activity-dependent, homeostatic regulation of neurotransmitter release from auditory nerve fibers.

Activity-dependent, homeostatic regulation of neurotransmitter release from auditory nerve fibers.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 May 19;112(20):6479-84

Authors: Ngodup T, Goetz JA, McGuire BC, Sun W, Lauer AM, Xu-Friedman MA

Abstract
Information processing in the brain requires reliable synaptic transmission. High reliability at specialized auditory nerve synapses in the cochlear nucleus results from many release sites (N), high probability of neurotransmitter release (Pr), and large quantal size (Q). However, high Pr also causes auditory nerve synapses to depress strongly when activated at normal rates for a prolonged period, which reduces fidelity. We studied how synapses are influenced by prolonged activity by exposing mice to constant, nondamaging noise and found that auditory nerve synapses changed to facilitating, reflecting low Pr. For mice returned to quiet, synapses recovered to normal depression, suggesting that these changes are a homeostatic response to activity. Two additional properties, Q and average excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) amplitude, were unaffected by noise rearing, suggesting that the number of release sites (N) must increase to compensate for decreased Pr. These changes in N and Pr were confirmed physiologically using the integration method. Furthermore, consistent with increased N, endbulbs in noise-reared animals had larger VGlut1-positive puncta, larger profiles in electron micrographs, and more release sites per profile. In current-clamp recordings, noise-reared BCs had greater spike fidelity even during high rates of synaptic activity. Thus, auditory nerve synapses regulate excitability through an activity-dependent, homeostatic mechanism, which could have major effects on all downstream processing. Our results also suggest that noise-exposed bushy cells would remain hyperexcitable for a period after returning to normal quiet conditions, which could have perceptual consequences.

PMID: 25944933 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Development and validation of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test in South African English.

Development and validation of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test in South African English.

Int J Audiol. 2016 Apr 28;:1-7

Authors: Potgieter JM, Swanepoel W, Myburgh HC, Hopper TC, Smits C

PMID: 27121117 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Development and validation of a smartphone-based digits-in-noise hearing test in South African English

10.3109/14992027.2016.1172269<br/>Jenni-Marí Potgieter

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Influence of virtual height exposure on postural reactions to support surface translations

Publication date: June 2016
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 47
Author(s): Taylor W. Cleworth, Romeo Chua, J. Timothy Inglis, Mark G. Carpenter
As fear of falling is related to the increased likelihood of falls, it is important to understand the effects of threat-related factors (fear, anxiety and confidence) on dynamic postural reactions. Previous studies designed to examine threat effects on dynamic postural reactions have methodological limitations and lack a comprehensive analysis of simultaneous kinetic, kinematic and electromyographical recordings. The current study addressed these limitations by examining postural reactions of 26 healthy young adults to unpredictable anterior–posterior support-surface translations (acceleration=0.6m/s², constant velocity=0.25m/s, total displacement=0.75m) while standing on a narrow virtual surface at Low (0.4cm) and High (3.2m) virtual heights. Standing at virtual height increased fear and anxiety, and decreased confidence. Prior to perturbations, threat led to increased tonic muscle activity in tibialis anterior, resulting in a higher co-contraction index between lower leg muscles. For backward perturbations, muscle activity in the lower leg and arm, and center of pressure peak displacements, were earlier and larger when standing at virtual height. In addition, arm flexion significantly increased while leg, trunk and center of mass displacements remained unchanged across heights. When controlling for leaning, threat-related factors can influence the neuro-mechanical responses to an unpredictable perturbation, causing specific characteristics of postural reactions to be facilitated in young adults when their balance is threatened.

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Πέμπτη 28 Απριλίου 2016

Differentiating School-Aged Children With and Without Language Impairment Using Tense and Grammaticality Measures From a Narrative Task

Purpose

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the finite verb morphology composite (FVMC), number of errors per C-unit (Errors/CU), and percent grammatical C-units (PGCUs) in differentiating school-aged children with language impairment (LI) and those with typical language development (TL).

Method

Participants were 61 six-year-olds (50 TL, 11 LI) and 67 eight-year-olds (50 TL, 17 LI). Narrative samples were collected using a story-generation format. FVMC, Errors/CU, and PGCUs were computed from the samples.

Results

All of the three measures showed acceptable to good diagnostic accuracy at age 6, but only PGCUs showed acceptable diagnostic accuracy at age 8 when sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were considered.

Conclusion

FVMC, Errors/CU, and PGCUs can all be used in combination with other tools to identify school-aged children with LI. However, FVMC and Errors/CU may be an appropriate diagnostic tool up to age 6. PGCUs, in contrast, may be a sensitive tool for identifying children with LI at least up to age 8 years.

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Production of Korean Idiomatic Utterances Following Left- and Right-Hemisphere Damage: Acoustic Studies

Purpose

This study investigates the effects of left- and right-hemisphere damage (LHD and RHD) on the production of idiomatic or literal expressions utilizing acoustic analyses.

Method

Twenty-one native speakers of Korean with LHD or RHD and in a healthy control (HC) group produced 6 ditropically ambiguous (idiomatic or literal) sentences in 2 different speech tasks: elicitation and repetition. Utterances were analyzed using durational and fundamental-frequency (F0) measures. Listeners' goodness ratings (how well each utterance represented its category: idiomatic or literal) were correlated with acoustic measures.

Results

During the elicitation tasks, the LHD group differed significantly from the HC group in durational measures. Significant differences between the RHD and HC groups were seen in F0 measures. However, for the repetition tasks, the LHD and RHD groups produced utterances comparable to the HC group's performance. Using regression analysis, selected F0 cues were found to be significant predictors for goodness ratings by listeners.

Conclusions

Using elicitation, speakers in the LHD group were deficient in producing durational cues, whereas RHD negatively affected the production of F0 cues. Performance differed for elicitation and repetition, indicating a task effect. Listeners' goodness ratings were highly correlated with the production of certain acoustic cues. Both the acoustic and functional hypotheses of hemispheric specialization were supported for idiom production.

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Video Feedback in Key Word Signing Training for Preservice Direct Support Staff

Purpose

Research has demonstrated that formal training is essential for professionals to learn key word signing. Yet, the particular didactic strategies have not been studied. Therefore, this study compared the effectiveness of verbal and video feedback in a key word signing training for future direct support staff.

Method

Forty-nine future direct support staff were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 key word signing training programs: modeling and verbal feedback (classical method [CM]), additional video feedback (⁺ViF), and additional video feedback and photo reminder (⁺ViF/R). Signing accuracy and training acceptability were measured 1 week after and 7 months after training.

Results

Participants from the ⁺ViF/R program achieved significantly higher signing accuracy compared with the CM group. Acceptability ratings did not differ between any of the groups.

Conclusion

Results suggest that at an equal time investment, the programs containing more training components were more effective. Research on the effect of rehearsal on signing maintenance is warranted.

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An Item Response Theory–Based, Computerized Adaptive Testing Version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory: Words & Sentences (CDI:WS)

Purpose

This study investigated the feasibility and potential validity of an item response theory (IRT)–based computerized adaptive testing (CAT) version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory: Words & Sentences (CDI:WS; Fenson et al., 2007) vocabulary checklist, with the objective of reducing length while maintaining measurement precision.

Method

Parent-reported vocabulary for the American CDI:WS norming sample consisting of 1,461 children between the ages of 16 and 30 months was used to investigate the fit of the items to the 2-parameter logistic IRT model and to simulate CDI-CAT versions with 400, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, and 5 items.

Results

All but 14 items fit the 2-parameter logistic IRT model, and real data simulations of CDI-CATs with at least 50 items recovered full CDI scores with correlations over .95. Furthermore, the CDI-CATs with at least 50 items had similar correlations with age and socioeconomic status as the full CDI:WS.

Conclusion

These results provide strong evidence that a CAT version of the CDI:WS has the potential to reduce length while maintaining the accuracy and precision of the full instrument.

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Pediatric Audiology Report: Assessment and Revision of an Audiology Report Written to Parents of Children With Hearing Impairment

Objective

The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to evaluate a typical pediatric diagnostic audiology report to establish its readability and comprehensibility for parents and, second, to revise the report to improve its readability, as well as the comprehension, sense of self-efficacy, and positive opinions of parent readers.

Method

In Experiment 1, a mock audiology report was evaluated via a readability analysis and semistructured interviews with 5 parents. In Experiment 2, the report was revised using best practice guidelines and parental recommendations from Experiment 1. The revision was verified by randomly assigning 32 new parent participants to read either the revised or unrevised report before their comprehension, self-efficacy, and opinions were assessed.

Results

In Experiment 1, results confirmed that the report was difficult to read and understand. In Experiment 2, parents who read the revised report had significantly greater comprehension, self-efficacy, and opinion ratings than those who read the unrevised report. In addition, the readability of the revised report was markedly improved compared with the unrevised report.

Conclusions

This study shows that pediatric diagnostic audiology reports can be revised to adhere to best practice guidelines and yield improved readability, in addition to improving the comprehension, sense of self-efficacy, and positive opinions of parents of children with hearing impairment.

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A Comparison of the Visual Attention Patterns of People With Aphasia and Adults Without Neurological Conditions for Camera-Engaged and Task-Engaged Visual Scenes

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to compare the visual attention patterns of adults with aphasia and adults without neurological conditions when viewing visual scenes with 2 types of engagement.

Method

Eye-tracking technology was used to measure the visual attention patterns of 10 adults with aphasia and 10 adults without neurological conditions. Participants viewed camera-engaged (i.e., human figure facing camera) and task-engaged (i.e., human figure looking at and touching an object) visual scenes.

Results

Participants with aphasia responded to engagement cues by focusing on objects of interest more for task-engaged scenes than camera-engaged scenes; however, the difference in their responses to these scenes were not as pronounced as those observed in adults without neurological conditions. In addition, people with aphasia spent more time looking at background areas of interest and less time looking at person areas of interest for camera-engaged scenes than did control participants.

Conclusions

Results indicate people with aphasia visually attend to scenes differently than adults without neurological conditions. As a consequence, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) facilitators may have different visual attention behaviors than the people with aphasia for whom they are constructing or selecting visual scenes. Further examination of the visual attention of people with aphasia may help optimize visual scene selection.

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Characteristics of Auditory Processing Disorders: A Systematic Review

Purpose

The purpose of this review article is to describe characteristics of auditory processing disorders (APD) by evaluating the literature in which children with suspected or diagnosed APD were compared with typically developing children and to determine whether APD must be regarded as a deficit specific to the auditory modality or as a multimodal deficit.

Method

Six electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed studies investigating children with (suspected) APD in comparison with typically developing peers. Relevant studies were independently reviewed and appraised by 2 reviewers. Methodological quality was quantified using the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's levels of evidence.

Results

Fifty-three relevant studies were identified. Five studies were excluded because of weak internal validity. In total, 48 studies were included, of which only 1 was classified as having strong methodological quality. Significant dissimilarities were found between children referred with listening difficulties and controls. These differences relate to auditory and visual functioning, cognition, language, reading, and physiological and neuroimaging measures.

Conclusions

Methodological quality of most of the incorporated studies was rated moderate due to the heterogeneous groups of participants, inadequate descriptions of participants, and the omission of valid and reliable measurements. The listening difficulties of children with APD may be a consequence of cognitive, language, and attention issues rather than bottom-up auditory processing.

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May Is Better Hearing & Speech Month!

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Relations Among Detection of Syllable Stress, Speech Abnormalities, and Communicative Ability in Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Purpose

To date, the literature on perception of affective, pragmatic, and grammatical prosody abilities in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been sparse and contradictory. It is interesting to note that the primary perception of syllable stress within the word structure, which is crucial for all prosody functions, remains relatively unexplored in ASD. Thus, in the current study, we explored syllable stress perception sensitivity and its relationship to speech production abnormalities and communicative ability in adults with ASD.

Method

A same–different syllable stress perception task using pairs of identical 4-syllable words was delivered to 42 adults with/without high-functioning ASD, matched for age, to investigate primary speech perception ability in ASD. Speech production and communicative ability in ASD was measured using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (Lord et al., 2000).

Results

As predicted, the results showed that adults with ASD were less sensitive in making judgments about syllable stress relative to controls. Also, partial correlations revealed a key association of speech production abnormalities with stress perception sensitivity, rather than communicative ability.

Conclusions

Our findings provide empirical evidence for deficits on primary syllable stress perception in ASD and its role on sociocommunicative difficulties. This information could facilitate the development of effective interventions for speech and language therapy and social communication.

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The Production of Complement Clauses in Children With Language Impairment

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to provide a comprehensive description of complement-clause production in children with language impairment. Complement clauses were examined with respect to types of complement structure produced, verb use, and both semantic and syntactic accuracy.

Method

A group of 17 children with language impairment (mean age = 6;10 [years; months]) was compared with a group of 17 younger children with typical language development (mean age = 4;6). Examples of both nonfinite complements with different subjects and sentential complements involving a range of complement-taking verbs were collected using specially designed elicitation tasks.

Results

The children with language impairment were able to construct both types of complement clauses, had access to a range of verbs that are utilized within these constructions, and had knowledge of the grammatical constraints imposed by these verbs. However, they were more restricted in their production of sentential complements and produced significantly fewer semantically accurate complements (both finite and nonfinite) than the children with typical language development.

Conclusion

Children with language impairment evidenced deviant rather than merely delayed development in the area of complement-clause production. Complex sentences such as complement clauses need to be targeted in language intervention programs.

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Dysarthria in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: Clinical Presentation and Impacts on Communication

Purpose

Although dysarthria affects the large majority of individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) and can substantially complicate everyday communication, previous research has provided an incomplete picture of its clinical features. We aimed to comprehensively describe characteristics of dysarthria in adults with CP and to elucidate the impact of dysarthric symptoms on parameters relevant for communication.

Method

Forty-two adults with CP underwent speech assessment by means of standardized auditory rating scales. Listening experiments were conducted to obtain communication-related parameters—that is, intelligibility and naturalness—as well as age and gender estimates.

Results

The majority of adults with CP showed moderate to severe dysarthria with symptoms on all dimensions of speech, most prominently voice quality, respiration, and prosody. Regression analyses revealed that articulatory, respiratory, and prosodic features were the strongest predictors of intelligibility and naturalness of speech. Listeners' estimates of the speakers' age and gender were predominantly determined by voice parameters.

Conclusion

This study provides an overview on the clinical presentation of dysarthria in a convenience sample of adults with CP. The complexity of the functional impairment described and the consequences on the individuals' communication call for a stronger consideration of dysarthria in CP both in clinical care and in research.

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Sentence Repetition Accuracy in Adults With Developmental Language Impairment: Interactions of Participant Capacities and Sentence Structures

Purpose

We asked whether sentence repetition accuracy could be explained by interactions of participant processing limitations with the structures of the sentences. We also tested a prediction of the procedural deficit hypothesis (Ullman & Pierpont, 2005) that adjuncts are more difficult than arguments for individuals with developmental language impairment (DLI).

Method

Forty-four young adults participated, 21 with DLI. The sentence repetition task varied sentence length and the use of arguments and adjuncts. We also administered measures of working memory and processing speed. Our regression models focused on these interactions: group and argument status; processing speed, length, and argument status; and working memory capacity, length, and argument status.

Results

Language ability group was a significant predictor of sentence repetition accuracy but did not interact with argument status. Processing speed interacted with sentence length and argument status. Working memory capacity and its separate interactions with argument status and sentence length predicted sentence repetition accuracy.

Conclusions

Many adults with DLI may have difficulty with adjuncts as a result of their working memory limitations rather than their language ability. Cognitive limitations common to individuals with DLI are revealed more by particular sentence structures, suggesting ways to construct more diagnostically accurate sentence repetition tasks.

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Comparison of Intelligibility Measures for Adults With Parkinson's Disease, Adults With Multiple Sclerosis, and Healthy Controls

Purpose

This study obtained judgments of sentence intelligibility using orthographic transcription for comparison with previously reported intelligibility judgments obtained using a visual analog scale (VAS) for individuals with Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis and healthy controls (K. Tjaden, J. E. Sussman, & G. E. Wilding, 2014).

Method

Speakers read Harvard sentences in habitual, clear, loud, and slow conditions. Sentence stimuli were equated for peak intensity and mixed with multitalker babble. A total of 50 listeners orthographically transcribed sentences. Procedures were identical to those for a VAS reported in Tjaden, Sussman, and Wilding (2014).

Results

The percent correct scores from transcription were significantly higher in magnitude than the VAS scores. Multivariate linear modeling indicated that the pattern of findings for transcription and VAS was virtually the same with respect to differences among groups and speaking conditions. Correlation analyses further indicated a moderately strong, positive relationship between the two metrics. The majority of these correlations were significant. Last, intrajudge and interjudge listener reliability metrics for the two intelligibility tasks were comparable.

Conclusion

Results suggest that there may be instances when the less time-consuming VAS task may be a viable substitute for an orthographic transcription task when documenting intelligibility in mild dysarthria.

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Multidimensional Approach to the Development of a Mandarin Chinese–Oriented Sound Test

Purpose

Because the Ling six-sound test is based on American English phonemes, it can yield unreliable results when administered to non-English speakers. In this study, we aimed to improve specifically the diagnostic palette for Mandarin Chinese users by developing an adapted version of the Ling six-sound test.

Method

To determine the set of testing sounds, we performed an exhaustive acoustic and statistical analysis in which we considered not only the general acoustic properties but also the order of acquisition and the inter- and intraspeaker variability.

Results

Six phonemes (/u, ə, a, i, tɕ^h, s/) were selected as the testing items for the Mandarin Chinese sound test because these sounds exhibit a highly compartmentalized frequency specificity, spanning the entire Chinese speech spectrum, as well as a relatively low articulatory variability and can be acquired fairly early.

Conclusion

Through adopting language-dependent modifications, caregivers and professionals should have a more adequate tool to monitor children's auditory access to the full range of Mandarin speech sounds.

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Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Brain Imaging Investigation of Phonological Awareness and Passage Comprehension Abilities in Adult Recipients of Cochlear Implants

Purpose

The aim of this study was to examine how the brains of individuals with cochlear implants (CIs) respond to spoken language tasks that underlie successful language acquisition and processing.

Method

During functional near-infrared spectroscopy imaging, CI recipients with hearing impairment (n = 10, mean age: 52.7 ± 17.3 years) and controls with normal hearing (n = 10, mean age: 50.6 ± 17.2 years) completed auditory tasks—phonological awareness and passage comprehension—commonly used to investigate neurodevelopmental disorders of language and literacy.

Results

The 2 groups had similar reaction time and performance on experimental tasks, although participants with CIs had lower accuracy than controls. Overall, both CI recipients and controls exhibited similar patterns of brain activation during the tasks.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate that CI recipients show an overall neurotypical pattern of activation during auditory language tasks on which individuals with neurodevelopmental language learning impairments (e.g., dyslexia) tend to show atypical brain activation. These findings suggest that advancements in functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging with CI recipients may help shed new light on how varying types of difficulties in language processing affect brain organization for language.

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The Effects of Age and Preoral Sensorimotor Cues on Anticipatory Mouth Movement During Swallowing

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of preoral sensorimotor cues on anticipatory swallowing/eating-related mouth movements in older and younger adults. It was hypothesized that these cues are essential to timing anticipatory oral motor patterns, and these movements are delayed in older as compared with younger adults.

Method

Using a 2 × 2 repeated-measures design, eating-related lip, jaw, and hand movements were recorded from 24 healthy older (ages 70–85 years) and 24 healthy younger (ages 18–30 years) adults under 4 conditions: typical self-feeding, typical assisted feeding (proprioceptive loss), sensory-loss self-feeding (auditory and visual loss/degradation), and sensory-loss assisted feeding (loss/degradation of all cues).

Results

All participants demonstrated anticipatory mouth opening. The absence of proprioception delayed lip-lowering onset, and sensory loss more negatively affected offset. Given at least 1 preoral sensorimotor cue, older adults initiated movement earlier than younger adults.

Conclusions

Preoral sensorimotor information influences anticipatory swallowing/eating-related mouth movements, highlighting the importance of these cues. Earlier movement in older adults may be a compensation, facilitating safe swallowing given other age-related declines. Further research is needed to determine if the negative impact of cue removal may be further exacerbated in a nonhealthy system (e.g., presence of dysphagia or disease), potentially increasing swallowing- and eating-related risks.

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Assessing Measurement Invariance for Spanish Sentence Repetition and Morphology Elicitation Tasks

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to evaluate evidence supporting the construct validity of two grammatical tasks (sentence repetition, morphology elicitation) included in the Spanish Screener for Language Impairment in Children (Restrepo, Gorin, & Gray, 2013). We evaluated if the tasks measured the targeted grammatical skills in the same way across predominantly Spanish-speaking children with typical language development and those with primary language impairment.

Method

A multiple-group, confirmatory factor analytic approach was applied to examine factorial invariance in a sample of 307 predominantly Spanish-speaking children (177 with typical language development; 130 with primary language impairment). The 2 newly developed grammatical tasks were modeled as measures in a unidimensional confirmatory factor analytic model along with 3 well-established grammatical measures from the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fourth Edition, Spanish (Wiig, Semel, & Secord, 2006).

Results

Results suggest that both new tasks measured the construct of grammatical skills for both language-ability groups in an equivalent manner.

Conclusions

There was no evidence of bias related to children's language status for the Spanish Screener for Language Impairment in Children Sentence Repetition or Morphology Elicitation tasks. Results provide support for the validity of the new tasks as measures of grammatical skills.

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Differentiating School-Aged Children With and Without Language Impairment Using Tense and Grammaticality Measures From a Narrative Task

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

Production of Korean Idiomatic Utterances Following Left- and Right-Hemisphere Damage: Acoustic Studies

Purpose

This study investigates the effects of left- and right-hemisphere damage (LHD and RHD) on the production of idiomatic or literal expressions utilizing acoustic analyses.

Method

Results

Conclusions

Video Feedback in Key Word Signing Training for Preservice Direct Support Staff

Purpose

Method

Results

Participants from the ⁺ViF/R program achieved significantly higher signing accuracy compared with the CM group. Acceptability ratings did not differ between any of the groups.

Conclusion

An Item Response Theory–Based, Computerized Adaptive Testing Version of the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventory: Words & Sentences (CDI:WS)

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

Pediatric Audiology Report: Assessment and Revision of an Audiology Report Written to Parents of Children With Hearing Impairment

Objective

Method

Results

Conclusions

A Comparison of the Visual Attention Patterns of People With Aphasia and Adults Without Neurological Conditions for Camera-Engaged and Task-Engaged Visual Scenes

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to compare the visual attention patterns of adults with aphasia and adults without neurological conditions when viewing visual scenes with 2 types of engagement.

Method

Results

Conclusions

Characteristics of Auditory Processing Disorders: A Systematic Review

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusions

May Is Better Hearing & Speech Month!

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Embedded Instruction Improves Vocabulary Learning During Automated Storybook Reading Among High-Risk Preschoolers

Purpose

We investigated a small-group intervention designed to teach vocabulary and comprehension skills to preschoolers who were at risk for language and reading disabilities. These language skills are important and reliable predictors of later academic achievement.

Method

Preschoolers heard prerecorded stories 3 times per week over the course of a school year. A cluster randomized design was used to evaluate the effects of hearing storybooks with and without embedded vocabulary and comprehension lessons. A total of 32 classrooms were randomly assigned to experimental and comparison conditions. Approximately 6 children per classroom demonstrating low vocabulary knowledge, totaling 195 children, were enrolled.

Results

Preschoolers in the comparison condition did not learn novel, challenging vocabulary words to which they were exposed in story contexts, whereas preschoolers receiving embedded lessons demonstrated significant learning gains, although vocabulary learning diminished over the course of the school year. Modest gains in comprehension skills did not differ between the two groups.

Conclusion

The Story Friends curriculum appears to be highly feasible for delivery in early childhood educational settings and effective at teaching challenging vocabulary to high-risk preschoolers.

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Continuous Performance Tasks: Not Just About Sustaining Attention

Purpose

Continuous performance tasks (CPTs) are used to measure individual differences in sustained attention. Many different stimuli have been used as response targets without consideration of their impact on task performance. Here, we compared CPT performance in typically developing adults and children to assess the role of stimulus processing on error rates and reaction times.

Method

Participants completed a CPT that was based on response to infrequent targets, while monitoring and withholding responses to regular nontargets. Performance on 3 stimulus conditions was compared: visual letters (X and O), their auditory analogs, and auditory pure tones.

Results

Adults showed no difference in error propensity across the 3 conditions but had slower reaction times for auditory stimuli. Children had slower overall reaction times. They responded most quickly to the visual target and most slowly to the tone target. They also made more errors in the tone condition than in either the visual or the auditory spoken CPT conditions.

Conclusions

The results suggest error propensity and reaction time variations on CPTs cannot solely be interpreted as evidence of inattention. They also reflect stimulus-specific influences that must be considered when testing hypotheses about modality-specific deficits in sustained attention in populations with different developmental disorders.

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Embedded Instruction Improves Vocabulary Learning During Automated Storybook Reading Among High-Risk Preschoolers

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

Return to Work and Social Communication Ability Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Purpose

Return to competitive employment presents a major challenge to adults who survive traumatic brain injury (TBI). This study was undertaken to better understand factors that shape employment outcome by comparing the communication profiles and self-awareness of communication deficits of adults who return to and maintain employment with those who do not.

Method

Forty-six dyads (46 adults with TBI, 46 relatives) were recruited into 2 groups based on the current employment status (employed or unemployed) of participants with TBI. Groups did not differ in regard to sex, age, education, preinjury employment, injury severity, or time postinjury. The La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (Douglas, O'Flaherty, & Snow, 2000) was used to measure communication. Group comparisons on La Trobe Communication Questionnaire scores were analyzed by using mixed 2 × 2 analysis of variance (between factor: employment status; within factor: source of perception).

Results

Analysis yielded a significant group main effect (p = .002) and a significant interaction (p = .004). The employed group reported less frequent difficulties (self and relatives). Consistent with the interaction, unemployed participants perceived themselves to have less frequent difficulties than their relatives perceived, whereas employed participants reported more frequent difficulties than their relatives.

Conclusion

Communication outcome and awareness of communication deficits play an important role in reintegration to the workplace following TBI.

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Continuous Performance Tasks: Not Just About Sustaining Attention

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusions

Return to Work and Social Communication Ability Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

Embedded Instruction Improves Vocabulary Learning During Automated Storybook Reading Among High-Risk Preschoolers

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

The Story Friends curriculum appears to be highly feasible for delivery in early childhood educational settings and effective at teaching challenging vocabulary to high-risk preschoolers.

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Continuous Performance Tasks: Not Just About Sustaining Attention

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusions

The results suggest error propensity and reaction time variations on CPTs cannot solely be interpreted as evidence of inattention. They also reflect stimulus-specific influences that must be considered when testing hypotheses about modality-specific deficits in sustained attention in populations with different developmental disorders.

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Return to Work and Social Communication Ability Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Purpose

Method

Results

Conclusion

Communication outcome and awareness of communication deficits play an important role in reintegration to the workplace following TBI.

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Inherent Directionality Determines Spatial Release from Masking at the Tympanum in a Vertebrate with Internally Coupled Ears

Abstract

In contrast to humans and other mammals, many animals have internally coupled ears that function as inherently directional pressure-gradient receivers. Two important but unanswered questions are to what extent and how do animals with such ears exploit spatial cues in the perceptual analysis of noisy and complex acoustic scenes? This study of Cope’s gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) investigated how the inherent directionality of internally coupled ears contributes to spatial release from masking. We used laser vibrometry and signal detection theory to determine the threshold signal-to-noise ratio at which the tympanum’s response to vocalizations could be reliably detected in noise. Thresholds were determined as a function of signal location, noise location, and signal-noise separation. Vocalizations were broadcast from one of three azimuthal locations: frontal (0 °), to the right (+90 °), and to the left (−90 °). Masking noise was broadcast from each of 12 azimuthal angles around the frog (0 to 330 °, 30 ° separation). Variation in the position of the noise source resulted in, on average, 4 dB of spatial release from masking relative to co-located conditions. However, detection thresholds could be up to 9 dB lower in the “best ear for listening” compared to the other ear. The pattern and magnitude of spatial release from masking were well predicted by the tympanum’s inherent directionality. We discuss how the magnitude of masking release observed in the tympanum’s response to spatially separated signals and noise relates to that observed in previous behavioral and neurophysiological studies of frog hearing and communication.

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Self-Administered Domiciliary tDCS Treatment for Tinnitus: A Double-Blind Sham-Controlled Study

by Petteri Hyvärinen, Antti Mäkitie, Antti A. Aarnisalo

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has shown potential for providing tinnitus relief, although positive effects have usually been observed only during a short time period after treatment. In recent studies the focus has turned from one-session experiments towards multi-session treatment studies investigating long-term outcomes with double-blinded and sham-controlled study designs. Traditionally, tDCS has been administered in a clinical setting by a healthcare professional but in studies involving multiple treatment sessions, often a trade-off has to be made between sample size and the amount of labor needed to run the trial. Also, as the number of required visits to the clinic increases, the dropout rate is likely to rise proportionally.The aim of the current study was to find out if tDCS treatment for tinnitus could be patient-administered in a domiciliary setting and whether the results would be comparable to those from in-hospital treatment studies. Forty-three patients with chronic (> 6 months) tinnitus were involved in the study, and data on 35 out of these patients were included in final analysis. Patients received 20 minutes of left temporal area anodal (LTA) or bifrontal tDCS stimulation (2 mA) or sham stimulation (0.3 mA) for ten consecutive days. An overall reduction in the main outcome measure, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), was found (mean change −5.0 points, p .05), but there was no significant difference between active and sham treatment outcomes. Patients found the tDCS treatment easy to administer and they all tolerated it well. In conclusion, self-administered domiciliary tDCS treatment for tinnitus was found safe and feasible and gave outcome results similar to recent randomized controlled long-term treatment trials. The results suggest better overall treatment response—as measured by THI—with domiciliary treatment than with in-hospital treatment, but this advantage is not related to the tDCS variant. The study protocol demonstrated in the current study is not restricted to tinnitus only.

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First small molecule targeted therapy to mitigate hearing loss in Usher syndrome type 3

Usher syndrome (USH) is characterized by hearing loss or deafness at birth and progressive vision loss, and is the most common cause of inherited dual sensory deficit.

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First small molecule targeted therapy to mitigate hearing loss in Usher syndrome type 3

Usher syndrome (USH) is characterized by hearing loss or deafness at birth and progressive vision loss, and is the most common cause of inherited dual sensory deficit.

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Exposed, but Not Protected: More Is Needed to Prevent Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Healthcare Workers and Students.

Exposed, but Not Protected: More Is Needed to Prevent Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Healthcare Workers and Students.

Clin Infect Dis. 2016 May 15;62 Suppl 3:S275-80

Authors: von Delft A, Dramowski A, Sifumba Z, Mosidi T, Xun Ting T, von Delft D, Zumla A

Abstract
"Occupational MDR-TB" … "XDR-TB" … "Treatment-induced hearing loss": 3 life-changing messages imparted over the phone. Three personal accounts are shared highlighting the false belief held by many healthcare workers (HCWs) and students in low-resource settings-that they are immune to tuberculosis despite high levels of occupational tuberculosis exposure. This misconception reflects a lack of awareness of tuberculosis transmission and disease risk, compounded by the absence of accurate occupational tuberculosis estimates. As the global problem of drug-resistant (DR) tuberculosis evolves, HCWs are increasingly infected and suffer considerable morbidity and mortality from occupational DR tuberculosis disease. Similarly, healthcare students are emerging as a vulnerable and unprotected group. There is an urgent need for improved detection, vaccines, preventive therapy, treatment, and support for affected HCWs and those they care for, as well as destigmatization of all forms of tuberculosis. Finally, efforts to protect HCWs and prevent DR tuberculosis transmission by universal implementation of tuberculosis infection control measures should be prioritized.

PMID: 27118858 [PubMed - in process]

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Audiological Results and Quality of Life of Sophono Alpha 2 Transcutaneous Bone-Anchored Implant Users in Single-Sided Deafness

Single-sided deafness (SSD) represents one of the most difficult audiological conditions to rehabilitate. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the audiological benefits and quality of life of patients affected by SSD who had previously been users of the Alpha 1® when upgrading them to the Sophono Alpha 2® external processor (Boulder, Colo., USA). Nine patients were included in the study. They underwent physical examination, free-field speech audiometry at 40 and 60 dB, a hearing-in-noise test (Hirsch's test and the squelch test), the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) questionnaire, and a specific questionnaire on patient satisfaction with Alpha 1. Afterwards, the Alpha 2 external processor was delivered to all patients, and the above-mentioned protocol was repeated after 1 month with the Alpha 2. A statistically significant improvement was found in the speech discrimination score at 40 dB and in the squelch test when using the Alpha 2 external processor compared to the Alpha 1. Alpha 2 had a good clinical tolerance and gave similar results in the specific questionnaire and the GBI to Alpha 1. In conclusion, the new Alpha 2 external processor represents a safe and effective device for the rehabilitation of SSD, and there is an audiological benefit to upgrading to the Alpha 2 external processor for patients who had previously been users of the Alpha 1. The improvement in quality of life is similar to that with other bone-anchored hearing devices.
Audiol Neurotol 2016;21:158-164

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Prospective, Multicenter Study on Tinnitus Changes after Cochlear Implantation

Objective: To investigate the time course of tinnitus changes in patients receiving cochlear implantation (CI) in a prospective, multicenter setting and to determine related factors. Materials and Methods: A total of 79 adult patients who underwent CI were included in this study. We used the same questionnaires sequentially 5 times. The questionnaires included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for tinnitus severity, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck's Depression Index (BDI), and the Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument (BEPSI) for stress assessment. Results: Tinnitus was present in 59 (74.7%) of the 79 study subjects. After CI, tinnitus was eliminated in 10 patients (25%) and improved in 16 patients (40%) of the 40 patients who completed the final questionnaires, and most of the tinnitus reduction occurred in the early period of CI use. In an analysis of psychological functioning with CI, BDI was reduced significantly after CI. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that preoperative auditory steady-state response (ASSR), THI, and final BDI score were significantly associated with the changes in tinnitus after CI. Conclusions: Most of the tinnitus reduction occurred within 1 month after CI use, and the changes were significantly associated with THI, ASSR, and BDI scores 6 months after CI. CI is a valuable therapeutic modality in tinnitus of a deafened ear.
Audiol Neurotol 2016;21:165-171

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Contents List

Publication date: May 2016
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 46

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Editorial Board

Publication date: May 2016
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 46

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JAAA CEU Program.

JAAA CEU Program.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):360-361

Authors:

PMID: 27115246 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Contents List

Publication date: May 2016
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 46

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Editorial Board

Publication date: May 2016
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 46

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Mcmaster University Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a symptom of a problem with the ear that causes sufferers to hear a variety of ringing or buzzing noises inside their ears. Some patients may have symptoms only in one ear, while other patients will hear noises in both ears. Twenty percent of people experience tinnitus, which means it is a common symptom. The noises can sometimes occur constantly, which can impact a person’s routine. Other patients may only hear the noises at certain times, such as after being exposed to loud noise.

Possible causes

There are several possibilities for the cause of tinnitus, including:

hearing loss due to advanced age
an ear injury
blockage caused by earwax

However, the underlying cause of the noise is usually not a significant worry. The perception of noises being heard is often the main concern that patients have when they discuss their complaints with a doctor. The type of noise heard may vary for each patient. Many people hear ringing, buzzing, roaring or hissing noises when experiencing tinnitus. Some of the McMaster University tinnitus study participants stated that the noises they heard due to tinnitus were so loud that they were unable to sleep.

Promising Research
Michael Chrostowski, who performed McMaster University tinnitus research, has explained that a person’s brain tries to overcome hearing loss by increasing internal noises, which leads to the noises that tinnitus patients hear. Research studies done at McMaster included patients who experienced various levels of tinnitus.

The results of the McMaster University tinnitus research are promising. Each patient was able to have a therapy plan that consisted of listening to recorded classical music. Participants were able to enjoy reduced effects of tinnitus by listening to the selected classical music for one to two hours each day.

Specialized Software
The neuroscience experts who completed the McMaster University tinnitus study were able to produce specialized software that can help patients who suffer from tinnitus. When patients complete an assessment, the classical music can be customized to fit their needs. Patients are then able to listen to the music and experience a reduction in their symptoms.

Participants in the study provided positive feedback and confirmed that the noises they heard had been reduced or eliminated after participation in the research. The customized classical music seemed to make a dramatic impact. Since there is no known cure for tinnitus, this research may be instrumental in improving the lives of tinnitus patients.

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Contents List

Publication date: May 2016
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 46

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Editorial Board

Publication date: May 2016
Source:Gait & Posture, Volume 46

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Τετάρτη 27 Απριλίου 2016

On the Relationship Between Musicianship and Contralateral Suppression of Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions.

On the Relationship Between Musicianship and Contralateral Suppression of Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):333-344

Authors: Stuart A, Daughtrey ER

Abstract
BACKGROUND: The medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent reflex that modulates outer hair cell function has been shown to be more robust in musicians versus nonmusicians as evidenced in greater contralateral suppression of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs). All previous research comparing musical ability and MOC efferent strength has defined musicianship dichotomously (i.e., high-level music students or professional classical musicians versus nonmusicians).
PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to further explore contralateral suppression of TEOAEs among adults with a full spectrum of musicianship ranging from no history of musicianship to professional musicians. Musicianship was defined by both self-report and with an objective test to quantify individual differences in perceptual music skills.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A single-factor between-subjects and correlational research designs were employed.
STUDY SAMPLE: Forty-five normal-hearing young adults participated.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Participants completed a questionnaire concerning their music experience and completed the Brief Profile of Music Perception Skills (PROMS) to quantify perceptual musical skills across multiple musical domains (i.e., accent, melody, tempo, and tuning). TEOAEs were evaluated with 60 dB peak equivalent sound pressure level click stimuli with and without a contralateral 65 dB sound pressure level white noise suppressor. TEOAE suppression was expressed in two ways, absolute TEOAE suppression in dB and a normalized index of TEOAE suppression (i.e., percentage of suppression).
RESULTS: Participants who considered themselves musicians scored significantly higher on all subscales and total Brief PROMS score (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between musicians and nonmusicians in absolute TEOAE suppression or percentage of TEOAE suppression (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant correlations or linear predictive relationships between subscale or total Brief PROMS scores with absolute and percentage of TEOAE suppression (p > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The findings do not support the notion of a graded enhancement of MOC efferent suppression among adults with varied degrees of musicianship from nonmusicians to professional musicians.

PMID: 27115243 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Audiologist Practices: Parent Hearing Aid Education and Support.

Audiologist Practices: Parent Hearing Aid Education and Support.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):324-332

Authors: Meibos A, Muñoz K, White K, Preston E, Pitt C, Twohig M

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Early identification of hearing loss has led to routine fitting of hearing aids in infants and young children. Amplification provides opportunities to optimize child development, although it also introduces challenges for parents to navigate. Audiologists have a central role in providing parents with support to achieve effective management strategies and habits.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore current practices of pediatric audiologists who work with children birth to 5 yr of age, regarding their support of parent learning in achieving effective hearing aid management, identify existing gaps in service delivery, and to determine if audiologists were receptive to receiving training related to effective approaches to provide counseling and support to parents.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A cross-sectional, population-based survey was used.
STUDY SAMPLE: Three hundred and forty-nine surveys were analyzed from pediatric audiologists who provided services to children birth to 5 yr of age. Responses were received from 22 states in the United States.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Responses were collected through the mail and online. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the information.
RESULTS: More than half (61%) of the audiologists in the study had been providing pediatric hearing aid services to children birth to 5 yr of age for >10 yr. Of the audiologists who reported monitoring hours of hearing aid use, the majority reported that they used data logging (90%). More than half of the audiologists (57%) who shared data logging with parents reported that they encountered defensiveness from parents when addressing hearing aid use. Information and skills that were not routinely provided by one-third to one-half of the audiologists included the following: how to get access to loaner hearing aids (30%), available hearing aid options/accessories (33%), available financial assistance (36%), how to teach hearing aid management to other caregivers (38%), how to do hearing aid maintenance (44%), and how to do a Ling 6 sound check (52%). Many audiologists reported they did not frequently collaborate with speech-language pathologists (48%), early interventionists (47%), or physicians (68%). More than half of the audiologists indicated a desire for more training in counseling skills, for all 14 items queried, to support parents with hearing aid management (53-79%), regardless of their previous training experience.
CONCLUSIONS: For young children with hearing loss to achieve optimal benefit from auditory experiences for speech and language development, they need evidence-based, comprehensive, and coordinated hearing aid management. Audiologists have an important role for teaching information and skills related to hearing aids, supporting parent learning, and collaborating with other providers. Pediatric audiologists in this study recognized and desired the need for further training in counseling skills that can better prepare them to meet the emotional needs of parents in the hearing aid management process.

PMID: 27115242 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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The Effect of Decreased Audibility on MMSE Performance: A Measure Commonly Used for Diagnosing Dementia.

The Effect of Decreased Audibility on MMSE Performance: A Measure Commonly Used for Diagnosing Dementia.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):311-323

Authors: Jorgensen LE, Palmer CV, Pratt S, Erickson KI, Moncrieff D

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hearing loss and dementia are both prevalent in late adulthood. The most common test used to determine cognitive status in late adulthood, the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), is presented face to face, usually in the context of the physician's office in the presence of background noise. Despite the problems of hearing loss and cognitive problems in late life, there is an absence of evidence linking hearing-related deficits to performance on the MMSE and dementia diagnoses.
PURPOSE: This study examined the effect of decreased audibility on performance on the MMSE.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A between-subjects design was implemented. Participants were randomly assigned to one of five degrees of simulated hearing loss conditions and were blinded to condition assignment.
STUDY SAMPLE: One hundred and twenty-five young normal-hearing participants were randomized into five conditions of varying degrees of simulated hearing loss.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Performance on the MMSE was scored and cognitive status was categorized based on the scores. Analysis of variance with conditions as a between-subjects factor was conducted with post hoc multiple comparisons to determine the effect of audibility on performance.
RESULTS: Reduced audibility significantly affected performance on the MMSE in a sample of young adults, resulting in greater apparent cognitive deficits as audibility decreased.
CONCLUSIONS: Apparent cognitive deficits based on MMSE scores obtained in test conditions in which audibility is reduced could result in incorrectly identified cognitive loss if clinicians are not alert to hearing loss when patients are evaluated. Furthermore, health care providers should be cautious when using family report of cognitive impairment to diagnose dementia without accounting for hearing loss because the impression of family members may be based on misinterpretation of the effects of hearing loss.

PMID: 27115241 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Hearing Aid Benefit in Patients with Mild Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.

Hearing Aid Benefit in Patients with Mild Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):293-310

Authors: Johnson CE, Danhauer JL, Ellis BB, Jilla AM

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Untreated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is associated with chronic health-care conditions, isolation, loneliness, and reduced quality of life. Although hearing aids can minimize the negative effects of SNHL, only about one in five persons with SNHL seeks help for communication problems. Many persons wait 10 yr or more from the time they first notice a problem before pursuing amplification. Further, little information about the benefits of amplification is available for persons with mild SNHL (MSNHL), who likely defer treatment even longer.
PURPOSE: To conduct a systematic review to weigh the evidence regarding benefits derived from the use of amplification by adults with MSNHL.
RESEARCH DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analysis.
STUDY SAMPLE: Adult hearing aid wearers with bilateral average pure-tone thresholds ≤45 dB HL at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied-Health Literature, Cochrane Collaboration, and Google Scholar were searched independently by the authors during September 2013. The authors used a consensus approach to assess the quality and extract data for the meta-analysis.
RESULTS: Of 106 articles recovered for full-text review, only 10 met inclusion criteria (at least Level IV of evidence and involved and reported separate pre-/postfitting hearing aid outcomes for patients with MSNHL). Included studies involved mainly middle-aged to elderly patients using hearing aids of various styles and circuitry. Results from all of the studies indicated positive benefits from amplification for patients with MSNHL. Data from five studies were suitable for a meta-analysis, which produced a small-to-medium effect size of 0.85 (95% confidence intervals = 0.44-1.25) after adjusting for a small publication bias. This evidence confirmed benefits from the use of amplification in adults with MSNHL.
CONCLUSIONS: Evidence exists supporting the notion that adults with MSNHL benefit from hearing aids. This information is important and useful to audiologists, patients, and third-party payers, even considering that most of the studies in this systematic review were limited, somewhat dated, and used analog and early digital technology available when the studies were conducted. Clinical recommendations may be even stronger as future studies become available for patients fit with modern styles and high-technology hearing aids.

PMID: 27115240 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Development of a Pitch Discrimination Screening Test for Preschool Children.

Development of a Pitch Discrimination Screening Test for Preschool Children.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):281-292

Authors: Abramson MK, Lloyd PJ

Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a critical need for tests of auditory discrimination for young children as this skill plays a fundamental role in the development of speaking, prereading, reading, language, and more complex auditory processes. Frequency discrimination is important with regard to basic sensory processing affecting phonological processing, dyslexia, measurements of intelligence, auditory memory, Asperger syndrome, and specific language impairment.
PURPOSE: This study was performed to determine the clinical feasibility of the Pitch Discrimination Test (PDT) to screen the preschool child's ability to discriminate some of the acoustic demands of speech perception, primarily pitch discrimination, without linguistic content. The PDT used brief speech frequency tones to gather normative data from preschool children aged 3 to 5 yrs.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was used to gather data regarding the pitch discrimination abilities of a sample of typically developing preschool children, between 3 and 5 yrs of age. The PDT consists of ten trials using two pure tones of 100-msec duration each, and was administered in an AA or AB forced-choice response format.
STUDY SAMPLE: Data from 90 typically developing preschool children between the ages of 3 and 5 yrs were used to provide normative data.
DATA ANALYSIS: Nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-testing was used to examine the effects of age as a continuous variable on pitch discrimination. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to determine the significance of age on performance on the PDT. Spearman rank was used to determine the correlation of age and performance on the PDT.
RESULTS: Pitch discrimination of brief tones improved significantly from age 3 yrs to age 4 yrs, as well as from age 3 yrs to the age 4- and 5-yrs group. Results indicated that between ages 3 and 4 yrs, children's auditory discrimination of pitch improved on the PDT. The data showed that children can be screened for auditory discrimination of pitch beginning with age 4 yrs.
CONCLUSIONS: The PDT proved to be a time efficient, feasible tool for a simple form of frequency discrimination screening in the preschool population before the age where other diagnostic tests of auditory processing disorders can be used.

PMID: 27115239 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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A Study I Kind of Wish I Had Done.

A Study I Kind of Wish I Had Done.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):280

Authors: Jacobson GP

PMID: 27115238 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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JAAA CEU Program.

JAAA CEU Program.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):360-361

Authors:

PMID: 27115246 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Hearing Aid Patient Education Materials: Is There Room for Improvement?

Hearing Aid Patient Education Materials: Is There Room for Improvement?

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):354-359

Authors: Joseph J, Svider PF, Shaigany K, Eloy JA, McDonald PG, Folbe AJ, Hong RS

Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the readability of patient education materials (PEMs) from leading manufacturers of behind-the-ear style hearing aids and popular hearing aid information Web sites to determine if they meet guidelines recommended by public health agencies.
RESEARCH DESIGN: Analysis of hearing aid PEMs.
METHODS: Printed user guides from six of the leading manufacturers of BTE hearing aids and 15 of the most popular hearing aid-information Web sites were accessed online and analyzed for readability using the Gunning-Fog Index, New Fog Count, Raygor Estimate Graph, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook, and Flesch Reading Ease score.
RESULTS: Overall average grade-level readability for all six printed manufacturer user manuals was calculated to be written at a 10th grade reading level. Overall average grade-level readabilities for all 15 popular online hearing aid-information Web sites representing professional organizations, suppliers, and health information services were calculated to be written at 10th, 10th, and 11th grade reading levels, respectively. Average Flesch Reading Ease scores for all printed guides and online patient information Web sites were calculated to fall within the fairly difficult category for readability.
CONCLUSIONS: PEMs provided by top hearing aid manufactures and popular hearing aid Web sites are written well above the reading level recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Consideration should be given toward simplifying these materials in order to enhance user experience and increase compliance among behind-the-ear hearing aid users.

PMID: 27115245 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Cochlear Spiral Ganglion Neuron Apoptosis in Neonatal Mice with Murine Cytomegalovirus-Induced Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Cochlear Spiral Ganglion Neuron Apoptosis in Neonatal Mice with Murine Cytomegalovirus-Induced Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):345-353

Authors: Li X, Shi X, Wang C, Niu H, Zeng L, Qiao Y

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is the most common consequence of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, and could result in neurological abnormalities and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
PURPOSE: To explore the mechanism of murine CMV (MCMV)-induced SNHL in neonatal mice model.
RESEARCH DESIGN: A repeated measures design was used.
STUDY SAMPLE: Total 72 neonatal BALB/C mice (36 males and 36 females) were randomly divided into two groups.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: MCMV suspension (50% tissue culture infective dose = 10(4.15) IU/0.1 ml, 15 μl) or physiological saline was intracranially injected into neonatal mice in the experimental or control group, respectively. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) was measured at three weeks postinjection. At 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 21 days postinjection, MCMV-DNA polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to detect MCMV infection in cochlea, followed by terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick-end labeling analysis and immunohistochemistry staining.
RESULTS: Extended latency, decreased amplitude, and increased threshold of ABR wave I were observed in the experimental group. Polymerase chain reaction test was positive from 3 to 21 days postinjection in the experimental group and negative at each time point in the control group. The average apoptosis index was higher in the experimental group than that in the control group from 3 to 21 days postinjection (p < 0.01). In addition, compared with the control group, B-cell lymphoma 2 and B-cell lymphoma 2-associated protein ratio was decreased in the experimental group (p < 0.01).
CONCLUSION: Spiral ganglion neuron apoptosis was an important component of the mechanism of SNHL in MCMV-infected mice.

PMID: 27115244 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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On the Relationship Between Musicianship and Contralateral Suppression of Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions.

On the Relationship Between Musicianship and Contralateral Suppression of Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions.

J Am Acad Audiol. 2016 Apr;27(4):333-344

Authors: Stuart A, Daughtrey ER

PMID: 27115243 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Πληροφορίες

Σάββατο 30 Απριλίου 2016

Graphical abstract

Graphical abstract

Παρασκευή 29 Απριλίου 2016

Πέμπτη 28 Απριλίου 2016

Abstract

Τετάρτη 27 Απριλίου 2016