Audiology by Alexandros G. Sfakianakis

Τετάρτη 5 Σεπτεμβρίου 2018

The role of speech rate for Italian-speaking cochlear implant users: insights for everyday speech perception.

The role of speech rate for Italian-speaking cochlear implant users: insights for everyday speech perception.

Int J Audiol. 2018 Sep 04;:1-7

Authors: Dincer D'Alessandro H, Boyle PJ, Ballantyne D, De Vincentiis M, Mancini P

Abstract
This study investigated the effect of speech rate for Italian-speaking cochlear implant (CI) users with the aim of gaining insight into everyday listening situations where speaker's rate may vary considerably together with speech level in fluctuating background noise. The test material was prepared by processing the Italian STARR test with temporal compression of sentence material. Twelve adult CI users were divided into two subgroups based on their STARR performance: good and poor performers. The effect of varying speech rate was remarkable for both subgroups. Good performers showed significant performance deterioration for the faster speech rate, whereas outcomes for poor performers improved significantly for the slower speech rate. Background noise is inevitable during daily life and CI users face a variety of speakers, so must cope with changes in both speech level and rate. Traditional tests with a single talker speaking very clearly while using a moderate to low speech rate may overestimate everyday speech perception for CI users. The use of tests that mimic everyday perception is of great importance and should become a routine part of audiometric measures for hearing impaired people.

PMID: 30178699 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Patients' experiences of living with superior canal dehiscence syndrome.

Patients' experiences of living with superior canal dehiscence syndrome.

Int J Audiol. 2018 Sep 04;:1-6

Authors: Öhman J, Forssén A, Sörlin A, Tano K

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The study investigated how the symptoms of superior canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) affected patients in their daily life, and how patients coped with the disease.
DESIGN: This was a qualitative study; semi-structured interviews were performed and analysed according to the systematic text condensation method.
STUDY SAMPLE: Twelve of 13 identified patients with SCDS in the county of Norrbotten, Sweden, were included in the study.
RESULTS: Five main categories were created based on the patients' experiences of living with SCDS: (1) Experiencing strange symptoms: One "new" symptom was identified - mental fatigue. (2) A restricted life socially, physically and at work: All patients experienced some extent of limitation in their daily life. (3) To accept and to protect oneself: All patients had developed strategies to protect their ears from noise. (4) Misunderstood in health care: The diagnosis was sometimes delayed several years due to lack of knowledge among healthcare workers. (5) Carefully considering treatment (surgery): Symptoms were weighed against the risk of side effects.
CONCLUSIONS: SCDS was rendered an invisible disability. In the present study, we identified mental fatigue as a symptom not previously considered in the literature.

PMID: 30178689 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Construction and evaluation of the Mandarin Chinese matrix (CMNmatrix) sentence test for the assessment of speech recognition in noise.

Construction and evaluation of the Mandarin Chinese matrix (CMNmatrix) sentence test for the assessment of speech recognition in noise.

Int J Audiol. 2018 Sep 04;:1-13

Authors: Hu H, Xi X, Wong LLN, Hochmuth S, Warzybok A, Kollmeier B

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Development of the Mandarin Chinese matrix (CMNmatrix) sentence test for speech intelligibility measurements in noise according to the international standard procedure.
DESIGN: A 50-word base matrix representing the distribution of phonemes and lexical tones of spoken Mandarin was established. Hundred sentences capturing all the co-articulations of two consecutive words were recorded. Word-specific speech recognition functions, speech reception thresholds (SRT: signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), that provides 50% speech intelligibility) and slopes were obtained from measurements at fixed SNRs. The speech material was homogenised in intelligibility by applying level corrections up to ± 2 dB. Subsequently, the CMNmatrix test was evaluated, the comparability of test lists was measured at two fixed SNRs. To investigate the training effect and establish the reference data, speech recognition was measured adaptively.
STUDY SAMPLE: Overall, the study sample contained 80 normal-hearing native Mandarin-speaking listeners.
RESULTS: Multi-centre evaluation measurements confirmed that test lists are equivalent in intelligibility, with a mean SRT of -10.1 ± 0.1 dB SNR and a slope of 13.1 ± 0.9 %/dB. The reference SRT is -9.3 ± 0.8 and -11.2 ± 1.2 dB SNR for the open- and closed-set response format, respectively.
CONCLUSION: The CMNmatrix test is suitable for accurate and internationally comparable speech recognition measurements in noise.

PMID: 30178681 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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