The Relationship Between Self-Perceived Hearing Ability and Binaural Speech-in-Noise Performance in Adults With Normal Pure-Tone Hearing

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Christina M. Roup ◽  
Amy Custer ◽  
Julie Powell
Keyword(s):  
Pure Tone ◽  
Subscale Score ◽  
Auditory Memory ◽  
Global Score ◽  
Noise Performance ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Hearing Abilities

Purpose This study examined the relationship between self-perceived hearing abilities and binaural speech-in-noise performance in young to middle-age adults with normal pure-tone hearing. Method Sixty-six adults with normal hearing (thresholds ≤ 25 dB HL at 250–8000 Hz) participated. Self-perceived hearing abilities were assessed using the Adult Auditory Performance Scale (AAPS). The AAPS provides a single global score of self-perceived hearing abilities and individual subscale scores for six listening conditions, namely, Quiet, Ideal, Noise, Multiple Inputs, Auditory Memory, and Auditory Attention. Binaural speech-in-noise performance was measured with the Listening in Spatialized Noise–Sentences Test (LiSN-S). Results Results revealed significant correlations between the AAPS and the LiSN-S. Listeners who scored higher on the AAPS (greater self-perceived hearing difficulty) performed poorer on the LiSN-S. The strongest correlations were observed between the AAPS Noise subscale score and the LiSN-S low- and high-cue conditions. Age was significantly correlated with both pure-tone hearing and the LiSN-S spatial advantage, with older participants exhibiting poorer thresholds and smaller spatial advantages. Pure-tone hearing was also significantly correlated with binaural speech-in-noise performance. Listeners with poorer thresholds performed poorer across multiple LiSN-S conditions. Linear regression revealed that a significant amount of the variance in LiSN-S performance was accounted for by pure-tone hearing as well as the AAPS global score and Noise subscale score. Conclusions Results demonstrate a clear relationship between an individual's self-perceived hearing ability and their binaural speech-in-noise performance. In addition, minimal threshold elevation within the normal range and age (i.e., middle adulthood) had a negative impact on binaural speech-in-noise performance. The results support the inclusion of speech-in-noise testing for all patients, even those whose pure-tone hearing falls within the traditional normal range.

The Relationship between High-Frequency Pure-Tone Hearing Loss, Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) Thresholds, and the Articulation Index

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 779-788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Vermiglio ◽  
Sigfrid D. Soli ◽  
Daniel J. Freed ◽  
Laurel M. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Speech Recognition ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
Hearing In Noise ◽  
Articulation Index ◽  
Speech Recognition In Noise ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Pure Tone Threshold

Background: Speech recognition in noise testing has been conducted at least since the 1940s (Dickson et al, 1946). The ability to recognize speech in noise is a distinct function of the auditory system (Plomp, 1978). According to Kochkin (2002), difficulty recognizing speech in noise is the primary complaint of hearing aid users. However, speech recognition in noise testing has not found widespread use in the field of audiology (Mueller, 2003; Strom, 2003; Tannenbaum and Rosenfeld, 1996). The audiogram has been used as the “gold standard” for hearing ability. However, the audiogram is a poor indicator of speech recognition in noise ability. Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between pure-tone thresholds, the articulation index, and the ability to recognize speech in quiet and in noise. Research Design: Pure-tone thresholds were measured for audiometric frequencies 250–6000 Hz. Pure-tone threshold groups were created. These included a normal threshold group and slight, mild, severe, and profound high-frequency pure-tone threshold groups. Speech recognition thresholds in quiet and in noise were obtained using the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) (Nilsson et al, 1994; Vermiglio, 2008). The articulation index was determined by using Pavlovic's method with pure-tone thresholds (Pavlovic, 1989, 1991). Study Sample: Two hundred seventy-eight participants were tested. All participants were native speakers of American English. Sixty-three of the original participants were removed in order to create groups of participants with normal low-frequency pure-tone thresholds and relatively symmetrical high-frequency pure-tone threshold groups. The final set of 215 participants had a mean age of 33 yr with a range of 17–59 yr. Data Collection and Analysis: Pure-tone threshold data were collected using the Hughson-Weslake procedure. Speech recognition data were collected using a Windows-based HINT software system. Statistical analyses were conducted using descriptive, correlational, and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) statistics. Results: The MANCOVA analysis (where the effect of age was statistically removed) indicated that there were no significant differences in HINT performances between groups of participants with normal audiograms and those groups with slight, mild, moderate, or severe high-frequency hearing losses. With all of the data combined across groups, correlational analyses revealed significant correlations between pure-tone averages and speech recognition in quiet performance. Nonsignificant or significant but weak correlations were found between pure-tone averages and HINT thresholds. Conclusions: The ability to recognize speech in steady-state noise cannot be predicted from the audiogram. A new classification scheme of hearing impairment based on the audiogram and the speech reception in noise thresholds, as measured with the HINT, may be useful for the characterization of the hearing ability in the global sense. This classification scheme is consistent with Plomp's two aspects of hearing ability (Plomp, 1978).

scholarly journals Effect of vitamin B6 supplementation, in combination with magnesium, on severe stress and magnesium status: secondary analysis from an RCT

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (OCE2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lionel Noah ◽  
Gisèle Pickering ◽  
Claude Dubray ◽  
Andre Mazur ◽  
Simon Hitier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Vitamin B6 ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Subscale Score ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Parallel Group ◽  
Stress Score ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractIntroductionEvidence from a recent randomised controlled trial1 suggests that in severely stressed subjects with low magnesemia, supplementation with magnesium (Mg) in combination with vitamin B6 (B6) provides greater benefits than Mg alone. B6 was reported to facilitate Mg absorption and its cellular uptake and to exert synergistic effect with Mg. The current secondary analysis explored the relationship between Mg-B6 combination and erythrocyte Mg concentration, used as a biomarker of body Mg status.Material and MethodsAn 8-week, Phase IV, controlled, single-blinded, parallel-group trial (EudraCT Number 2015-003749-24) stratified by sex was conducted in adults (n = 264) with a Depression Anxiety Stress Scales - stress subscale score (DASS-42SS) > 18 and serum Mg of 0.5–0.85mmol/L, randomised 1:1 to daily oral Mg-B6 (Magne B6®, Mg 300 mg; B6 30mg) or oral Mg alone (Magnespasmyl®, Mg 300mg). Outcomes were stress score, serum Mg (mmol/L), erythrocytes Mg (mmol/L), and serum B6 (nmol/L) from baseline to Week4 and Week8. Data are given as mean(SD) values.Results & DiscussionBaseline characteristics. Baseline magnesemia was 0.80(0.04) for both groups. Erythrocyte Mg concentration for the lower quintile of the studied population (n = 53) was 0.73–1.62, below the normal range of 1.65–2.65 in general population. The mean stress score in this subgroup was higher [29.5(6.3)], but not significantly different from that in other quintiles [lowest value: 26.1(7.6)]. Baseline B6 serum level for the lower B6 quintile (5–23), below the normal range for general population, was suggestive of possible B6 deficiency.Treatment effects. Both treatments increased slightly but not significantly erythrocyte Mg level from baseline to Week8 [1.84(0.03) to 1.86(0.03), and 1.86(0.03) to 188(0.03), respectively for Mg + B6 and Mg groups]. Significant changes were observed in subjects with low erythrocyte Mg level at baseline (< 1.6), namely an increase of + 0.13(0.04–0.22) for Mg + B6 and + 0.17(0.08–0.25) for Mg groups, but with no difference between treatments. Moreover, Mg + B6 supplementation led to a significant change (p < 0.0001) in serum B6 level between baseline and Wk8 [55.9(4.8) to 370.9(11.3)], as compared to Mg alone [51.9(4.8) to 51.5(11.3)].In conclusion, both treatments significantly increased erythrocyte Mg in subjects with low Mg status. B6 supplementation did not lead to further increase in erythrocyte Mg level. We have previously shown that severely stressed population benefits from B6 supplementation in combination with Mg, however, the mechanism of the interaction between Mg and B6 remains to be elucidated.1Sponsored by Sanofi

scholarly journals Clinical Importance of Binaural Information: Extending Auditory Assessment in Clinical Populations Using a Portable Testing Platform

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Anna C. Diedesch ◽  
S. J. Adelaide Bock ◽  
Frederick J. Gallun
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Clinical Importance ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Spectral Processing ◽  
Binaural Processing ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
Processing Ability ◽  
Highly Correlated

Purpose The purpose of this study is to use variability on tests of basic auditory processing to allow identification of those tests that could be used clinically to describe functional hearing ability beyond the pure-tone audiogram and clinical speech-in-noise tests. Method Psychoacoustic tests implemented using the Portable Automated Rapid Testing system on a calibrated iPad were evaluated for nine young normal-hearing participants ( M age = 21.3, SD = 2.5) and seven hearing-impaired participants ( M age = 64.9, SD = 13.5). Participants completed 10 psychoacoustic subtests in a quiet room. Correlational analyses were used to compare performance on the psychoacoustic test battery with performance on a clinical speech-in-noise test and with the 4-frequency pure-tone average (4FreqPTA). Results Spectral processing ability was highly correlated with 4FreqPTA, and temporal processing ability showed minimal variability across the hearing-impaired group. Tests involving binaural processing captured variability across hearing-impaired listeners not associated with 4FreqPTA or speech-in-noise performance. Conclusions Tests that capture the ability to use binaural cues may add information to what current clinical protocols reveal about patients with auditory complaints. Further testing with a larger sample size is needed to confirm the need for binaural measurements and to develop normative data for clinical settings.

scholarly journals Impact of Hearing Loss and Amplification on Performance on a Cognitive Screening Test

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (07) ◽  
pp. 648-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle H. Saunders ◽  
Ian Odgear ◽  
Anna Cosgrove ◽  
Melissa T. Frederick
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Pure Tone Audiometry ◽  
Cognitive Screening ◽  
Strong Correlations ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
The Individual

AbstractThere have been numerous recent reports on the association between hearing impairment and cognitive function, such that the cognition of adults with hearing loss is poorer relative to the cognition of adults with normal hearing (NH), even when amplification is used. However, it is not clear the extent to which this is testing artifact due to the individual with hearing loss being unable to accurately hear the test stimuli.The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether use of amplification during cognitive screening with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) improves performance on the MoCA. Secondarily, we investigated the effects of hearing ability on MoCA performance, by comparing the performance of individuals with and without hearing impairment.Participants were 42 individuals with hearing impairment and 19 individuals with NH. Of the individuals with hearing impairment, 22 routinely used hearing aids; 20 did not use hearing aids.Following a written informec consent process, all participants completed pure tone audiometry, speech testing in quiet (Maryland consonant-nucleus-consonant [CNC] words) and in noise (Quick Speech in Noise [QuickSIN] test), and the MoCA. The speech testing and MoCA were completed twice. Individuals with hearing impairment completed testing once unaided and once with amplification, whereas individuals with NH completed unaided testing twice.The individuals with hearing impairment performed significantly less well on the MoCA than those without hearing impairment for unaided testing, and the use of amplification did not significantly change performance. This is despite the finding that amplification significantly improved the performance of the hearing aid users on the measures of speech in quiet and speech in noise. Furthermore, there were strong correlations between MoCA score and the four frequency pure tone average, Maryland CNC score and QuickSIN, which remain moderate to strong when the analyses were adjusted for age.It is concluded that the individuals with hearing loss here performed less well on the MoCA than individuals with NH and that the use of amplification did not compensate for this performance deficit. Nonetheless, this should not be taken to suggest the use of amplification during testing is unnecessary because it might be that other unmeasured factors, such as effort required to perform or fatigue, were decreased with the use of amplification.

The Impact of Minimal to Mild Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (6) ◽  
pp. 55-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Roup
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Pure Tone Audiogram ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
Hearing Handicap ◽  
Mild Hearing Loss ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between the pure-tone audiogram and the categorization of normal hearing or a mild hearing loss fails to account for other important non-audiometric factors that impact hearing ability for approximately one-third of adults. In order to obtain a complete hearing profile of our patients who present with normal hearing or a mild hearing loss, it is necessary to consider more than simply the results of the pure-tone audiogram. Both subjective hearing handicap via questionnaire and suprathreshold auditory measures (especially in background noise) have been shown to be sensitive to deficits not captured by the pure-tone audiogram. Viable treatment options with demonstrated benefit, such as mild-gain amplification, should be considered for this population.

scholarly journals Sustained envelope periodicity representations are associated with speech-in-noise performance in difficult listening conditions for younger and older adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 1685-1696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn M. McClaskey ◽  
James W. Dias ◽  
Kelly C. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Modulation Depth ◽  
Phase Locking ◽  
Modulation Frequency ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Spectral Amplitude ◽  
Noise Performance ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Envelope Processing ◽  
The Relationship

Temporal modulations are an important part of speech signals. An accurate perception of these time-varying qualities of sound is necessary for successful communication. The current study investigates the relationship between sustained envelope encoding and speech-in-noise perception in a cohort of normal-hearing younger (ages 18–30 yr, n = 22) and older adults (ages 55–90+ yr, n = 35) using the subcortical auditory steady-state response (ASSR). ASSRs were measured in response to the envelope of 400-ms amplitude-modulated (AM) tones with 3,000-Hz carrier frequencies and 80-Hz modulation frequencies. AM tones had modulation depths of 0, −4, and −8 dB relative to m = 1 ( m = 1, 0.631, and 0.398, respectively). The robustness, strength at modulation frequency, and synchrony of subcortical envelope encoding were quantified via time-domain correlations, spectral amplitude, and phase-locking value, respectively. Speech-in-noise ability was quantified via the QuickSIN test in the 0- and 5-dB signal-to-noise (SNR) conditions. All ASSR metrics increased with increasing modulation depth and there were no effects of age group. ASSR metrics in response to shallow modulation depths predicted 0-dB speech scores. Results demonstrate that sustained amplitude envelope processing in the brainstem relates to speech-in-noise abilities, but primarily in difficult listening conditions at low SNRs. These findings furthermore highlight the utility of shallow modulation depths for studying temporal processing. The absence of age effects in these data demonstrate that individual differences in the robustness, strength, and specificity of subcortical envelope processing, and not age, predict speech-in-noise performance in the most difficult listening conditions. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Failure to correctly understand speech in the presence of background noise is a significant problem for many normal-hearing adults and may impede healthy communication. The relationship between sustained envelope encoding in the brainstem and speech-in-noise perception remains to be clarified. The present study demonstrates that the strength, specificity, and robustness of the brainstem’s representations of sustained stimulus periodicity relates to speech-in-noise perception in older and younger normal-hearing adults, but only in highly challenging listening environments.

scholarly journals In-air hearing in Hawaiian monk seals: implications for understanding the auditory biology of Monachinae seals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandi Ruscher ◽  
Jillian M. Sills ◽  
Beau P. Richter ◽  
Colleen Reichmuth
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Critical Ratio ◽  
Mirounga Angustirostris ◽  
Northern Elephant Seal ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Monk Seals ◽  
Management And Conservation ◽  
Hearing Abilities

AbstractThe auditory biology of Monachinae seals is poorly understood. Limited audiometric data and certain anatomical features suggest that these seals may have reduced sensitivity to airborne sounds compared to related species. Here, we describe the in-air hearing abilities of a Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schauinslandi) trained to participate in a psychophysical paradigm. We report absolute (unmasked) thresholds for narrowband signals measured in quiet conditions across the range of hearing and masked thresholds measured in the presence of octave-band noise at two frequencies. The behavioral audiogram indicates a functional hearing range from 0.1 to 33 kHz and poor sensitivity, with detection thresholds above 40 dB re 20 µPa. Critical ratio measurements are elevated compared to those of other seals. The apparently reduced terrestrial hearing ability of this individual—considered with available auditory data for a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris)—suggests that hearing in Monachinae seals differs from that of the highly sensitive Phocinae seals. Exploration of phylogenetic relationships and anatomical traits support this claim. This work advances understanding of the evolution of hearing in amphibious marine mammals and provides updated information that can be used for management and conservation of endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Scapular Upward Rotation and Shoulder Internal and External Rotation Isokinetic Strength in Professional Baseball Pitchers

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 759
Author(s):  
Byung Gon Kim ◽  
Seung Kil Lim ◽  
Sunga Kong
Keyword(s):  
External Rotation ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Isokinetic Strength ◽  
Strength Ratio ◽  
Shoulder Injury ◽  
Isokinetic Dynamometer ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
History Of ◽  
Baseball Pitchers ◽  
The Relationship

This study aims to assess the relationship between scapular upward rotation (SUR) across varying humeral-elevation angles (HEAs) and shoulder isokinetic strength and ratio in professional baseball pitchers. The subjects were professional baseball pitchers (n = 16) without a history of shoulder injury in the last six months. The subject’s SUR angles were measured with the humerus elevated at HEAs of 0° (at rest), 60°, 90°, and 120° to the scapular plane. Shoulder isokinetic strength was evaluated for shoulder internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) strength (PT%BW and TW%BW), and the ER/IR strength ratios were determined at 60, 120 and 180°/s using an isokinetic dynamometer. The SUR angle at an HEA of 0° was positively correlated with IR strength at 120°/s (r = 0.535) and 180°/s (r = 0.522). The SUR angle at an HEA of 60° was negatively correlated with the ER/IR strength ratios at 60°/s (r = −0.505) and 120°/s (r = −0.500). The SUR angle at an HEA of 90° was negatively correlated with the ER/IR strength ratios at 60°/s (r = −0.574; r = −0.554) and 120°/s (r = −0.521; r = −0.589) as well as with ER strength at 180°/s (r = −0.591, r = −0.556). The SUR angle at an HEA of 120° was negatively correlated with ER strength at 60°/s (r = −0.558), 120°/s (r = −0.504; r = −0.524), and 180°/s (r = −0.543) and the ER/IR strength ratio at 60°/s (r = −0.517). In this study, we found that the ratio of isokinetic strength between ER and IR became closer to the normal range on increasing the SUR angle. In particular, an HEA of 90°, which resembles the pitching motion, showed a clear relationship between SUR, shoulder ER, and the ratio of ER/IR isokinetic strength in professional baseball pitchers.

scholarly journals Developmental Links Between Speech Perception in Noise, Singing, and Cortical Processing of Music in Children with Cochlear Implants

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ritva Torppa ◽  
Andrew Faulkner ◽  
Teija Kujala ◽  
Minna Huotilainen ◽  
Jari Lipsanen
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Musical Instrument ◽  
Noise Performance ◽  
Speech Perception In Noise ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Brain Responses ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Musical Sounds ◽  
Auditory Skills

The perception of speech in noise is challenging for children with cochlear implants (CIs). Singing and musical instrument playing have been associated with improved auditory skills in normal-hearing (NH) children. Therefore, we assessed how children with CIs who sing informally develop in the perception of speech in noise compared to those who do not. We also sought evidence of links of speech perception in noise with MMN and P3a brain responses to musical sounds and studied effects of age and changes over a 14–17 month time period in the speech-in-noise performance of children with CIs. Compared to the NH group, the entire CI group was less tolerant of noise in speech perception, but both groups improved similarly. The CI singing group showed better speech-in-noise perception than the CI non-singing group. The perception of speech in noise in children with CIs was associated with the amplitude of MMN to a change of sound from piano to cymbal, and in the CI singing group only, with earlier P3a for changes in timbre. While our results cannot address causality, they suggest that singing and musical instrument playing may have a potential to enhance the perception of speech in noise in children with CIs.

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