scholarly journals Addressing age related hearing loss through engineering accessible and affordable hearing technology

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soham Sinha ◽  
Urvaksh D. Irani ◽  
Vinaya Manchaiah ◽  
M. Saad Bhamla
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Elderly Person ◽  
Grand Challenge ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Product Profile ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Hearing Aids have dominated the audiological market for decades. While the costs of the electronic components have reduced substantially, the cost of a hearing aid has risen steadily to the point that it has become unaffordable for the vast majority of the population with Age Related Hearing Loss (ARHL). Here, we present an ultra-low-cost, affordable and accessible hearing aid device (‘LoCHAid’), specifically targeted for ARHL in elderly patients. The LoCHAid costs only 98 cents (< $1) to mass manufacture and can be personalized for each user through a 3D-printable case. It is designed to be an over-the-counter (OTC) self-serviceable solution for elderly individuals with ARHL. Electroacoustic measurements show that the device meets most of the targets set out by the WHO Preferred Product Profile and Consumer Technology Association for Hearing Aids. The frequency response of the hearing aid shows selectable gain in the range of 4-8 kHz, and mild to moderate gain between 200-1000 Hz, and shows very limited total distortion (1%). Simulated gain measurements show that the LoCHAid is well fitted to a range of ARHL profiles for males and females between the ages of 60-79 years. Overall, the measurements show that the device has the potential to benefit individuals with ARHL. Thus, our proposed design addresses a long-standing and grand challenge of affordable and accessible hearing technology for every elderly person on this planet.

scholarly journals INNOVATIVE POLICIES AND TECHNOLOGIES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO HEARING AIDS FOR ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S828-S829
Author(s):  
Michael Yong ◽  
Amber Willink ◽  
Catherine McMahon ◽  
Bradley McPherson ◽  
Carrie L Nieman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Current State ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The World ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Abstract As the proportion of older adults in the world’s total population continues to grow, the deleterious downstream health economic outcomes of age-related hearing loss are steadily becoming more prevalent. While recent research has shown that age-related hearing loss is the single greatest modifiable risk factor for dementia, the rate of hearing aid use remains low in many countries across the globe. Reasons for poor uptake are multifactorial and likely involve a combination of factors, ranging from increasing costs of hearing aid technology to lack of widespread insurance coverage. This paper aims to first identify the current state of hearing aid access across the world using eight representative countries as examples. We then provide recommendations on how to facilitate greater access to hearing aids for consumers by addressing areas in regulation, technology, reimbursement, and workforce.

scholarly journals LoCHAid: An ultra-low-cost hearing aid for age-related hearing loss

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. e0238922
Author(s):  
Soham Sinha ◽  
Urvaksh D. Irani ◽  
Vinaya Manchaiah ◽  
M. Saad Bhamla
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

scholarly journals Chronic Oral Selegiline Treatment Mitigates Age-Related Hearing Loss in BALB/c Mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 2853
Author(s):  
Judit Szepesy ◽  
Viktória Humli ◽  
János Farkas ◽  
Ildikó Miklya ◽  
Júlia Tímár ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Dose Range ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
High Frequency Hearing Loss ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Hearing Function ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Aging Societies ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), a sensorineural hearing loss of multifactorial origin, increases its prevalence in aging societies. Besides hearing aids and cochlear implants, there is no FDA approved efficient pharmacotherapy to either cure or prevent ARHL. We hypothesized that selegiline, an antiparkinsonian drug, could be a promising candidate for the treatment due to its complex neuroprotective, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and dopaminergic neurotransmission enhancing effects. We monitored by repeated Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) measurements the effect of chronic per os selegiline administration on the hearing function in BALB/c and DBA/2J mice, which strains exhibit moderate and rapid progressive high frequency hearing loss, respectively. The treatments were started at 1 month of age and lasted until almost a year and 5 months of age, respectively. In BALB/c mice, 4 mg/kg selegiline significantly mitigated the progression of ARHL at higher frequencies. Used in a wide dose range (0.15–45 mg/kg), selegiline had no effect in DBA/2J mice. Our results suggest that selegiline can partially preserve the hearing in certain forms of ARHL by alleviating its development. It might also be otoprotective in other mammals or humans.

scholarly journals A Review on Recent Advancement on Age-Related Hearing Loss: The Applications of Nanotechnology, Drug Pharmacology, and Biotechnology

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1041
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Chester ◽  
Edan Johnston ◽  
Daniel Walker ◽  
Melissa Jones ◽  
Corina Mihaela Ionescu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Bile Acid ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Stria Vascularis ◽  
Cellular Damage ◽  
Relevant Evidence ◽  
Neuronal Signalling ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Recent Advancement ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Aging is considered a contributing factor to many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss, also termed presbycusis, is one of the most common sensory impairments worldwide, affecting one in five people over 50 years of age, and this prevalence is growing annually. Associations have emerged between presbycusis and detrimental health outcomes, including social isolation and mental health. It remains largely untreatable apart from hearing aids, and with no globally established prevention strategies in the clinical setting. Hence, this review aims to explore the pathophysiology of presbycusis and potential therapies, based on a recent advancement in bile acid-based bio-nanotechnologies. A comprehensive online search was carried out using the following keywords: presbycusis, drugs, hearing loss, bile acids, nanotechnology, and more than 150 publications were considered directly relevant. Evidence of the multifaceted oxidative stress and chronic inflammation involvement in cellular damage and apoptosis that is associated with a loss of hair cells, damaged and inflamed stria vascularis, and neuronal signalling loss and apoptosis continues to emerge. New robust and effective therapies require drug delivery deeper into the various layers of the cochlea. Bile acid-based nanotechnology has gained wide interest in its permeation-enhancing ability and potential for numerous applications in treating presbycusis.

scholarly journals Treatment of age-related hearing loss alters audiovisual integration and resting-state functional connectivity: A randomized controlled pilot trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Rosemann ◽  
Anja Gieseler ◽  
Maike Tahden ◽  
Hans Colonius ◽  
Christiane Thiel
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Brain Connectivity ◽  
Audiovisual Integration ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Functional Brain ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Untreated age-related hearing loss increases audiovisual integration and impacts resting state functional brain connectivity. It is unclear whether compensation with hearing aids is able to alter audiovisual integration and resting state functional brain connectivity. We conducted a randomized controlled pilot study to investigate how the McGurk illusion, a common measure for audiovisual integration, and resting state functional brain connectivity of the auditory cortex are altered by six-month hearing aid use. Thirty-two older participants with slight-to-moderate, symmetric, age-related hearing loss were allocated to a treatment or waiting control group and measured one week before and six months after hearing aid fitting with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Our results showed that a hearing aid use of six months was associated with a decrease in resting state functional connectivity between the auditory cortex and the fusiform gyrus and that this decrease was related to an increase of perceived McGurk illusions. Our study, therefore, suggests that even short-term hearing aid use alters audiovisual integration and functional brain connectivity between auditory and visual cortices.

scholarly journals Association of Age-Related Hearing Loss with Cognitive Decline

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-153
Author(s):  
Juyong Chung
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cochlear Implants ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Microvascular Disease ◽  
Single Mechanism ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

A number of studies have demonstrated a significant association between age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and cognitive decline. However their relationship is not clear. In this review, we focused on the etiological mechanisms between ARHL and cognitive decline to explain the nature of this relationship: 1) causal mechanisms (e.g., cognitive load hypothesis, cascade hypothesis); 2) common cause mechanisms (e.g., microvascular disease); 3) overdiagnosis or harbinger hypothesis. We conclude that no single mechanism is sufficient and hearing and cognition related to each other in several different ways. In addition, we reviewed the effectiveness of hearing intervention (e.g., hearing aids and cochlear implants) on cognition function, and the role of hearing aid use and cochlear implant depends on the relevant mechanism.

Knowledge and Expectations of Hearing Aid Applications: A Cross-sectional Survey of Smartphone Users and Hearing Professionals (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jae Sang Han ◽  
Yong-Ho Park ◽  
Jae-Jun Song ◽  
Il Joon Moon ◽  
Woojoo Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Assistive Device ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cost Category ◽  
Grade Point ◽  
The Cost

BACKGROUND Despite the increasing prevalence of hearing loss, the cost and psychological barriers to use of hearing aids may prevent individuals with hearing loss from using these aids. Hearing loss patients can benefit from smartphone-based hearing aid applications (SHAAs), which are smartphone applications that use a mobile device as sound amplifier. OBJECTIVE The aims of this study were to determine how ear, nose and throat (ENT) outpatients perceived SHAAs, analyze factors that affected this, and estimate costs of annual subscription to an application through a self-administered questionnaire survey of smartphone users and hearing specialists. METHODS The study employed cross-sectional, multi-center survey of both ENT outpatients and hearing specialists. The questionnaire was designed to collect personal information about the respondents as well as responses to 18 questions concerning SHAAs in 5 domains: knowledge, needs, cost, expectations, and information. Questions about the expected cost of SHAAs were included in the questionnaire distributed to hearing experts. RESULTS Among 219 smartphone users and 42 hearing specialists, only eight respondents (3.7%) recognized SHAAs, while 47 of 261 respondents (21.5%) reported considering using an assistive device to improve their hearing capacities. Average perception score was 2.81 (95% CI 2.65-2.97), lower than the grade point average of 3. Among factors that shaped perceptions of SHAAs, the needs category received the lowest scores (2.02, 95% CI 1.83-2.20) whereas the cost category received the highest scores (3.29, 95% CI 3.14-3.44). Age was correlated with the information domain (P = .000) and an increased level of hearing impairment resulted in significantly higher points in the needs category (P = .000). Patients expected the cost of an annual application subscription to an SHAA to be about 86 USD, and predicted cost was associated with economic status (P = .200) and was noticeably higher than the prices expected by hearing specialists (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Outpatients expected SHAAs to cost more than hearing specialists. However, SHAA perception was relatively low. In this regard, enhanced awareness of SHAAs is required to popularize SHAAs. CLINICALTRIAL None

Hearing Loss- and Hearing Aid-Related Stigma

2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan F. Erler ◽  
Dean C. Garstecki
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Impaired Hearing ◽  
Younger Women ◽  
Normal Limits ◽  
Hearing Aid Use ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Women’S Perceptions

Impaired hearing and the use of hearing aids are often perceived negatively. Many adults deny hearing loss and reject amplification, in part due to such stigma. Women and men differ in how they age and adjust to impaired hearing, yet little is known specifically about women’s perceptions of stigma related to hearing loss and hearing aid use. The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of stigma associated with hearing loss and hearing aid use among women in three age groups (35–45 years, 55–65 years, and 75–85 years). Participants were 191 women with hearing within normal limits based on age-related norms. Using pairs of descriptors (i.e., semantic differentials), participants completed statements related to hearing loss and hearing aid use. Results suggest that negative perceptions associated with hearing loss and hearing aid use are affected by age. Younger women perceive greater stigma than older women. Less stigma is associated with hearing aid use than hearing loss, suggesting a positive effect of hearing loss management. Implications for clinical practice and marketing of hearing instruments are discussed.

scholarly journals Automatic Speech Recognition Predicts Speech Intelligibility and Comprehension for Listeners With Simulated Age-Related Hearing Loss

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 2394-2405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lionel Fontan ◽  
Isabelle Ferrané ◽  
Jérôme Farinas ◽  
Julien Pinquier ◽  
Julien Tardieu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Automatic Speech Recognition ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Language Models ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss ◽  
Asr System

Purpose The purpose of this article is to assess speech processing for listeners with simulated age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and to investigate whether the observed performance can be replicated using an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system. The long-term goal of this research is to develop a system that will assist audiologists/hearing-aid dispensers in the fine-tuning of hearing aids. Method Sixty young participants with normal hearing listened to speech materials mimicking the perceptual consequences of ARHL at different levels of severity. Two intelligibility tests (repetition of words and sentences) and 1 comprehension test (responding to oral commands by moving virtual objects) were administered. Several language models were developed and used by the ASR system in order to fit human performances. Results Strong significant positive correlations were observed between human and ASR scores, with coefficients up to .99. However, the spectral smearing used to simulate losses in frequency selectivity caused larger declines in ASR performance than in human performance. Conclusion Both intelligibility and comprehension scores for listeners with simulated ARHL are highly correlated with the performances of an ASR-based system. In the future, it needs to be determined if the ASR system is similarly successful in predicting speech processing in noise and by older people with ARHL.

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