Investigation of the long-term effects of unilateral hearing loss in adults

Tinnitus is an incapacitating condition commonly affecting cochlear implant (CI) candidates. The aim of this clinical study is to assess the long-term effects of CI treatment in patients with severe-to-profound, sensorineural, unilateral hearing loss (UHL) and incapacitating tinnitus. We performed a prospective Cochlear™ company-sponsored multicentre study in five Spanish centres. Sixteen patients with UHL and incapacitating tinnitus, which was indicated by a Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score >58%, received a Nucleus® CI in their deaf ear. The study design includes repeated within-subject measures on hearing, tinnitus, hyperacusis and quality of life up to 12 months after initial CI fitting. In addition to hearing loss and tinnitus, all patients suffered from hyperacusis. Most patients had a sudden hearing loss and received a CI within 2 years after their hearing loss. Preliminary 6-month, post-CI activation data of 13 subjects showed that the majority of patients perceived a subjective benefit from CI treatment, which was assessed using the THI, a Visual Analogue Scale of tinnitus loudness/annoyance and the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale. Preliminary 12-month data of 7 subjects showed that most patients also perceived a degree of relief from their hyperacusis. One patient showed no improvements in any of the applied scales, which could be explained by partial insertion of the electrode due to obstruction of the cochlea by otosclerosis. In conclusion, CI can successfully be used in the treatment of UHL patients with accompanying severe tinnitus and hyperacusis. Implantation resulted in hearing benefits and a durable relief from tinnitus and hyperacusis in the majority of patients. These findings support the hypothesis that pathophysiological mechanisms after peripheral sensorineural hearing loss are at least partly reversible when hearing is restored with a CI.

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LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF OTITIS MEDIA A TEN-YEAR COHORT STUDY OF ALASKAN ESKIMO CHILDREN

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.52.4.577 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 52 (4) ◽

pp. 577-585 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gary J. Kaplan ◽

J. Kenneth Fleshman ◽

Thomas R. Bender ◽

Carol Baum ◽

Paul S. Clark

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Otitis Media ◽

Verbal Ability ◽

Significant Loss ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Normal Range ◽

History Of ◽

Conductive Component ◽

Verbal Development

Histories of ear disease, otoscopic examinations, and audiologic, intelligence, and achievement tests were obtained from a cohort of 489 Alaskan Eskimo children who have been followed through the first ten years of life. Seventy-six per cent had experienced one or more episodes of otitis media since birth. Of these, 78% had their first attack during their first two years of life. Perforations and scars were present in 41%. A hearing loss of 26 decibels or greater was present in 16%, and an additional 25% were in the normal range but had a measurable air-bone gap. Children with a history of otitis media prior to 2 years of age and a hearing loss of 26 decibels or greater had a statistically significant loss of verbal ability and were behind in total reading, total math, and language. In addition, children who had an early onset of otitis media but now had normal hearing with a conductive component were also adversely affected in verbal areas. The number of otitis media episodes was related to tympanic membrane abnormalities, hearing loss, and low verbal and achievement scores. These findings indicate that otitis media has been a significant cause of morbidity in Alaskan Eskimo children, and its onset during the critical years of language development as well as the number of episodes play an important role in impairing verbal development.

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Acute and Long-Term Effects of Noise Exposure on the Neuronal Spontaneous Activity in Cochlear Nucleus and Inferior Colliculus Brain Slices

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2014/909260 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Moritz Gröschel ◽

Jana Ryll ◽

Romy Götze ◽

Arne Ernst ◽

Dietmar Basta

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Spontaneous Activity ◽

Inferior Colliculus ◽

Cochlear Nucleus ◽

Noise Exposure ◽

Brain Slices ◽

Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Noise Trauma

Noise exposure leads to an immediate hearing loss and is followed by a long-lasting permanent threshold shift, accompanied by changes of cellular properties within the central auditory pathway. Electrophysiological recordings have demonstrated an upregulation of spontaneous neuronal activity. It is still discussed if the observed effects are related to changes of peripheral input or evoked within the central auditory system. The present study should describe the intrinsic temporal patterns of single-unit activity upon noise-induced hearing loss of the dorsal and ventral cochlear nucleus (DCN and VCN) and the inferior colliculus (IC) in adult mouse brain slices. Recordings showed a slight, but significant, elevation in spontaneous firing rates in DCN and VCN immediately after noise trauma, whereas no differences were found in IC. One week postexposure, neuronal responses remained unchanged compared to controls. At 14 days after noise trauma, intrinsic long-term hyperactivity in brain slices of the DCN and the IC was detected for the first time. Therefore, increase in spontaneous activity seems to develop within the period of two weeks, but not before day 7. The results give insight into the complex temporal neurophysiological alterations after noise trauma, leading to a better understanding of central mechanisms in noise-induced hearing loss.

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Effects of Including Information about Hidden Hearing Loss in an Adopt-A-Band Program on College Band Members' Attitudes toward Healthy Hearing Behaviors

Seminars in Hearing ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1641744 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (02) ◽

pp. 210-220 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carole Johnson ◽

Jonathan Baldwin ◽

Jeffrey Danhauer ◽

Brian Wolfe ◽

Stevana Jeannont ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Trial ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Confidence Interval ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Future Research ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Marching Bands ◽

Hidden Hearing Loss ◽

College Band

AbstractYoung musicians may be at risk for developing cochlear synaptopathy (CS), or hidden hearing loss (HHL), that could lead to permanent music-induced hearing loss (MIHL). Patients with CS often complain of tinnitus and/or difficulty understanding speech in noisy situations, even though traditional audiometric testing indicates normal hearing. The aim of this article was to determine the effects of including information about HHL on an Adopt-A-Band program involving college band members' concern about and self-efficacy toward the prevention of MIHL. We conducted a single-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Forty-eight band members participated in this study. Band members were randomly assigned to two Adopt-A-Band presentations, one with and one without information on HHL. Including information about HHL had no effect on these band members' concerns about and self-efficacy toward the prevention of MIHL. However, the Adopt-A-Band program resulted in significantly increased concern for MIHL by 39.5% (p < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 25–54.2), self-efficacy in its prevention by 79.1% (p < 0.0001, 95% CI: 66.9–91.2), and plans to use musicians' earplugs while playing by 67.4% (p < 0.0001, 95% CI: 53.4–81.45). Although inclusion of information about HHL did not have a significant effect, the Adopt-A-Band program, in general, significantly increased the immediate intent of these students to practice healthy hearing behaviors. Future research is needed to determine the long-term effects of using the Adopt-A-Band program with university marching bands' use of healthy hearing behaviors.

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Study of the long-term effects of frequency compression by behavioral verbal tests in adults

CoDAS ◽

10.1590/2317-1782/20152014165 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 37-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vanessa Clarizia Marchesin ◽

Maria Cecília Martinelli Iório

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Hearing Aids ◽

High Frequency ◽

Daily Activities ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Frequency Compression ◽

High Frequencies ◽

Hearing Aid Benefit ◽

Consonant Sounds

PURPOSE: To verify the effect of long-term use of hearing aids with frequency compression for verbal behavior tests and daily activities. METHODS: Thirty-two adults, aged between 30 and 60 years old, with moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss at high frequencies with steeply sloping configuration were divided into two groups: 16 with hearing aids with frequency compression algorithm enabled and 16 not enabled. All participants underwent the detection tests of consonant sounds, monosyllable recognition in quiet environments, identification of fricative monosyllables, and Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) questionnaire in five times throughout a 12-month trial. RESULTS: Detection of consonant sounds, recognition of monosyllables in quiet environments and identification of fricative monosyllables improved significantly with frequency compression enabled. Participants had their APHAB scores improved whether they were adapted to the frequency compression or not. CONCLUSION: Frequency compression provides the anticipated improvement in audibility, detection of high-frequency consonant sounds, and recognition of monosyllables.

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Immediate and long-term effects of hearing loss on the speech perception of children

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America ◽

10.1121/1.3177265 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 126 (3) ◽

pp. 1477-1485 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Andrea Pittman ◽

Kendell Vincent ◽

Leah Carter

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Speech Perception ◽

Long Term Effects

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Altered functional networks in long-term unilateral hearing loss: A connectome analysis

Brain and Behavior ◽

10.1002/brb3.912 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. e00912 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Yanyang Zhang ◽

Zhiqi Mao ◽

Shiyu Feng ◽

Xinyun Liu ◽

Lan Lan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Functional Networks ◽

Unilateral Hearing Loss

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Hearing Loss and Irritability Reporting Without Vestibular Differences in Explosive Breaching Professionals

Frontiers in Neurology ◽

10.3389/fneur.2020.588377 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Claire M. Modica ◽

Brian R. Johnson ◽

Christopher Zalewski ◽

Kelly King ◽

Carmen Brewer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Law Enforcement ◽

Memory Loss ◽

Combat Exposure ◽

Potential Hazard ◽

Military Operations ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Blast Overpressure ◽

Blast Exposure

Background: Blast exposure is a potential hazard in modern military operations and training, especially for some military occupations. Helmets, peripheral armor, hearing protection, and eye protection worn by military personnel provide some acute protection from blast effects but may not fully protect personnel against cumulative effects of repeated blast overpressure waves experienced over a career. The current study aimed to characterize the long-term outcomes of repeated exposure to primary blast overpressure in experienced career operators with an emphasis on the assessment of hearing and vestibular outcomes.Methods: Participants included experienced “breachers” (military and law enforcement explosives professionals who gain entry into structures through controlled detonation of charges) and similarly aged and experienced “non-breachers” (non-breaching military and law enforcement personnel). Responses to a clinical interview and performance on audiological and vestibular testing were compared.Results: Hearing loss, ringing in the ears, irritability, and sensitivity to light or noise were more common among breachers than non-breachers. Breachers reported more combat exposure than non-breachers, and subsequently, memory loss and difficulty concentrating were associated with both breaching and combat exposure. Vestibular and ocular motor outcomes were not different between breachers and non-breachers.Conclusion: Hearing-related, irritability, and sensitivity outcomes are associated with a career in breaching. Future studies examining long-term effects of blast exposure should take measures to control for combat exposure.

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