A Method for Assessing Auditory Spatial Analysis in Reverberant Multitalker Environments

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (07) ◽  
pp. 601-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tobias Weller ◽  
Virginia Best ◽  
Jörg M. Buchholz ◽  
Taegan Young
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Spatial Hearing ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
New Method ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Localization Performance ◽  
Acoustic Environments ◽  
Hearing Abilities

Background: Deficits in spatial hearing can have a negative impact on listeners’ ability to orient in their environment and follow conversations in noisy backgrounds and may exacerbate the experience of hearing loss as a handicap. However, there are no good tools available for reliably capturing the spatial hearing abilities of listeners in complex acoustic environments containing multiple sounds of interest. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore a new method to measure auditory spatial analysis in a reverberant multitalker scenario. Research Design: This study was a descriptive case control study. Study Sample: Ten listeners with normal hearing (NH) aged 20–31 yr and 16 listeners with hearing impairment (HI) aged 52–85 yr participated in the study. The latter group had symmetrical sensorineural hearing losses with a four-frequency average hearing loss of 29.7 dB HL. Data Collection and Analysis: A large reverberant room was simulated using a loudspeaker array in an anechoic chamber. In this simulated room, 96 scenes comprising between one and six concurrent talkers at different locations were generated. Listeners were presented with 45-sec samples of each scene, and were required to count, locate, and identify the gender of all talkers, using a graphical user interface on an iPad. Performance was evaluated in terms of correctly counting the sources and accuracy in localizing their direction. Results: Listeners with NH were able to reliably analyze scenes with up to four simultaneous talkers, while most listeners with hearing loss demonstrated errors even with two talkers at a time. Localization performance decreased in both groups with increasing number of talkers and was significantly poorer in listeners with HI. Overall performance was significantly correlated with hearing loss. Conclusions: This new method appears to be useful for estimating spatial abilities in realistic multitalker scenes. The method is sensitive to the number of sources in the scene, and to effects of sensorineural hearing loss. Further work will be needed to compare this method to more traditional single-source localization tests.

scholarly journals Spatial Data Analysis in epidemiology of sensorineural hearing loss

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 13-20
Author(s):  
A. A. Korneenkov ◽  
◽  
S. V. Ryazantsev ◽  
I. V. Fanta ◽  
E. E. Vyazemskaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Spatial Data Analysis ◽  
Point Pattern ◽  
Spatial Process ◽  
One Year

The identification of risk factors, features and patterns of the emergence and spread of diseases in space requires a large array of diverse data and the use of a serious mathematical and statistical apparatus. The distribution of diseases in space is studied using spatial analysis tools, which are now widely used as information systems are introduced and data are accumulated that are relevant to public health. For most tasks of working with spatial data (data, events that have geographical, spatial coordinates), various geographic information systems are used. As a disease for spatial analysis, sensorineural hearing loss was chosen, with which patients were treated at the Saint-Petersburg Research of Ear, Throat, Nose and Speech during one year of the study. The main tasks of the spatial analysis of data on the incidence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) for hospitalization were: visualization of a point pattern, which can form the geographical coordinates of the places of residence of inpatients with SNHL; assessment of the properties of the spatial process that generates this point image (assessment of the intensity of the process, its laws) using various statistical indicators; testing the hypothesis about the spatial randomness of this process and the influence of individual factors on it. R-code accompanied all calculations in the article. Calculations can be reproduced quite easily. The text of the article can be used as step-by-step instructions for their implementation.

Outcomes of Hearing Aid Use by Individuals with Unilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss (USNHL)

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (10) ◽  
pp. 941-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles E. Bishop ◽  
Elgenaid Hamadain ◽  
Jason A. Galster ◽  
Mary Frances Johnson ◽  
Christopher Spankovich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Spatial Separation ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Hearing Aid Use

Background: Unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (USNHL) can have a negative impact on functions associated with the advantages of balanced, binaural hearing. Although single-sided deafness, which is a complete loss of audibility in one ear, has gained increased interest in the published research, there is a gap in the literature concerning hearing aid outcomes for individuals with residual, or otherwise “aidable,” hearing in the affected ear. Purpose: To assess hearing aid outcomes for a group of individuals with USNHL with residual, aidable function. Research Design: A quasi-experimental study of hearing aid outcomes with paired comparisons made between unaided and aided test conditions. Study Sample: A convenience sample of twenty-two individuals with USNHL, with sufficient residual hearing in the affected ear as to receive audibility from use of a hearing aid, were recruited into the study from September 2011 to August 2012. Intervention: Each participant was fit with a digital behind-the-ear hearing aid coupled to a custom ear mold. Data Collection and Analysis: Assessments were performed at baseline (unaided) and after a three-month field trial (aided) with primary outcomes involving objective measures in sound field yielding signal-to-noise ratio loss (SNR Loss) via the Quick Speech-in-Noise Test and word recognition scores (WRS) via the Northwestern University Auditory Test, No. 6. Outcomes also involved the administration of two well-established subjective benefit questionnaires: The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) and the 49-item Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ49). Results: As a group, participants showed significantly improved median SNR Loss thresholds when aided in a test condition that included spatial separation of speech and noise, with speech stimuli directed toward the worse ear and noise stimuli directed toward the better ear (diff. = −4.5; p < 0.001). Hearing aid use had a small, though statistically significant, negative impact on median SNR Loss thresholds, when speech and noise stimuli originated from the same 0° azimuth (diff. = 1.0; p = 0.018). This was also evidenced by the median WRS in sound field (diff. = −6.0; p = 0.006), which was lowered from 98% in the unaided state to 92% in the aided state. Results from the SSQ49 showed statistically significant improvement on all subsection means when participants were aided (p < 0.05), whereas results from the APHAB were generally found to be unremarkable between unaided and aided conditions as benefit was essentially equal to the 50th percentile of the normative data. At the close of the study, it was observed that only slightly more than half of all participants chose to continue use of a hearing aid after their participation. Conclusions: We observed that hearing aid use by individuals with USNHL can improve the SNR Loss associated with the interference of background noise, especially in situations when there is spatial separation of the stimuli and speech is directed toward the affected ear. In addition, hearing aid use by these individuals can provide subjective benefit, as evidenced by the APHAB and SSQ49 subjective benefit questionnaires.

Spatial and statistical analysis of hearing impairment data of Chelyabinsk region residents

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-50
Author(s):  
A. A. Korneenkov ◽  
◽  
S. V. Ryazantsev ◽  
S. V. Levin ◽  
A. V. Khramov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Point Pattern ◽  
Hearing Impairments ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Chelyabinsk Region

The aim of the study is a spatial and statistical analysis of hearing loss of various types (conductive, sensorineural, mixed) and deafness in the adult population of the Chelyabinsk region, assessment of its dynamics and the impact of environmental stress in the place of residence. The study materials were data from the regional audiological center of the Chelyabinsk regional clinical hospital for the period from 2016–2020. Epidemiological issues of the spread of diseases were studied using the methods of spatial analysis, in the R software environment. The main tasks of spatial analysis were to visualize a point pattern from the geographical coordinates of the patient’s places of residence, assess the properties of the spatial process that generates this point pattern, test the hypothesis about the spatial randomness of this process and the influence of the ecological situation on it. It was found that more than half of all primary visits were patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The number of patients who applied for the year during the observation period fluctuates within the average. Of all hearing impairments, the highest values of relative incidence are characteristic of sensorineural hearing loss, which has a direct relationship with age. The intensity of detection in patients with hearing impairment and deafness is directly related to the size of the living population. The existing division into zones with different ecological situations does not have a statistically significant (p <0.05) effect on the ratio of the number of patients with hearing impairments to the population.

scholarly journals Hearing with One Ear: Consequences and Treatments for Profound Unilateral Hearing Loss

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hillary A. Snapp ◽  
Sebastian A. Ausili
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Work Productivity ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Unilateral Hearing Loss ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Functional Deficits ◽  
Hearing Abilities

There is an increasing global recognition of the negative impact of hearing loss, and its association to many chronic health conditions. The deficits and disabilities associated with profound unilateral hearing loss, however, continue to be under-recognized and lack public awareness. Profound unilateral hearing loss significantly impairs spatial hearing abilities, which is reliant on the complex interaction of monaural and binaural hearing cues. Unilaterally deafened listeners lose access to critical binaural hearing cues. Consequently, this leads to a reduced ability to understand speech in competing noise and to localize sounds. The functional deficits of profound unilateral hearing loss have a substantial impact on socialization, learning and work productivity. In recognition of this, rehabilitative solutions such as the rerouting of signal and hearing implants are on the rise. This review focuses on the latest insights into the deficits of profound unilateral hearing impairment, and current treatment approaches.

scholarly journals Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients - A Major Concern

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (38) ◽  
pp. 3454-3456
Author(s):  
Abinaya Ravi ◽  
Rock Britto Dharmaraj ◽  
Neethu George ◽  
Nishok Vijayakumar ◽  
Naveena Singaravel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Kidney Disease ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Electrolyte Imbalance ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Global Prevalence

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is becoming a major health concern due to its increasing incidence among adults. There are few studies that suggest the possible relation between hearing loss and chronic kidney disease. So far only a small number of large population - based studies have assessed the relation between CKD and hearing loss. The global prevalence of CKD was 9.1 % (697.5 million cases) in 2017. The age and sex wise global prevalence of CKD was higher in women (9.5 %) than in men (7.3 %). In India, prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is around 28 % to 77 % among CKD patients. Studies found that the incidence was 77 % for mild to very mild hearing loss and the incidence was 46 % for moderate to severe hearing loss. Various theories behind SNHL in CKD patients are structural similarity between ear and kidney, increased blood viscosity because of hypertension and finally electrolyte imbalance which are all thought to play a role in development of SNHL in CKD patients. Major risk factors for SNHL in CKD patients are duration of CKD, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, serum urea and creatinine levels, electrolyte imbalance, packed cell volume (PCV), ototoxic drugs. CKD being a long-term illness and majority of cases of SNHL in CKD patients are permanent, it has a great negative impact on the patient’s quality of life adding to the disability burden.

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