Effects of PSAPs on Speech Processing

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Hearing Loss, Age-Related

Interventions: Device: Personal sound amplification products

Registration Number: NCT05076045

Lead Sponsor: Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest

Brief Summary: Mild to moderate hearing loss remains undertreated, largely because of the high cost of hearing aids. A promising and much less expensive alternative is the use of personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), which are electronic, portable, over-the-counter devices that amplify sound. Studies have shown that the use of PSAPs provides significant hearing benefits and improves the quality of life for older adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. However, there is insufficient data to determine the impact of PSAPs use on speech processing in the brain.

The purpose of this study is to use electroencephalography (EEG) measurements to assess the neurobiological and behavioral effects of PSAPs on speech perception in noise in individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss.

The investigators expect that the PSAPs use will result in an immediate improvement in the ability to perceive speech-in-noise, supporting that these hearing devices may be a means of restoring communication skills in people with mild to moderate hearing loss. Behavioral benefits will be associated with increased brain activity in auditory regions and connectivity between auditory and speech regions in the brain.

Detailed Description: This study will consist of two sessions of 3 hours each. On one session, participants will perform the speech-in-noise task without hearing devices and on the other session, participants will perform the speech-in-noise task while wearing personal sound amplification products. The order of the sessions will be counterbalanced across participants. The speech-in-noise task consists in a word discrimination task in babble noise at three signal-to-noise ratios. On each trial, the task is to determine whether two words are identical or different.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 32

Inclusion Criteria

Right-handed

Exclusion Criteria

Mother tongue not English
Language impairment
Dementia
Cerebrovascular diseases
Untreated vision impairment;
Tinnitus and otologic disorders
Cochlear implant
History of prior hearing aid use
Diagnosed addiction (alcohol or drugs)
Significant medical or neurocognitive conditions or interventions likely to significantly impact cognitive function (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness > 5 minutes, brain tumor, multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C, developmental delay, electroconvulsive therapy)
a diagnosis (based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)) of major depressive disorder with active symptoms within 90 days of study entry, past or present psychosis, or other psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Personal sound amplification products	Personal sound amplification products	Speech perception will be evaluated using personal sound amplification products.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Percentage of Correct Responses With and Without PSAPs	1 hour	Percentage (%) of correct responses in the speech-in-noise task when using PSAPs and when using no device.
Reaction Time With and Without PSAPs	1 hour	Reaction time (in milliseconds) in the speech-in-noise task when using PSAPs and when using no device.
Quick Speech In Noise Score With and Without PSAPs	1 hour	Performance on the QuickSIN when using PSAPs and when using no device. The QuickSIN measures the signal-to-noise ratio loss. A high score indicates poorer speech understanding in noise.
Alpha Power (8-12 Hz) During the Processing of the First Word in a Low Noise Condition, With and Without PSAPs	1 hour	Alpha power (8-12 Hz) for a cluster of temporoparietal electrodes (T7, TP7, CP5), measured between 50 and 500 ms after the onset of the first word of the speech-in-noise task, under a low noise condition (signal-to-noise ratio of +3 dB), with and without PSAPs. Alpha power was measured using temporal spectral evolution analysis with EEG. Values are baseline corrected with the pre-stimulus interval period (-500, 0 ms). Higher values indicate greater alpha power compared to the pre-stimulus interval period (i.e., event-related synchronization).
Alpha Power (8-12 Hz) During the Processing of the First Word in a Medium Noise Condition, With and Without PSAPs	1 hour	Alpha power (8-12 Hz) for a cluster of temporoparietal electrodes (T7, TP7, CP5), measured between 50 and 500 ms after the onset of the first word of the speech-in-noise task, under a medium noise condition (signal-to-noise ratio of 0 dB), with and without PSAPs. Alpha power was measured using temporal spectral evolution analysis with EEG. Values are baseline corrected with the pre-stimulus interval period (-500, 0 ms). Higher values indicate greater alpha power compared to the pre-stimulus interval period (i.e., event-related synchronization).
Alpha Power (8-12 Hz) During the Processing of the First Word in a High Noise Condition, With and Without PSAPs	1 hour	Alpha power (8-12 Hz) for a cluster of temporoparietal electrodes (T7, TP7, CP5), measured between 50 and 500 ms after the onset of the first word of the speech-in-noise task, under a high noise condition (signal-to-noise ratio of -3 dB), with and without PSAPs. Alpha power was measured using temporal spectral evolution analysis with EEG. Values are baseline corrected with the pre-stimulus interval period (-500, 0 ms). Higher values indicate greater alpha power compared to the pre-stimulus interval period (i.e., event-related synchronization).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Self-reported Measure of Listening Effort With and Without PSAPs	1 hour	Self-reported listening effort in the speech-in-noise task when using PSAPs and when using no device. Participants used a seven-point Likert scale to rate the listening effort required to complete the speech-in-noise task. The specific question was: "Using the scale in front of you, can you estimate how much effort it took you to understand the words in the presence of background noise? If you think that the amount of effort was between two numbers on the scale, it is fine for you to pick a fraction," with number 1 corresponding to "No effort" and number 7 corresponding to "Extreme effort." A high score indicates a greater listening effort.