fNIRS, Listening Effort, and Motivation

Sonova

Status: Completed

Conditions: Hearing Loss

Treatments: Device: Hearing aid for listening in quiet environments; Device: Hearing aids with noise management features for listening in noise

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT05893992

SRF-15557

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the current study is to measure oxygenation in the PFC using fNIRS in a sample of older adults with hearing loss. Participants will be instructed to listen to sentences in noise at a challenging signal-to-noise-ratio, and to repeat the word that they heard and rate how much subjective listening effort was required in order to make out the words. fNIRS will be measured throughout. Participants will complete the task using a hearing aid program intended for listening in quiet, and a hearing aid program with new advanced noise management features.

Enrollment: 26 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 99 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults (18-99) years
• Binaural, symmetrical, sensorineural N2 (mild) to N5 (moderate-severe) hearing loss
• Fluent in English

Exclusion criteria

• Minors (17 years or less)
• Not able to tolerate wearing of hearing aids
• Vulnerable populations

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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26 participants in 2 patient groups

Digital noise management, then quiet listening

Experimental group

Description:

Participants with hearing loss who are candidates for hearing aids first listen using the device for hearing loss compensation with digital noise management features, followed by the device for hearing loss compensation for listening in quiet environments.

Treatment:

Device: Hearing aids with noise management features for listening in noise

Device: Hearing aid for listening in quiet environments

Quiet listening, then digital noise management

Experimental group

Description:

Participants with hearing loss who are candidates for hearing aids first listen using the device for hearing loss compensation for listening in quiet environments, followed by the device for hearing loss compensation with digital noise management features.

Treatment:

Device: Hearing aids with noise management features for listening in noise

Device: Hearing aid for listening in quiet environments