Cochlear Implant Electrode Placement and Music Perception.

Importance: Cochlear implants enable improvements in speech perception, but music perception outcomes remain variable. Image-guided cochlear implant programming has emerged as a potential programming strategy for increasing the quality of spectral information delivered through the cochlear implant to improve outcomes.

Objectives: To perform 2 experiments, the first of which modeled the variance in music perception scores as a function of electrode positioning factors, and the second of which evaluated image-guided cochlear implant programming as a strategy to improve music perception with a cochlear implant.

Public Health.

Background: The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was a randomized trial for prevention of diabetes in adults with prediabetes (PreD). The DPP Outcomes Study (DPPOS) is the long-term epidemiological follow-up of this cohort, studied continuously for over 25 years. DPPOS Phase 4 (DPPOS-AD/ADRD) began in 2022, with a primary focus on the nature and determinants of cognitive impairment in the surviving cohort.

Public Health.

Background: The Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS) is an established cohort of aging persons (mean age 72 years) with prediabetes and diabetes with a mean of 23 (range 21-25) years of follow-up. DPPOS added neuropsychological testing using the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set (UDSv3) forms. Using the NACC UDS required implementing a standardized neurological examination across 25 US clinical sites, administered by project coordinators (PC).

Public Health.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) health literacy is low in high-risk populations and is likely a determinant of timely care seeking behavior. Our group aimed to develop a novel brief questionnaire for use in community outreach and related studies of AD awareness.

Methods: We developed an initial 15-item AD knowledge questionnaire "ASK-AD (Assess Symptoms and Knowledge of AD)" following pilot study and cognitive interviews with subject matter experts along with elementary school children.

Developing Topics.

For Alzheimer's disease (AD), there are currently two FDA-approved agents developed as disease-modifying treatments. Approval of lecanemab (Leqembi®) in 2023, via accelerated approval mechanism, followed by traditional approval accompanied by medical coverage decision by the Center for Medicare Services, has resulted in increasing use of this anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody, demonstrated in 18-month long clinical trials to slow Alzheimer's disease. Despite a broad package insert (with only contraindication product severe hypersensitivity), nationwide prescriptions have been reportedly affected by concerns regarding drug eligibility, monitoring, and whether real-world experience would mirror clinical trial data.