Preserved Gray Matter Volume in the Left Superior Temporal Gyrus Underpins Speech-in-Noise Processing in Middle-Aged Adults.

Background: Neuroanatomical evidence suggests that behavioral speech-in-noise (SiN) perception and the underlying cortical structural network are altered by aging, and these aging-induced changes could be initiated during middle age. However, the mechanism behind the relationship between auditory performance and neural substrates of speech perception in middle-aged individuals remains unclear. In this study, we measured the structural volumes of selected neuroanatomical regions involved in speech and hearing processing to establish their association with speech perception ability in middle-aged adults.

Proficiency in Using Level Cue for Sound Localization Is Related to the Auditory Cortical Structure in Patients With Single-Sided Deafness.

Spatial hearing, which largely relies on binaural time/level cues, is a challenge for patients with asymmetric hearing. The degree of the deficit is largely variable, and better sound localization performance is frequently reported. Studies on the compensatory mechanism revealed that monaural level cues and monoaural spectral cues contribute to variable behavior in those patients who lack binaural spatial cues.

Objective measurement of subjective tinnitus using the acoustic change complex.

At present, there is no objective method for diagnosing subjective sensorineural tinnitus. Recently, the acoustic change complex (ACC) has been used to evaluate neural detection of sounds. Thus, the present study aimed to examine whether the ACC can reflect cortical detection and discrimination of sounds matched with tinnitus frequencies.

The Rates and Clinical Characteristics of Pneumolabyrinth in Temporal Bone Fracture.

Background: Pneumolabyrinth is a rare inner ear clinical manifestation. To date, only about 50 cases have been reported—all as case reports. Consequently, the rate and clinical characteristics of pneumolabyrinth have not been evaluated.

Changes in the gray matter volume during compensation after vestibular neuritis: a longitudinal VBM study.

Purpose: Peripheral vestibular dysfunction following vestibular neuritis (VN) often persists but functional recovery of balance can be variable. The authors compared structural changes in the brain before and after post-VN compensation and related it to the functional recovery.

Methods: Nine patients diagnosed with unilateral VN were included.

Advantages of binaural amplification to acceptable noise level of directional hearing aid users.

Objectives: The goal of the present study was to examine whether Acceptable Noise Levels (ANLs) would be lower (greater acceptance of noise) in binaural listening than in monaural listening condition and also whether meaningfulness of background speech noise would affect ANLs for directional microphone hearing aid users. In addition, any relationships between the individual binaural benefits on ANLs and the individuals' demographic information were investigated.

Methods: Fourteen hearing aid users (mean age, 64 years) participated for experimental testing.