Auditory working memory in noise in cochlear implant users: Insights from behavioural and neuronal measures.

Objective: We investigated auditory working-memory using behavioural measures and electroencephalography (EEG) in adult Cochlear Implant (CI) users with varying degrees of CI performance.

Methods: 24 adult CI listeners (age: M = 61.38, SD = 12.

Duration of cochlear implant use in children with prelingual single-sided deafness is a predictor of word perception in the CI ear.

As part of a longitudinal study regarding the benefit of early cochlear implantation for children with single-sided deafness, the current work explored the children's daily device use, potential barriers to full-time device use, and the children's ability to understand speech with the cochlear implant (CI). Data were collected from 20 children with prelingual SSD who received a CI before the age of 2.5 years, from the initial activation of the sound processor until the children were 4.

Phoneme Training for Adult Cochlear Implant Users: A Review of the Literature and Study Protocol.

Purpose: This study describes a protocol for a novel individualized phoneme training program for adult cochlear implant (CI) users, based on individual phoneme confusion errors. The protocol is underpinned by a literature review on phoneme training and a focus group with adult CI users.

Method: After a literature search, five studies were included for review and evaluation of quality and level of evidence.

Early cochlear implantation supports narrative skills of children with prelingual single-sided deafness.

Prelingual single-sided deafness (SSD) not only affects children's hearing skills, but can also lead to speech-language delays and academic underachievement. Early cochlear implantation leads to improved spatial hearing, but the impact on language development is less studied. In our longitudinal study, we assessed the language skills of young children with SSD and a cochlear implant (CI).

Variability in clinicians' prediction accuracy for outcomes of adult cochlear implant users.

Objective: The variability in outcomes among adult cochlear implant (CI) users poses challenges for clinicians in accurately predicting the benefits of the implant for individual candidates. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy and confidence of clinicians in predicting speech perception outcomes for adult CI users one-year post-implantation.

Design: Participants were presented with comprehensive information on pre-implantation, one-month post-implantation, and six-month post-implantation data for 10 case studies.

The relation between cochlear implant programming levels and speech perception performance in post-lingually deafened adults: a data-driven approach.

Purpose: Programming a cochlear implant (fitting) is an essential part of a user's post-implantation journey, defining how sound will be translated into electrical stimulation and aiming to provide optimal speech perception outcomes. Currently, there are no established, evidence-based guidelines for fitting cochlear implant users, leading to a high degree of variability in fitting practices, users' parameters, and probably outcomes. In this study a data-driven approach is used to retrospectively investigate the relation between cochlear implant fitting parameters and speech perception outcomes in post-lingually deafened adults.

Exploring neurocognitive factors and brain activation in adult cochlear implant recipients associated with speech perception outcomes-A scoping review.

Background: Cochlear implants (CIs) are considered an effective treatment for severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. However, speech perception outcomes are highly variable among adult CI recipients. Top-down neurocognitive factors have been hypothesized to contribute to this variation that is currently only partly explained by biological and audiological factors.

Longitudinal auditory data of children with prelingual single-sided deafness managed with early cochlear implantation.

Individuals with single-sided deafness (SSD) have no access to binaural hearing, which limits their ability to localize sounds and understand speech in noisy environments. In addition, children with prelingual SSD are at risk for neurocognitive and academic difficulties. Early cochlear implantation may lead to improved hearing outcomes by restoring bilateral hearing.

Assessment of Receptive and Expressive Language Skills Among Young Children With Prelingual Single-Sided Deafness Managed With Early Cochlear Implantation.

Importance: Pediatric single-sided deafness (SSD) can seriously affect development, causing impaired spatial hearing skills, speech-language delays, and academic underachievement. Early cochlear implantation likely improves hearing-related outcomes, but its association with language development remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate whether early cochlear implantation is associated with language outcomes for children with prelingual SSD.

Empowering Senior Cochlear Implant Users at Home via a Tablet Computer Application.

Purpose: The introduction of connectivity technologies in hearing implants allows new ways to support cochlear implant (CI) users remotely. Some functionalities and services that are traditionally only available in an in-clinic care model can now also be accessed at home. This study explores the feasibility of a prototype of a tablet computer application (MyHearingApp [MHA]) in a group of senior experienced CI users at home, evaluating usability and user motivation.

Evaluation of the olivocochlear efferent reflex strength in the susceptibility to temporary hearing deterioration after music exposure in young adults.

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the predictive role of the olivocochlear efferent reflex strength in temporary hearing deterioration in young adults exposed to music. This was based on the fact that a noise-protective role of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) system was observed in animals and that efferent suppression (ES) measured using contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) is capable of exploring the MOC system. Knowing an individual's susceptibility to cochlear damage after noise exposure would enhance preventive strategies for noise-induced hearing loss.

Cochlear implants in children deafened by congenital cytomegalovirus and matched Connexin 26 peers.

Objective: To compare the long-term speech perception and production outcomes after cochlear implantation (CI) in children deafened by congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) with a matched group of Cx26-CI children by controlling for chronological age and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.

Methods: Retrospective review of 12 cCMV-CI children and matched Cx26-CI children for speech perception and speech production outcomes.

Results: Two trends were seen in our data.

Results of a multicenter clinical study evaluating a new Smart algorithm to measure neural response imaging.

Objective: To evaluate the smart algorithm in speed and reliability of threshold estimation compared with the algorithm available in the standard fitting software and to evaluate the possibility of using programs based on the smart algorithm instead of programs derived from behavioral measures.

Patients: Twenty subjects unilaterally implanted with a CII Bionic Ear or HiRes90K device.

Interventions: Neural response imaging thresholds (tNRI) were measured using both the smart approach within the Research Studies Platform for Objective Measures and the SoundWave fitting software.

Effect of pediatric bilateral cochlear implantation on language development.

Objective: To examine spoken language outcomes in children undergoing bilateral cochlear implantation compared with matched peers undergoing unilateral implantation.

Design: Case-control, frequency-matched, retrospective cross-sectional multicenter study.

Setting: Two Belgian and 3 Dutch cochlear implantation centers.

Characteristics and determinants of music appreciation in adult CI users.

The main objective of this study was to assess the associations between self-reported listening habits and perception of music and speech perception outcomes in quiet and noise for both unilateral cochlear implant (CI) users and bimodal (CI in one ear, hearing aid in contra-lateral ear) users. Information concerning music appreciation was gathered by means of a newly developed questionnaire. Moreover, audiological data (pure-tone audiometry, speech tests in noise and quiet) were gathered and the relationship between speech perception and music appreciation is studied.

Clinical usefulness of the rotatory, caloric, and vestibular evoked myogenic potential test in unilateral peripheral vestibular pathologies.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic capacity of three different rotatory tests, and to investigate the clinical effectiveness of the caloric, rotatory, and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test.

Design And Study Sample: Several rotatory tests--sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHAT), pseudorandom rotation test (PRRT), velocity step test (VST)--and a caloric and a VEMP test, were given to 77 patients (mean age 52 years) with a unilateral peripheral vestibular pathology, and 80 control subjects (mean age 48 years).

Results: For the rotatory test, the highest diagnostic capacity was obtained with the 0.

Speech recognition in noise with active and passive hearing protectors: a comparative study.

The perceived negative influence of standard hearing protectors on communication is a common argument for not wearing them. Thus, "augmented" protectors have been developed to improve speech intelligibility. Nevertheless, their actual benefit remains a point of concern.

Short-term auditory effects of listening to an MP3 player.

Objectives: To determine the output levels of a commercially available MPEG layer-3 (MP3) player and to evaluate changes in hearing after 1 hour of listening to the MP3 player.

Design: First, A-weighted sound pressure levels (measured in decibels [dBA]) for 1 hour of pop-rock music on an MP3 player were measured on a head and torso simulator. Second, after participants listened to 1 hour of pop-rock music using an MP3 player, changes in hearing were evaluated with pure-tone audiometry, transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions, and distortion product otoacoustic emissions.

Determination and evaluation of clinically efficient stopping criteria for the multiple auditory steady-state response technique.

Objective: The present study aimed at establishing clinically efficient stopping criteria for a multiple 80-Hz auditory steady-state response (ASSR) system.

Methods: In Experiment 1, data of 31 normal-hearing subjects were analyzed off-line to propose stopping rules. Consequently, ASSR recordings will be stopped when (1) all 8 responses reach significance and significance can be maintained for 8 consecutive sweeps; or (2) the mean noise levels were 4nV (if p-values were between 0.

Transient-evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions: A short-term test-retest reliability study.

Knowledge regarding the variability of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) is essential in clinical settings and improves their utility in monitoring hearing status over time. In the current study, TEOAEs and DPOAEs were measured with commercially available OAE-equipment in 56 normally-hearing ears during three sessions. Reliability was analysed for the retest measurement without probe-refitting, the immediate retest measurement with probe-refitting, and retest measurements after one hour and one week.

The effects of aging on evoked otoacoustic emissions and efferent suppression of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions.

Objective: There is still controversy regarding the effects of aging on evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAEs), as well as on the efferent system measured by contralateral acoustic stimulation of EOAEs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the deterioration in EOAEs and efferent suppression (ES) in a representative sample statistically controlling for the differences in hearing thresholds.

Methods: Seventy-one ears (20-79years) were included in the study, 47 of which had normal hearing thresholds, and 24 ears had a sensorineural high-frequency hearing loss caused by presbycusis.

The effect of age on the sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test, pseudorandom rotation test, velocity step test, caloric test, and vestibular-evoked myogenic potential test.

Objectives: Age-related anatomical and morphologic vestibular deterioration has already been elaborated. Demonstrating a corresponding degradation in physiologic function, however, entails a much higher challenge. The objective of this study was to investigate age-related changes using rotational tests, caloric tests, and the vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP) test.