Improving speech intelligibility in noise and spatial perception: the critical role of hearing aid microphone position.

Introduction: Hearing aid (HA) manufacturers have introduced behind-the-ear (BTE) models where the microphone is positioned in the ear canal, which could impact auditory performance by distorting the pinna's acoustic cues. This study aimed to compare two different BTE HAs with varying microphone positions: the receiver in the ear (RITE) and the transducer in the ear (TIE).

Methods: The study involved 10 participants who had never used HAs before.

Loudness Balancing Optimization for Better Speech Intelligibility, Music Perception, and Spectral Temporal Resolution in Cochlear Implant Users.

Hypothesis: The behaviorally based programming with loudness balancing (LB) would result in better speech understanding, spectral-temporal resolution, and music perception scores, and there would be a relationship between these scores.

Background: Loudness imbalances at upper stimulation levels may cause sounds to be perceived as irregular, gravelly, or overly echoed and may negatively affect the listening performance of the cochlear implant (CI) user. LB should be performed after fitting to overcome these problems.

Direct Health Expenditure Analysis Related to Hearing Loss in Individuals Using Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the expenditures related to hearing devices and compare the differences in expenditures in child and adult users.

Methods: A preliminary questionnaire was developed and conducted amongst hearing aid and cochlear implant users. A total of 178 patients (57.

Electrically Evoked Auditory Late Responses as a Novel Method for Cochlear Implant Programming.

Hypothesis: Electrically evoked auditory late responses (eALR) are useful as an objective cochlear implant (CI) fitting method.

Background: Different objective and behavioral methods are used for CI fitting. However, there is no objective method that indicates that the electrical signal reaches the auditory cortex.

Changes in electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses in children with sequential bilateral cochlear implants.

Objectives: The primary aim of this study is to investigate whether the electrical stimulation of the second ear causes a difference in electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses (eABR) between two ears over time.

Methods: The study included thirteen subjects under the age of five who used cochlear implants for at least six months in the first ear prior to the sequential cochlear implantation. Postoperative eABRs were conducted on the 1st (first fitting of the second speech processor), 3rd, and 6th months of the second implantation in the basal, medial, and apical electrode positions.