Genetic Hearing Loss Affects Cochlear Processing.

The relationship between speech recognition and hereditary hearing loss is not straightforward. Underlying genetic defects might determine an impaired cochlear processing of sound. We obtained data from nine groups of patients with a specific type of genetic hearing loss.

4-Fluoroamphetamine (4-FA) intoxication results in exaggerated blood pressure effects compared to MDMA and amphetamine: A retrospective analysis.

Objective: 4-Fluoroamphetamine (4-FA) is an amphetamine-type stimulant, with effects comparable to amphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Severe 4-FA-related complications, such as cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, and cerebral hemorrhage, have been described. The aim of this study was to explore the cardiovascular symptoms and complications in 4-FA and compare them to MDMA and amphetamine in intoxicated patients who presented to the emergency department (ED).

Home-Based Audiometry With a Smartphone App: Reliable Results?

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of a smartphone-based hearing test, performed without supervision of a hearing professional in an uncontrolled environment.

Method: The hearing application is based on an automated hearing test (DuoTone) and relies on verification procedures (ambient noise monitoring algorithm, graphical user interface) to ensure appropriate measurement conditions. Thresholds obtained with DuoTone were compared to those obtained with standard clinical audiometry for 0.

Unexplained Variation in Benefit of Treatment of Congenital Unilateral Aural Atresia: A Review of the Literature.

Objective: A review of published data regarding binaural hearing after treatment of congenital unilateral conductive hearing loss (UCHL) due to aural atresia. Treatment options concern atresia surgery (reconstructive surgery), application of a bone conduction device (BCD), or application of a middle ear implant (MEI).

Data Sources: Database PubMed was searched for articles published in English and German between January 1, 1994, and January 1, 2019.

Spatial Hearing by Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users With Temporal Fine-Structure Processing.

Several studies have demonstrated the advantages of the bilateral vs. unilateral cochlear implantation in listeners with bilateral severe to profound hearing loss. However, it remains unclear to what extent bilaterally implanted listeners have access to binaural cues, e.

The Merits of Bilateral Application of Bone-Conduction Devices in Children With Bilateral Conductive Hearing Loss.

Objectives: This study aims to characterize lateralization of sounds and localization of sounds in children with bilateral conductive hearing loss (BCHL) when listening with either one or two percutaneous bone conduction devices (BCDs).

Design: Sound lateralization was measured with the minimum audible angle test in which children were asked to indicate from which of the two visible speakers the sound originated. Sound localization was measured with a test in which stimuli were presented from speakers that were not visible to the children.

Hearing Aid Treatment for Patients with Mixed Hearing Loss. Part II: Speech Recognition in Comparison to Direct Acoustic Cochlear Stimulation.

Background: The conventional therapy for severe mixed hearing loss is middle ear surgery combined with a power hearing aid. However, a substantial group of patients with severe mixed hearing loss cannot be treated adequately with today's state-of-the-art (SOTA) power hearing aids, as predicted by the accompanying part I of this publication, where we compared the available maximum power output (MPO) and gain from technical specifications to requirements for optimum benefit using a common fitting rule. Here, we intended to validate the theoretical assumptions from part I experimentally in a mixed hearing loss cohort fitted with SOTA power hearing aids.

Contribution of spectral pinna cues for sound localization in children with congenital unilateral conductive hearing loss after hearing rehabilitation.

Congenital unilateral conductive hearing loss (UCHL) jeopardizes directional hearing and speech perception in noisy conditions. Potentially, children with congenital UCHL can benefit from fitting a hearing device, such as a bone-conduction device (BCD). However, the literature reports limited benefit from fitting a BCD, and often, surprisingly, relatively good sound localization in the unaided condition is reported.

An Individual With Hearing Preservation and Bimodal Hearing Using a Cochlear Implant and Hearing Aids Has Perturbed Sound Localization but Preserved Speech Perception.

This study describes sound localization and speech-recognition-in-noise abilities of a cochlear-implant user with electro-acoustic stimulation (EAS) in one ear, and a hearing aid in the contralateral ear. This listener had low-frequency, up to 250 Hz, residual hearing within the normal range in both ears. The objective was to determine how hearing devices affect spatial hearing for an individual with substantial unaided low-frequency residual hearing.

Efficacy of Auditory Implants for Patients With Conductive and Mixed Hearing Loss Depends on Implant Center.

Introduction: Although from a technological point of view, progress is impressive, most implantable hearing devices for conductive or mixed hearing loss have a limited capacity. These devices all bypass the impaired middle ear; therefore, the desired amplification (gain) should be based on the cochlear hearing loss (component) only. The aim of the study is to review the literature with regard to accomplished gain with current implantable devices.

Expanding unilateral cochlear implantation criteria for adults with bilateral acquired severe sensorineural hearing loss.

Objectives: To report on a retrospective cohort study on the effects of expanding inclusion criteria for application of cochlear implants (CIs) on the performance 1-year post-implantation.

Methods: Based on pre-implantation audiometric thresholds and aided speech recognition scores, the data of 164 CI recipients were divided into a group of patients that fulfilled conservative criteria (mean hearing loss at 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz > 85 dB HL and phoneme scores with hearing aids < 30%), and the remaining group of patients that felt outside this conservative criterion.

Ototoxicity in locally advanced head and neck cancer patients treated with induction chemotherapy followed by intermediate or high-dose cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy.

Background: This study evaluated ototoxicity in locally advanced head and neck cancer patients treated in the CONDOR study with docetaxel/cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (TPF) followed by conventional radiotherapy with concomitant cisplatin 100 mg/m on days 1, 22, and 43 (cis100+RT) versus accelerated radiotherapy with concomitant cisplatin weekly 40 mg/m (cis40+ART).

Methods: Sixty-two patients were treated in this study. Audiometry was performed at baseline, during TPF, before start of chemoradiotherapy, and 1, 4, 8, and 12 months after treatment.

Improved directional hearing of children with congenital unilateral conductive hearing loss implanted with an active bone-conduction implant or an active middle ear implant.

Different amplification options are available for listeners with congenital unilateral conductive hearing loss (UCHL). For example, bone-conduction devices (BCDs) and middle ear implants. The present study investigated whether intervention with an active BCD, the Bonebridge, or a middle ear implant, the Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB), affected sound-localization performance of listeners with congenital UCHL.

Sound-localization performance of patients with single-sided deafness is not improved when listening with a bone-conduction device.

An increased number of treatment options has become available for patients with single sided deafness (SSD), who are seeking hearing rehabilitation. For example, bone-conduction devices that employ contralateral routing of sound (CROS), by transmitting acoustic bone vibrations from the deaf side to the cochlea of the hearing ear, are widely used. However, in some countries, cochlear implantation is becoming the standard treatment.

Evaluation of an abutment-level superpower sound processor for bone-anchored hearing.

Objectives: Performance of an abutment-level superpower sound processor for bone-anchored hearing, the Ponto 3 SuperPower from Oticon Medical (BCD2), was compared to an earlier model from Oticon Medical (BCD1).

Design: A comparative study in which each patient serves as its own control.

Setting: Tertiary clinic.

Measuring Cortical Activity During Auditory Processing with Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an optical, non-invasive neuroimaging technique that investigates human brain activity by calculating concentrations of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin. The aim of this publication is to review the current state of the art as to how fNIRS has been used to study auditory function. We address temporal and spatial characteristics of the hemodynamic response to auditory stimulation as well as experimental factors that affect fNIRS data such as acoustic and stimulus-driven effects.

Graphene Oxide Filled Lignin/Starch Polymer Bionanocomposite: Structural, Physical, and Mechanical Studies.

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was investigated as a potential nanoreinforcing agent in starch/lignin (ST/L) biopolymer matrix. Bionanocomposite films based on ST/L blend matrix and GO were prepared by solution-casting technique of the corresponding film-forming solution. The structures, morphologies, and properties of bionanocomposite films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), SEM, and tensile tests.

On the evaluation of a superpower sound processor for bone-anchored hearing.

Objectives: Performance of a superpower bone-anchored hearing aid (Baha), the Baha Cordelle from Cochlear Bone-Anchored Solutions (BCD1), was compared to its successor, the Baha 5 SuperPower (BCD2).

Design: A comparative study in which each patient served as its own control.

Setting: Tertiary clinic.

Effect of extreme adaptive frequency compression in bimodal listeners on sound localization and speech perception.

Objectives: This study aimed to improve access to high-frequency interaural level differences (ILD), by applying extreme frequency compression (FC) in the hearing aid (HA) of 13 bimodal listeners, using a cochlear implant (CI) and conventional HA in opposite ears.

Design: An experimental signal-adaptive frequency-lowering algorithm was tested, compressing frequencies above 160 Hz into the individual audible range of residual hearing, but only for consonants (adaptive FC), thus protecting vowel formants, with the aim to preserve speech perception. In a cross-over design with at least 5 weeks of acclimatization between sessions, bimodal performance with and without adaptive FC was compared for horizontal sound localization, speech understanding in quiet and in noise, and vowel, consonant and voice-pitch perception.

An Assessment of the Clinical Acceptability of Direct Acoustic Cochlear Implantation for Adults With Advanced Otosclerosis in the United Kingdom.

Hypothesis: Assess the clinical acceptability of direct acoustic cochlear implantation for patients with advanced otosclerosis and the support for conducting a controlled trial of its effectiveness in the United Kingdom.

Background: Emerging evidence supports the efficacy of direct acoustic cochlear implantation in patients with advanced otosclerosis whose needs cannot be managed using the combination of stapes surgery and hearing aids. A controlled trial would provide evidence for its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness to healthcare commissioners.

Cochlear Implantation in Patients With Usher Syndrome Type IIa Increases Performance and Quality of Life.

Objectives: Usher syndrome type IIa (USH2a) is characterized by congenital moderate to severe hearing impairment and retinitis pigmentosa. Hearing rehabilitation starts in early childhood with the application of hearing aids. In some patients with USH2a, severe progression of hearing impairment leads to insufficient speech intelligibility with hearing aids and issues with adequate communication and safety.

Determining fitting ranges of various bone conduction hearing aids.

Objectives: To define fitting ranges for nine bone conduction devices (BCDs) over different frequencies based on the device's maximum power output (MPO) and to validate the assessment of MPO of BCDs in the ear canal.

Background: Maximum power output (MPO) is an important characteristic when fitting BCDs. It is the highest output level a device can deliver and is one of the major determinants of a device's fitting range.

Cochlear implantation and clinical features in patients with Noonan syndrome and Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines caused by a mutation in PTPN11.

Existing literature only reports a few patients with Noonan syndrome (NS) and Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines (NSML) who underwent cochlear implantation (CI). The present study describes four NS patients and one NSML patient with a PTPN11 mutation. They all had severe to profound hearing loss, and they received a CI.

Speech Characteristics and Intelligibility in Adults with Mild and Moderate Intellectual Disabilities.

Purpose: Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) often show reduced speech intelligibility, which affects their social interaction skills. This study aims to establish the main predictors of this reduced intelligibility in order to ultimately optimise management.

Method: Spontaneous speech and picture naming tasks were recorded in 36 adults with mild or moderate ID.