Effect of Vowel Auditory Training on the Speech-In-Noise Perception among Older Adults with Normal Hearing.

INTRODUCTION: Aging reduces the ability to understand speech in noise. Hearing rehabilitation is one of the ways to help older people communicate effectively. This study aimed to investigate the effect of vowel auditory training on the improvement of speech-in-noise (SIN) perception among elderly listeners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 36 elderly listeners (17 males and 15 females) with the mean±SD of 67.6±6.33. They had the normal peripheral auditory ability but had difficulties in SIN perception. The samples were randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control. The intervention group underwent vowel auditory training; however, the control group received no training. RESULTS: After vowel auditory training, the intervention group showed significant changes in the results of the SIN test at two signal-to-noise ratios of 0 and -10 and the Iranian version of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale, compared to the control group (P<0.001). Regarding the Speech Auditory Brainstem Response test, the F0 magnitude was higher in the intervention group (8.42±2.26), compared to the control group (6.68±1.87) (P<0.011). CONCLUSION: This study investigated the effect of vowel auditory training on the improvement of SIN perception which could be probably due to better F0 encoding and receiving. This ability enhancement resulted in the easier perception of speech and its more proper separation from background noise which in turn enhanced the ability of the old people to follow the speech of a specific person and track the discussion.

Effects of Age on Speech-in-Noise Identification: Subjective Ratings of Hearing Difficulties and Encoding of Fundamental Frequency in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Numerous studies have indicated deterioration of speech perception in noisy conditions among the elderly even those with normal hearing capabilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age on the speech-in-noise identification by speech-in-noise (SIN) test, subjective ratings of hearing difficulties by speech, spatial, and qualities of hearing scale (SSQ) questionnaire and encoding of fundamental frequency (F0) by Speech auditory brainstem response (ABR) in the elderly and comparing the results with young people. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted on 32 elderly people aged over 60 years old (17 male and 15 female) with the mean age of 68.9 (standard deviation=6.33) possessing normal peripheral hearing and 32 young subjects (16 male and 16 female) aged 18-25 years old. RESULTS: Findings showed that the score of SIN test is lower among the elderly people as compared with young people in signal-to-noise ratios of 0 and -10 based on Iranian version of SSQ questionnaire (p<0.001). The range of F0 amplitude in the elderly people is also lower than young people (p<0.001) in Speech ABR. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that speech processing in older people is deteriorated comparing with young people regardless of their normal peripheral auditory thresholds. This decrease will result in weaker perception and improper segregation of speech from other competing sources.

Central auditory processing and word discrimination in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with normal pure tone threshold suffer from difficulties in their hearing especially speech perception in background noise, which is possibly because of incompetence of central auditory processing in this group. Three audiologic tests including gap in noise test (GIN), duration pattern sequence test (DPST) and word discrimination score (WDS) were used for comparing a number of aspects of central auditory processing between patients with MS and normal subjects. Approximate threshold and percent of correct answers in GIN test, percent of correct answers in DPST test and monosyllabic discrimination in WDS test were obtained through cross-sectional non-invasive study conducted on 26 subjects with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who had mean age of 28.9 (SD 4.1) years, and 26 18-40-year-old ones with normal hearing and mean age of 27.7 (SD 5.2). Results of this study demonstrate increased approximate threshold and reduction of percent of correct answers obtained from GIN test in patients with multiple sclerosis (Pv = 0.0001). Furthermore in patients with MS, the average of correct answers in DPST was lower than normal subjects and finally performance of MS subjects in WDS test in quiet environment was correlated with GIN threshold (r = -/624, Pr = /003). Results of the present study showed that patients with MS had defect in aspects of central auditory processing consisting of temporal resolution, auditory pattern and the memory for auditory task and difficulty in discrimination of speech in noisy environment that are related to the involvement of central nervous system.

Comparison of reading skills between children with cochlear implants and children with typical hearing in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Cochlear implantation has significant effects on language abilities and reading skills. The current study compared the reading performance of children with cochlear implants with that of typically developing children in second and third grades. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This descriptive-analytic study was performed including 24 children with cochlear implants and 24 typically developing peers. The grade range of the participants was second and third grades. All of students were selected from Tehran city elementary schools. The reading performance of children was assessed by the "Nama" reading test. RESULTS: The results showed that the means of reading scores of typically developed children were significantly greater than the children with cochlear implants (P < 0.01) and there was a significant relationship between reading skills and age of surgery (P < 0.05). Also, there was a significant relationship between reading skills and the period of cochlear implantation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Children with cochlear implants showed a weak performance in reading skills in comparison to typically developing children due to lower accessibility to phonological information. However, this limitation can be compensated for partly by early surgery. Parents should refer their deaf children for cochlear implantation before the age of language learning.