Efficacy of tailor-made notched music training (TMNMT) in the treatment of tinnitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous treatment modalities have been suggested for managing tinnitus. Tailor-Made Notched Music Training (TMNMT) is a viable strategy in music therapy for tinnitus management. Many research studies have examined the effectiveness and potential benefits of this intervention. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of TMNMT in treating chronic tinnitus. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis study used a research methodology that covered up until February 2023. The search was conducted across academic databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. A total of 234 papers were evaluated, and seven relevant clinical trials were included. RESULTS: The meta-analysis, which included five studies using the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), showed no statistically significant effect of TMNMT on tinnitus handicap after 3 and 6 months of intervention (dppc2: - 0.99, 95%CI - 2.94 to 0.96; I2 = 79.96%, p = 0.00), (dppc2 - 1.81, 95%CI - 5.63 to 2.01; I2 = 79.96%, p = 0.00). However, four out of five studies using the total Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) or its subscale showed positive effects of TMNMT on chronic tinnitus. Unfortunately, there were not enough articles to conduct a meta-analysis on this outcome. CONCLUSION: Although the meta-analysis did not show a statistically significant effect of TMNMT on tinnitus handicap, the large effect size observed after at least 3 months of intervention suggests that this method may potentially decrease tinnitus handicap if more studies are conducted. Due to the limited number of studies, subgroup analysis could not be performed to analyze potential causes of heterogeneity. Therefore, further high-quality clinical trials are necessary to draw a definitive conclusion and evaluate the impact of different variables, techniques, and outcomes.

Age-related hearing loss: An updated and comprehensive review of the interventions.

Aging causes progressive degenerative changes in many organs, particularly the auditory system. Several attempts have been conducted to investigate preventive and therapeutic strategy/strategies for age-related auditory dysfunction, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle through good nutrition, lower anxiety levels, and noise exposure, different pharmacological approaches, gene and cell therapy, and other strategies. However, it is not clear which approach is the best to slow down these dysfunctions because several different underlying mechanistic pathways are associated with presbycusis which eventually leads to different types of this disease. A combination of several methods is probably required, whereas the effectiveness for some people needs to be monitored. The effectiveness of treatments will not be the same for all; therefore, we may need to have a unique and personalized approach to the prevention and treatment of ARHL for each person. In addition, each method needs to specify what type of presbycusis can prevent or treat and provide complete information about the extent, duration of treatment, persistency of treatment, side effects, and whether the approach is for treatment or prevention or even both. This paper reviews the updated literature, which targets current interventions for age-related hearing loss.

Hearing handicaps, communication difficulties and depression in the older adults: a comparison of hearing aid users and non-users.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Age-related hearing loss has potential effects on communication, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of the older person's life. Evaluating the role of hearing aids in reducing these difficulties is important. This study aimed to evaluate communication difficulties, self-perceived handicaps, and depression in hearing-impaired older adults who are either hearing aid users or non-users. METHODS: A total of 114 older adults in the age range of 55-85 years with moderate to moderately severe hearing loss (two hearing-matched groups; hearing aid users: n = 57; hearing aid non-users: n = 57) took part in this study during the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-perceived hearing handicaps and communication were evaluated using the Hearing Handicap Inventory in the Elderly-Screening (HHIE-S) and Self-Assessment Communication (SAC) questionnaires. Depression was assessed using the geriatric depression scale (GDS). RESULTS: The average score of HHIE-S was significantly higher in the hearing aid users than the non-users (16.61 ± 10.39 vs. 12.49 ± 9.84; p = 0.01). Differences between groups were not significant for SAC or GDS scores (p ≥ 0.05). There were strong positive correlations between HHIE-S and SAC scores in both groups. Moderate correlations were found between SAC and GDS scores in the hearing aid users and between the duration of using hearing aid with SAC and HHIE-S scores. CONCLUSION: It seems that self-perceived handicaps, communication difficulties and depression are affected by many factors, and only receiving hearing aids without subsequent support such as auditory rehabilitation and programming services cannot bring the expected output. The effect of these factors was clearly observed due to reduced access to services in the COVID-19 era.

Modulation of auditory temporal processing, speech in noise perception, auditory-verbal memory, and reading efficiency by anodal tDCS in children with dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is prevalent in children. It is estimated that 30-50% of individuals diagnosed with dyslexia also manifest an auditory perceptual deficit characteristic of auditory processing disorder (APD). Some studies suggest that defects in basic auditory processing can lead to phonological defects as the most prominent cause of dyslexia. Thus, in some cases, there may be interrelationships between dyslexia and some of the aspects of central auditory processing. In recent years, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used as a safe method for the modulation of central auditory processing aspects in healthy adults and reading skills in children with dyslexia. Therefore, the objectives of our study were to investigate the effect of tDCS on the modulation of different aspects of central auditory processing, aspects of reading, and the relationship between these two domains in dyslexic children with APD. A within-subjects design was employed to investigate the effect of two electrode arrays (the anode on the left STG (AC)/cathode on the right shoulder and anode on the left STG/cathode on the right STG) on auditory temporal processing; speech-in-noise perception, short-term auditory memory; and high-frequency word, low-frequency word, pseudoword, and text reading. The results of this clinical trial showed the modulation of the studied variables in central auditory processing and the accuracy and speed of reading variables compared to the control and sham statuses in both electrode arrays. Our results also showed that the improvement of the accuracy and speed of text reading, as well as the accuracy of pseudoword reading were related to the improvement of speech in noise perception and temporal processing. The results of this research can be effective in clarifying the basis of the neurobiology of dyslexia and, in particular, the hypothesis of the role of basic auditory processing and subsequently the role of the auditory cortex in dyslexia. These results might provide a framework to facilitate behavioral rehabilitation in dyslexic children with APD.