Effectiveness of Low Cut Modified Amplification using Receiver in the Canal Hearing Aid in Individuals with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder

Is Working Memory Compromised in Individuals with Sensorineural Hearing Loss with Auditory Neural Origin?

The study aimed to investigate the working memory and speech recognition in noise from individuals with Sensori Neural Hearing Loss (SNHL) with and without auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). The purpose of assessing working memory recommends for a potential intervention program to perceive speech. Twenty participants in the age range of 16-44 years, diagnosed as having mild to moderate SNHL were recruited for the study. The participants were divided into two groups based on the presence and absence of ANSD (10 in each group). The visual working memory was assessed in all the participants using the Operation Span Test, Reading Span Test and Visual Backward Test. Speech perception ability was assessed using the SNR 50 test. There was no significant difference between the scores of Operation Span, Reading Span, and Visual Backward Span for individuals with SNHL with and without ANSD. There was a significant difference between the scores of SNR 50 for individuals with SNHL with and without ANSD. The visual working memory in individuals with and without ANSD is similar. Speech perception in noise is significantly affected in ANSD than SNHL without ANSD. Thus, it is recommended to use speech reading, which utilizes visual working memory to interpret the message, as previous studies have reported that individuals with ANSD show limited benefit in auditory mode of rehabilitation alone.

Perception of temporally enhanced and hearing aid processed speech in children with late-onset Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder

OBJECTIVE

To investigate phrase perception and subjective quality preference of temporal enhancement-based speech processing strategies: Deep-band modulation and Stretching, and hearing aid processed speech in adolescents with late-onset Auditory Neuropathy.

METHODS

15 participants with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder were involved. Speech perception was assessed using unprocessed, deep-band modulated, stretched, and hearing aid processed conditions. Subjective preference was also assessed using the pair-wise comparison technique. Gap detection test was done using broadband noise to investigate the possible correlation with benefit from processing strategies.

RESULTS

As a group, no significant benefits were found with processed speech. Clinically relevant trends emerged on subdividing the group into good and poor performers. Deep-band modulation processing was significantly better than unprocessed speech in those with poorer speech recognition abilities. There was a trend for those with poorer temporal processing abilities to benefit more with deep-band modulation processing. In those with relatively better speech recognition abilities, processing showed no benefit, and hearing aid processed speech was inferior to unprocessed speech. Quality-wise, the unprocessed speech was preferred by all the participants. Among the processed conditions, deep-band modulation was preferred by most, followed by stretching and hearing aid processed speech.

CONCLUSION

Results indicate that temporal enhancement strategies may be beneficial for a subset of individuals with ANSD with poorer temporal processing and speech perception abilities. However, processing strategies need to take into account the quality aspect and not just intelligibility.

Behavioural and Electrophysiological Correlates of Aided Performance in Individuals with Late Onset Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder: A Review

Hearing aids are one of the rehabilitative options for individuals with late onset auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD). There is a growing body of evidence that supports the effectiveness of hearing aids among these individuals. The objective of the study was to review the behavioural and electrophysiological factors that determine the effectiveness of amplification in individuals with late onset ANSD. An intensive search was carried out using the PubMed, SpringerLink and Google Scholar databases using the following keywords: auditory neuropathy, late onset ANSD, hearing aids and amplification. There were both retrospective and experimental research studies that showed aided improvement in individuals with late onset ANSD. The aided improvement in these studies has been attributed to preserved neural synchrony. Hence, it was concluded that, hearing aids are effective in improving speech perception in a sub-group of individuals with late onset ANSD. Measures that evaluate neural synchrony are promising tools to identify the sub-group of such individuals. Speech identification scores at higher sensation levels and cortical potentials are the two clinical measures that indicate aided performance in individuals with late onset ANSD.