Musical Mistuning Perception and Appraisal in Cochlear Implant Recipients.
Otol Neurotol 2023;
44:e281-e286. [PMID:
36922018 DOI:
10.1097/mao.0000000000003860]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Music is a very crucial art form that can evoke emotions, and the harmonious presence of the human voice in music is an impactful part of this process. As a result, vocals have had some significant effects on contemporary music. The mechanism behind the cochlear implant (CI) recipients perceiving different aspects of music is clear; however, how well they perceive vocal tuning within music it is not well known. Hence, this study evaluated the mistuning perception of CI recipients and compared their performance with normal-hearing (NH) listeners.
STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS
A total of 16 CI users (7 cisgender men, 9 cisgender women) and 16 sex-matched NH controls with an average age of 30.2 (±10.9; range, 19-53) years and 23.5 (±6.1; range, 20-37) years, respectively, were enrolled in this study. We evaluated the mistuning ability using the mistuning perception test (MPT) and assessed self-perceived music perception and engagement using the music-related quality-of-life questionnaire. Test performance was measured and reported on the item-response theory metric with a z score ranging from -4 to +4.
RESULTS
A significant difference in the MPT scores was found between NH and CI recipients, whereas a significant correlation was noted between the music-related quality-of-life questionnaire-frequency subscale and MPT scores. No significant correlations were found between age, CI age, and CI usage duration and MPT performance.
CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that musical mistuning perception is a limitation for CI recipients, similar to previously evaluated aspects of music perception. Hence, it is important to consider this aspect in the assessment of music perception, enjoyment, and music-based auditory interventions in CI recipients, as vocals are paramount in music perception and recreation. The MPT is a convenient and accessible tool for mistuning assessment in CI and hearing-aid users.
Collapse