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Aazh H, Moore BCJ, Erfanian M. Confirmatory factor analysis of the Tinnitus Impact Questionnaire using data from patients seeking help for tinnitus alone or tinnitus combined with hyperacusis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302837. [PMID: 38718050 PMCID: PMC11078403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the Tinnitus Impact Questionnaire (TIQ) was performed. In contrast to commonly used tinnitus questionnaires, the TIQ is intended solely to assess the impact of tinnitus by not including items related to hearing loss or tinnitus loudness. This was a psychometric study based on a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of clinical data. Data were available for 155 new patients who had attended a tinnitus and hyperacusis clinic in the UK within a five-month period and had completed the TIQ. The mean age was 54 years (standard deviation = 14 years). The TIQ demonstrated good internal consistency, with Cronbach's α = 0.84 and McDonald's ω = 0.89. CFA showed that two items of the TIQ had low factor loadings for both one-factor and two-factor models and their scores showed low correlations with scores for other items. Bi-factor analysis gave a better fit, indicated by a relative chi-square (χ2) of 18.5, a Root-Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) of 0.103, a Comparative Fit Index (CFI) of 0.97, a Tucker Lewis Index (TLI) of 0.92, and a Standardized Root-Mean Residual (SPMR) of 0.038. Total TIQ scores were moderately correlated with scores for the Visual Analogue Scale of effect of tinnitus on life and the Screening for Anxiety and Depression-Tinnitus questionnaire, supporting the convergent validity of the TIQ. The TIQ score was not correlated with the pure-tone average hearing threshold, indicating discriminant validity. A multiple-causes multiple-indicator (MIMIC) model showed no influences of age, gender or hearing status on TIQ item scores. The TIQ is an internally consistent tool. CFA suggests a bi-factor model with sufficient unidimensionality to support the use of the overall TIQ score for assessing the impact of tinnitus. TIQ scores are distinct from the impact of hearing impairment among patients who have tinnitus combined with hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Ltd, London, United Kingdom
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Ltd, London, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mercede Erfanian
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Ltd, London, United Kingdom
- Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, The Bartlett, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Aazh H, McFerran D, Danesh AA, Louw C, Moore BCJ. A comparison of interaural asymmetry, audiogram slope, and psychometric measures of tinnitus, hyperacusis, anxiety and depression for patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus. Int J Audiol 2024; 63:373-380. [PMID: 36688600 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2160383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate differences in tinnitus impact, hyperacusis and hearing threshold level (HTL) between patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus. For patients with unilateral tinnitus, to compare audiological variables for the tinnitus ear and the non-tinnitus ear. To assess whether the presence of unilateral tinnitus increases the likelihood of interaural hearing asymmetry (relative to bilateral tinnitus) that warrants referral for an MRI scan. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional. STUDY SAMPLE Data regarding HTLs and responses to self-report questionnaires were collected from the records of 311 patients attending a tinnitus clinic. RESULTS 38.5% had unilateral tinnitus and the ears with tinnitus had higher HTLs and greater HTL slopes than the ears without tinnitus. There was no significant difference in tinnitus impact and hyperacusis between patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus. 40% of patients with unilateral tinnitus and 13% of patients with bilateral tinnitus had a between-ear difference in HTL ≥15 dB at two adjacent frequencies (2AF15 asymmetry). Unilateral tinnitus increased the risk of 2AF15 asymmetry by a factor of 4.4. CONCLUSIONS Unilateral tinnitus increases the risk of having interaural asymmetry in HTLs that warrants referral for an MRI scan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, UK
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, London, UK
| | | | - Ali A Danesh
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Christine Louw
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Aazh H, Najjari A, Moore BCJ. A Preliminary Analysis of the Clinical Effectiveness of Audiologist-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Delivered via Video Calls for Rehabilitation of Misophonia, Hyperacusis, and Tinnitus. Am J Audiol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38651993 DOI: 10.1044/2024_aja-23-00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a key intervention for management of misophonia, hyperacusis, and tinnitus. The aim of this study was to perform a preliminary analysis comparing the scores for self-report questionnaires before and after audiologist-delivered CBT via video calls for adults with misophonia, hyperacusis, or tinnitus or a combination of these. METHOD This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. The data for 37 consecutive patients who received CBT for misophonia, hyperacusis, or tinnitus from a private institute in the United Kingdom were analyzed. Self-report questionnaires taken as part of routine care were as follows: 4C Questionnaires for tinnitus, hyperacusis, and misophonia (4C-T, 4C-H, and 4C-M, respectively), Tinnitus Impact Questionnaire (TIQ), Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire (HIQ), Misophonia Impact Questionnaire (MIQ), Sound Sensitivity Symptoms Questionnaire (SSSQ), and Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Tinnitus (SAD-T). Responses were also obtained to other questionnaires related to tinnitus, hyperacusis, insomnia, and anxiety and mood disorders. A linear mixed-model method was used to assess the changes in response to the questionnaires pretreatment and posttreatment. RESULTS Pretreatment-posttreatment comparisons showed that scores for the 4C-T, 4C-H, 4C-M, TIQ, HIQ, MIQ, SSSQ, and SAD-T improved, with effect sizes of 1.4, 1.2, 1.3, 2.6, 0.9, 0.7, 0.9, and 1.4, respectively (all p < .05). CONCLUSIONS This preliminary analysis suggests that CBT via video calls may be effective in reducing the impact of misophonia, hyperacusis, and tinnitus. However, this study did not have a control group, so its results need to be interpreted with caution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, London, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Anahita Najjari
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, London, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Hashir International Specialist Clinics & Research Institute for Misophonia, Tinnitus and Hyperacusis, London, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Füllgrabe C, Moore BCJ. The Cambridge aided loudness profile (CALP): item choices and data for unaided listening by young and older normal-hearing listeners and older hearing-impaired listeners. Int J Audiol 2024:1-6. [PMID: 38519436 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2024.2328553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To develop an improved version of the profile of aided loudness (PAL), intended for assessment of the appropriateness of the loudness of everyday sounds. DESIGN Initially, 16 participants with a range of ages and degrees of hearing loss indicated whether they encountered each situation described in the PAL and how specific they considered the description to be. Based on the responses, most situations from the PAL were eliminated and new situations were introduced, giving the Cambridge Aided Loudness Profile (CALP). The CALP was administered to 80 young and 22 older participants with normal hearing, who rated the loudness of each situation and satisfaction with this loudness (as for the original PAL). Satisfaction was strongly negatively correlated with loudness, suggesting that satisfaction was largely based on loudness. The CALP was then administered to 32 new young normal-hearing participants and 49 older participants with hearing loss, most of whom used hearing aids, who rated loudness and the appropriateness of loudness. RESULTS Some situations were rated as loud but appropriate in loudness, indicating that the CALP can distinguish these aspects. CONCLUSIONS The CALP questions were understood by all participants. The CALP may be useful for assessing the appropriateness of loudness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Füllgrabe
- Ear Institute, University College London, London, UK
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Keshavarzi M, Salorio-Corbetto M, Reichenbach T, Marriage J, Moore BCJ. Development of New Open-Set Speech Material for Use in Clinical Audiology with Speakers of British English. Audiol Res 2024; 14:264-279. [PMID: 38525685 PMCID: PMC10961685 DOI: 10.3390/audiolres14020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Chear open-set performance test (COPT), which uses a carrier phrase followed by a monosyllabic test word, is intended for clinical assessment of speech recognition, evaluation of hearing-device performance, and the fine-tuning of hearing devices for speakers of British English. This paper assesses practice effects, test-retest reliability, and the variability across lists of the COPT. METHOD In experiment 1, 16 normal-hearing participants were tested using an initial version of the COPT, at three speech-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Experiment 2 used revised COPT lists, with items swapped between lists to reduce differences in difficulty across lists. In experiment 3, test-retest repeatability was assessed for stimuli presented in quiet, using 15 participants with sensorineural hearing loss. RESULTS After administration of a single practice list, no practice effects were evident. The critical difference between scores for two lists was about 2 words (out of 15) or 5 phonemes (out of 50). The mean estimated SNR required for 74% words correct was -0.56 dB, with a standard deviation across lists of 0.16 dB. For the participants with hearing loss tested in quiet, the critical difference between scores for two lists was about 3 words (out of 15) or 6 phonemes (out of 50).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Keshavarzi
- Department of Bioengineering and Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (M.K.); (T.R.)
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK;
- Centre for Neuroscience in Education, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Marina Salorio-Corbetto
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK;
- Chear Ltd., Royston SG8 6QS, Herts, UK;
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Sound Laboratory, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Tobias Reichenbach
- Department of Bioengineering and Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (M.K.); (T.R.)
- Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK;
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Aazh H, Hayes C, Erfanian M, Moore BCJ, Vitoratou S. Confirmatory factor analysis of the Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire, Sound Sensitivity Symptoms Questionnaire, and Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Tinnitus, including preliminary analyses of the parent versions for use with children. J Am Acad Audiol 2024. [PMID: 38286425 DOI: 10.1055/a-2255-7643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously reported the results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire (HIQ), the Sound Sensitivity Symptoms Questionnaire (SSSD) and the Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Tinnitus (SAD-T). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) is necessary to confirm the latent constructs determined using EFA. CFA should use different samples but with similar characteristics to those used for EFA. PURPOSE The aim was to use CFA to confirm latent constructs derived using EFA of the HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T. We further evaluated the psychometric properties of parent versions of these questionnaires (indicated by -P), which are intended for use with children. RESEARCH DESIGN This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE Data for 323 consecutive adults and 49 children who attended a Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Therapy Clinic in the UK within a six-month period were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Data were collected retrospectively from the records of patients held at the audiology department. CFA with the weighted least-squares mean and variance-adjusted estimator was applied to assess the previously proposed factor structures of the HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T. The internal consistency of the scales was assessed via Cronbach's alpha (α). The items of the HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T were tested for measurement invariance regarding age and gender using the multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model. RESULTS All questionnaires showed good to excellent internal consistency, with α = 0.93 for the HIQ, 0.87 for the SSSQ, and 0.91 for the SAD-T. The parent versions showed acceptable to good internal consistency, with α = 0.88 for the HIQ-P, 0.71 for the SSSQ-P, and 0.86 for the SAD-T-P. CFA showed that the HIQ, SSSQ, and SAD-T were all one-factor questionnaires and the factors generally were similar to those obtained for the EFA. The MIMIC model showed that all three questionnaires can be considered as measurement invariant, with scores similar across genders and ages. CONCLUSIONS The HIQ, SSSQ and SAD-T are internally consistent one-factor questionnaires that can be used in clinical and research settings to assess the impact of hyperacusis, the severity of sound sensitivity symptoms, and to screen for anxiety and depression symptoms. Future studies should further explore the psychometric properties of the parent versions of the HIQ and SSSQ and SAD-T.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology, The Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | | | - Mercede Erfanian
- UCL, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Brian C J Moore
- University of Cambridge, CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Silia Vitoratou
- Biostatistics and Health informatics, King's College London, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Aazh H, Kartsonaki C, Moore BCJ. Psychometric evaluation of the 4C tinnitus management questionnaire for patients with tinnitus alone or tinnitus combined with hyperacusis. Int J Audiol 2024; 63:21-29. [PMID: 36426916 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2143430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the psychometric properties of a new questionnaire evaluating patients' confidence in managing their tinnitus, the 4C tinnitus management questionnaire (4C), which was designed to be used in the process of cognitive behavioural therapy. DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional based on patient records. STUDY SAMPLES 99 consecutive patients who sought help for tinnitus (with or without hyperacusis) from an audiology clinic in the UK. Pure tone average (PTA) hearing thresholds, Uncomfortable Loudness Levels (ULLs), and responses to the 4C questionnaire, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ), and Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Tinnitus (SAD-T) questionnaire were gathered from the records of patients held at the audiology department. RESULTS Cronbach's alpha for the 4C was 0.91, indicating high internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a one-factor solution. Discriminant validity was supported by weak correlations between 4C scores and PTA across ears and ULLmin (the across-frequency average ULL for the ear with lower average ULL). Convergent validity was supported by moderate correlations between 4C scores and scores for the THI, HQ, and SAD-T. CONCLUSIONS The 4C is an internally consistent questionnaire with high convergent and discriminant validity, which can be used to assess patients' confidence in managing their tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, UK
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, USA
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Christiana Kartsonaki
- MRC Population Health Research Unit, Clinical Trials Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Vickers DA, Moore BCJ. Editorial: Cochlear Implants and Music. Trends Hear 2024; 28:23312165241231685. [PMID: 38361376 PMCID: PMC10874149 DOI: 10.1177/23312165241231685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
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Jain S, Narne VK, Nataraja NP, Madhukesh S, Kumar K, Moore BCJ. Erratum: The effect of age and hearing sensitivity at frequencies above 8 kHz on auditory stream segregation and speech perception [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 152(1), 716-726 (2022)]. J Acoust Soc Am 2023; 154:3251. [PMID: 37975738 DOI: 10.1121/10.0022411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Saransh Jain
- All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, University of Mysore, Mysuru-570006 (Kar.), India
| | - Vijaya Kumar Narne
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61481, Saudi Arabia
| | - N P Nataraja
- JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, University of Mysuru, Mysuru-570004 (Kar.), India
| | - Sanjana Madhukesh
- Department of Speech and Hearing, Manipal College of Health Professionals, Manipal-576104 (Kar.), India
| | - Kruthika Kumar
- District Disabled Rehabilitation Centre, Chikmagalur-577126 (Kar.), India
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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Aazh H, Moore BCJ, Scaglione T, Remmert N. Psychometric Evaluation of the Misophonia Impact Questionnaire (MIQ) Using a Clinical Population of Patients Seeking Help for Tinnitus, Hyperacusis and/or Misophonia. J Am Acad Audiol 2023. [PMID: 37846484 DOI: 10.1055/a-2192-5668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Misophonia is a decreased tolerance of certain sounds related to eating noises, lip smacking, sniffing, breathing, clicking sounds, and tapping. While several validated self-report misophonia questionnaires exist, none focus solely on the impact of misophonia on the patient's life. Additionally, there are no available validated pediatric self-report measures of misophonia. Therefore, a tool was needed to assess the impact of misophonia on both adult and pediatric patients. PURPOSE To evaluate the psychometric properties of the 8-item Misophonia Impact Questionnaire (MIQ). RESEARCH DESIGN This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE Patients who attended the Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Therapy Specialist Clinic (THTSC) in the UK seeking help for tinnitus, hyperacusis and/or misophonia (n = 256). A subsample of children aged 16 years or younger (n=15) was included for preliminary analyses of a version of the MIQ to be filled in by a parent (MIQ-P). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Data were collected retrospectively from the records of patients held at the audiology department. These included demographic data, audiological measures and self-report questionnaires taken as part of routine care. Descriptive statistics and psychometric analyses were conducted. The MIQ was analyzed for item difficulty, factor structure, reliability, and construct validity. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a one-factor model for the MIQ gave an excellent fit and its estimated reliability was excellent, with Cronbach's α = 0.94. The total MIQ scores were highly correlated with scores for the Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire (HIQ) and Sound Sensitivity Symptoms Questionnaire (SSSQ). MIQ scores were not significantly correlated with scores for the Tinnitus Impact Questionnaire (TIQ) or average hearing thresholds. Preliminary data from the sub-sample indicated excellent internal consistency for the MIQ-P, with Cronbach's α = 0.92. CONCLUSIONS The MIQ is a promising questionnaire for assessing the impact of misophonia. Future studies should focus on establishing test/re-test reliability, identifying clinically significant change in MIQ scores, defining the severity of misophonia impact categories, and further exploring the psychometric properties of the MIQ-P.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology, The Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Brian C J Moore
- University of Cambridge, CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Tricia Scaglione
- Otolaryngology, University of Miami, Plantation, United States
- Otolaryngology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, United States
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Füllgrabe C, Fontan L, Vidal É, Massari H, Moore BCJ. Effects of hearing loss, age, noise exposure, and listening skills on envelope regularity discrimination. J Acoust Soc Am 2023; 154:2453-2461. [PMID: 37850836 DOI: 10.1121/10.0021884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
The envelope regularity discrimination (ERD) test assesses the ability to discriminate irregular from regular amplitude modulation (AM). The measured threshold is called the irregularity index (II). It was hypothesized that the II at threshold should be almost unaffected by the loudness recruitment that is associated with cochlear hearing loss because the effect of recruitment is similar to multiplying the AM depth by a certain factor, and II values depend on the amount of envelope irregularity relative to the baseline modulation depth. To test this hypothesis, the ERD test was administered to 60 older adults with varying degrees of hearing loss, using carrier frequencies of 1 and 4 kHz. The II values for the two carrier frequencies were highly correlated, indicating that the ERD test was measuring a consistent characteristic of each subject. The II values at 1 and 4 kHz were not significantly correlated with the audiometric thresholds at the corresponding frequencies, consistent with the hypothesis. The II values at 4 kHz were significantly positively correlated with age. There was an unexpected negative correlation between II values and a measure of noise exposure. This is argued to reflect the confounding effects of listening skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Füllgrabe
- Ear Institute, University College London, 332 Gray's Inn Road, London, WC1X 8EE, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Brian C J Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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Marriage JE, Keshavarzi M, Moore BCJ. An association between auditory responsiveness of children and duration of entertainment screen time in the early years of life. Int J Audiol 2023:1-7. [PMID: 37750302 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2023.2260097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether the responsiveness of young children to simple sounds was associated with entertainment screen time (EST), opportunities for social interaction, and social and communication skills. DESIGN Parents completed a questionnaire covering, for years one and two, the number of times the child met with other children; the number of words the child spoke; and the daily amount of EST. Social, attention and communication skills were assessed. STUDY SAMPLE Participants were 118 children, aged 15 to 46 months. They were initially assessed behaviourally using simple sounds. Children who responded to such sounds were denoted the Responsive group. Children who did not were assessed using familiar songs and denoted the Unresponsive group. RESULTS The two groups did not differ significantly in mean age or the number of opportunities to meet other children. The Unresponsive group had significantly fewer words than the Responsive group at 12 and 24 months and had significantly higher EST than the Responsive group for years 1 and 2. The Unresponsive group showed lower social, attention and communication skills than the Responsive group. CONCLUSIONS High EST was associated with poorer auditory and social skills. Hence, it may be wise to limit the EST of young children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mahmoud Keshavarzi
- Centre for Neuroscience in Education, Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Aazh H, Hayes C, Moore BCJ, Vitoratou S. Psychometric evaluation of the tinnitus impact questionnaire using patients seeking help for tinnitus or tinnitus with hyperacusis. Int J Audiol 2023; 62:835-844. [PMID: 35916560 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2101027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Tinnitus Impact Questionnaire (TIQ), whose questions focus on assessing the impact of tinnitus on the patient's day to day activities, mood, and sleep, and not on hearing difficulties. DESIGN This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE Data were included for 172 adult patients who attended a tinnitus and hyperacusis clinic in the UK within a six-month period and who had completed the TIQ. RESULTS Two items whose scores were very highly correlated with those for other items were removed, leaving seven items. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a single factor for the TIQ. A multiple causes multiple indicator model showed significant but very small direct effects of age on TIQ scores for two items, after adjustment for gender. The TIQ had excellent internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha = 0.89. The total TIQ score was moderately to strongly correlated with scores for the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Screening for Anxiety and Depression-Tinnitus questionnaire, Hyperacusis Questionnaire, and Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire, indicating convergent validity. The TIQ score was weakly correlated with the pure-tone average hearing threshold, indicating discriminant validity. CONCLUSIONS The TIQ is a brief, valid and internally consistent questionnaire for assessing the impact of tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, UK
| | - Chloe Hayes
- Psychometric and Measurement Lab, Biostatistics and Health Informatics Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Silia Vitoratou
- Psychometric and Measurement Lab, Biostatistics and Health Informatics Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King's College London, London, UK
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Vinay, Moore BCJ. Exploiting individual differences to assess the role of place and phase locking cues in auditory frequency discrimination at 2 kHz. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13801. [PMID: 37612303 PMCID: PMC10447419 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40571-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The relative role of place and temporal mechanisms in auditory frequency discrimination was assessed for a centre frequency of 2 kHz. Four measures of frequency discrimination were obtained for 63 normal-hearing participants: detection of frequency modulation using modulation rates of 2 Hz (FM2) and 20 Hz (FM20); detection of a change in frequency across successive pure tones (difference limen for frequency, DLF); and detection of changes in the temporal fine structure of bandpass filtered complex tones centred at 2 kHz (TFS). Previous work has suggested that: FM2 depends on the use of both temporal and place cues; FM20 depends primarily on the use of place cues because the temporal mechanism cannot track rapid changes in frequency; DLF depends primarily on temporal cues; TFS depends exclusively on temporal cues. This led to the following predicted patterns of the correlations of scores across participants: DLF and TFS should be highly correlated; FM2 should be correlated with DLF and TFS; FM20 should not be correlated with DLF or TFS. The results were broadly consistent with these predictions and with the idea that frequency discrimination at 2 kHz depends partly or primarily on temporal cues except for frequency modulation detection at a high rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay
- Audiology Group, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Tungasletta 2, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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15
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Moore BCJ, Vinay. Assessing mechanisms of frequency discrimination by comparison of different measures over a wide frequency range. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11379. [PMID: 37452119 PMCID: PMC10349105 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38600-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that auditory detection of frequency modulation (FM) for low FM rates depends on the use of both temporal (phase locking) and place cues, depending on the carrier frequency, while detection of FM at high rates depends primarily on the use of place cues. To test this, FM detection for 2 and 20 Hz rates was measured over a wide frequency range, 1-10 kHz, including high frequencies for which temporal cues are assumed to be very weak. Performance was measured over the same frequency range for a task involving detection of changes in the temporal fine structure (TFS) of bandpass filtered complex tones, for which performance is assumed to depend primarily on the use of temporal cues. FM thresholds were better for the 2- than for the 20-Hz rate for center frequencies up to 4 kHz, while the reverse was true for higher center frequencies. For both FM rates, the thresholds, expressed as a proportion of the center frequency, were roughly constant for center frequencies from 6 to 10 Hz, consistent with the use of place cues. For the TFS task, thresholds worsened progressively with increasing frequency above 4 kHz, consistent with the weakening of temporal cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Vinay
- Audiology Group, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Tungasletta 2, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
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Aazh H, Taylor L, Danesh AA, Moore BCJ. The Effectiveness of Unguided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Tinnitus for Patients with Tinnitus Alone or Combined with Hyperacusis and/or Misophonia: A Preliminary Analysis. J Am Acad Audiol 2023. [PMID: 37146649 DOI: 10.1055/a-2087-0262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the UK, audiologist-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a key intervention to alleviate the distress caused by tinnitus and its comorbid hyperacusis. However, the availability of face-to-face CBT is limited, and such therapy involves significant costs. CBT provided via the internet provides a potential solution to improve access to CBT for tinnitus. PURPOSE The aim was to perform a preliminary assessment of the effect of a specific program of non-guided internet-based CBT for tinnitus, denoted iCBT(T), in alleviating the problems caused by tinnitus alone or tinnitus combined with hyperacusis. RESEARCH DESIGN This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE The data for 28 people with tinnitus who completed the iCBT(T) program and answered a series of questions about their tinnitus and hearing status were included in the study. Twelve patients reported also having hyperacusis (including five also with misophonia). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS The iCBT(T) program has seven self-help modules. Anonymous data were collected retrospectively from patients' answers to the questions in the iCBT(T) initial and final assessment modules. Questionnaires administered within the iCBT(T) program were: 4C Tinnitus Management Questionnaire (4C), Screening for Anxiety and Depression in Tinnitus (SAD-T), and the CBT Effectiveness Questionnaire (CBT-EQ). RESULTS Responses to the 4C showed a significant improvement from pre- to post-treatment, with a medium effect size. The mean improvement was similar for those with and without hyperacusis. Responses to the SAD-T questionnaire also showed a significant improvement from pre- to post-treatment with a medium effect size. The improvement was significantly greater for participants with tinnitus alone than for participants who also had hyperacusis. For both the 4C and the SAD-T, the improvements were not significantly related to age or gender. Participants' views of the effectiveness of the iCBT(T) program were assessed using the CBT-EQ. The mean score was 50 out of a maximum of 80, indicating moderately high effectiveness. CBT-EQ scores did not differ for those with and without hyperacusis. CONCLUSIONS Based on this preliminary analysis, the iCBT(T) program showed promising result in improving the ability to manage tinnitus and decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Future studies with larger samples and control group(s) are required to further assess various aspects of this program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology, The Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Lauren Taylor
- University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Ali A Danesh
- Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, United States
| | - Brian C J Moore
- University of Cambridge, CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Narne VK, Jain S, Ravi SK, Almudhi A, Krishna Y, Moore BCJ. The effect of recreational noise exposure on amplitude-modulation detection, hearing sensitivity at frequencies above 8 kHz, and perception of speech in noise. J Acoust Soc Am 2023; 153:2562. [PMID: 37129676 DOI: 10.1121/10.0017973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Psychoacoustic and speech perception measures were compared for a group who were exposed to noise regularly through listening to music via personal music players (PMP) and a control group without such exposure. Lifetime noise exposure, quantified using the NESI questionnaire, averaged ten times higher for the exposed group than for the control group. Audiometric thresholds were similar for the two groups over the conventional frequency range up to 8 kHz, but for higher frequencies, the exposed group had higher thresholds than the control group. Amplitude modulation detection (AMD) thresholds were measured using a 4000-Hz sinusoidal carrier presented in threshold-equalizing noise at 30, 60, and 90 dB sound pressure level (SPL) for modulation frequencies of 8, 16, 32, and 64 Hz. At 90 dB SPL but not at the lower levels, AMD thresholds were significantly higher (worse) for the exposed than for the control group, especially for low modulation frequencies. The exposed group required significantly higher signal-to-noise ratios than the control group to understand sentences in noise. Otoacoustic emissions did not differ for the two groups. It is concluded that listening to music via PMP can have subtle deleterious effects on speech perception, AM detection, and hearing sensitivity over the extended high-frequency range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijaya Kumar Narne
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61481, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saransh Jain
- All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India
| | - Sunil Kumar Ravi
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61481, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Almudhi
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61481, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yerraguntla Krishna
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61481, Saudi Arabia
- All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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18
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Zheng C, Zhang H, Liu W, Luo X, Li A, Li X, Moore BCJ. Sixty Years of Frequency-Domain Monaural Speech Enhancement: From Traditional to Deep Learning Methods. Trends Hear 2023; 27:23312165231209913. [PMID: 37956661 PMCID: PMC10658184 DOI: 10.1177/23312165231209913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Frequency-domain monaural speech enhancement has been extensively studied for over 60 years, and a great number of methods have been proposed and applied to many devices. In the last decade, monaural speech enhancement has made tremendous progress with the advent and development of deep learning, and performance using such methods has been greatly improved relative to traditional methods. This survey paper first provides a comprehensive overview of traditional and deep-learning methods for monaural speech enhancement in the frequency domain. The fundamental assumptions of each approach are then summarized and analyzed to clarify their limitations and advantages. A comprehensive evaluation of some typical methods was conducted using the WSJ + Deep Noise Suppression (DNS) challenge and Voice Bank + DEMAND datasets to give an intuitive and unified comparison. The benefits of monaural speech enhancement methods using objective metrics relevant for normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners were evaluated. The objective test results showed that compression of the input features was important for simulated normal-hearing listeners but not for simulated hearing-impaired listeners. Potential future research and development topics in monaural speech enhancement are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengshi Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huiyong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenzhe Liu
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxue Luo
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Andong Li
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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19
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Zheng C, Xu C, Wang M, Li X, Moore BCJ. Evaluation of deep marginal feedback cancellation for hearing aids using speech and music. Trends Hear 2023; 27:23312165231192290. [PMID: 37551089 PMCID: PMC10408330 DOI: 10.1177/23312165231192290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Speech and music both play fundamental roles in daily life. Speech is important for communication while music is important for relaxation and social interaction. Both speech and music have a large dynamic range. This does not pose problems for listeners with normal hearing. However, for hearing-impaired listeners, elevated hearing thresholds may result in low-level portions of sound being inaudible. Hearing aids with frequency-dependent amplification and amplitude compression can partly compensate for this problem. However, the gain required for low-level portions of sound to compensate for the hearing loss can be larger than the maximum stable gain of a hearing aid, leading to acoustic feedback. Feedback control is used to avoid such instability, but this can lead to artifacts, especially when the gain is only just below the maximum stable gain. We previously proposed a deep-learning method called DeepMFC for controlling feedback and reducing artifacts and showed that when the sound source was speech DeepMFC performed much better than traditional approaches. However, its performance using music as the sound source was not assessed and the way in which it led to improved performance for speech was not determined. The present paper reveals how DeepMFC addresses feedback problems and evaluates DeepMFC using speech and music as sound sources with both objective and subjective measures. DeepMFC achieved good performance for both speech and music when it was trained with matched training materials. When combined with an adaptive feedback canceller it provided over 13 dB of additional stable gain for hearing-impaired listeners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengshi Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chenyang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Meihuang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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20
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Lam C, Moore BCJ, Salorio-Corbetto M, Vickers DA. The Relationship Between Hearing Experiences, Music-Listening Behaviors, and Chord-Discrimination Abilities for Cochlear Implant Users. Trends Hear 2022. [PMCID: PMC9761244 DOI: 10.1177/23312165221143902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The main pre-implant factors that relate to speech perception outcomes in adults with cochlear implants (CIs) are well known. However, it is not clear if these same factors are related to music perception and enjoyment. This study explored the relationship between self-reported pre-implant hearing and music experiences, and post-implant chord discrimination and music enjoyment. An online platform was used to deliver the Munich Music Questionnaire (MUMU), run a chord-discrimination task, and obtain demographic information. The chord-discrimination task involved detection of an upward change of one, two or three semitones in the third note, or a downward change of one, two, or three semitones in the middle note of a three-note major chord, using synthesized harmonic tones. Twenty-five CI users participated, aged 29–86 years. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three hearing-related variables (duration of hearing difficulty, age characteristics, and years of hearing with a CI), and three music-related variables (music quality from the CI, extent of music engagement, and music-listening habits). Chord-discrimination scores increased with increasing frequency change of the varying note. It was likely that some CI users used beats between tones as a discrimination cue. Chord discrimination was also better for individuals listening via loudspeakers and headphones than for those listening via Bluetooth streaming, perhaps because of artifacts produced by the latter. Chord-discrimination was better for older participants with longer experience of hearing with an implant. Those with longer duration of hearing difficulty who liked the sound quality of their CIs had higher music enjoyment scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Lam
- SOUND Lab, Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK,Cynthia Lam, SOUND Lab, Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marina Salorio-Corbetto
- SOUND Lab, Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Deborah A. Vickers
- SOUND Lab, Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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21
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Zheng C, Wang M, Li X, Moore BCJ. A deep learning solution to the marginal stability problems of acoustic feedback systems for hearing aids. J Acoust Soc Am 2022; 152:3616. [PMID: 36586835 DOI: 10.1121/10.0016589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
For hearing aids, it is critical to reduce the acoustic coupling between the receiver and microphone to ensure that prescribed gains are below the maximum stable gain, thus preventing acoustic feedback. Methods for doing this include fixed and adaptive feedback cancellation, phase modulation, and gain reduction. However, the behavior of hearing aids in situations where the prescribed gain is only just below the maximum stable gain, called here "marginally stable gain," is not well understood. This paper analyzed marginally stable systems and identified three problems, including increased gain at frequencies with the smallest gain margin, short whistles caused by the limited rate of decay of the output when the input drops, and coloration effects. A deep learning framework, called deep marginal feedback cancellation (DeepMFC), was developed to suppress short whistles, and reduce coloration effects, as well as to limit excess amplification at certain frequencies. To implement DeepMFC, many receiver signals in closed-loop systems and corresponding open-loop systems were simulated, and the receiver signals of the closed-loop and open-loop systems were paired together to obtain parallel signals for training. DeepMFC achieved much better performance than existing feedback control methods using objective and subjective measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengshi Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Meihuang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Li
- Key Laboratory of Noise and Vibration Research, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190, Beijing, China
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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22
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Humes LE, Moore BCJ. Estimation of all-cause noise exposure for U.S. adults from national survey data. J Acoust Soc Am 2022; 152:3535. [PMID: 36586824 DOI: 10.1121/10.0016552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Millions of adults are at risk of hearing loss resulting from exposure to occupational and recreational noises. Data from the combined National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012 and 2015-2016 datasets were used to establish the prevalence of occupational and recreational noise exposures through self-report questions. For recreational noise exposures, NHANES asked about the use of firearms, including the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) while shooting, and off-work exposures to very loud noise. For work exposures, NHANES asked about exposures to loud and very loud noise. For four of these five questions, graded responses on a 5- or 7-point scale were available. Receiver-operating-characteristic analyses were used to optimize the criterion response for identification of hearing loss for each question with graded responses using the unweighted data. Correlations among the graded responses supported reduction to two measures: (1) rounds fired combined with use of HPDs while shooting and (2) work exposure to loud and very loud noise combined. Logistic-regression analyses of various measures of pure-tone hearing loss were performed to examine the effects of recreational and occupational noise exposures on hearing loss. The odds of hearing loss were significantly greater for those who reported recreational and combined noise exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry E Humes
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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23
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Aazh H, Erfanian M, Danesh AA, Moore BCJ. Audiological and Other Factors Predicting the Presence of Misophonia Symptoms Among a Clinical Population Seeking Help for Tinnitus and/or Hyperacusis. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:900065. [PMID: 35864982 PMCID: PMC9294447 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.900065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper evaluates the proportion and the audiological and other characteristics of patients with symptoms of misophonia among a population seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis at an audiology clinic (n = 257). To assess such symptoms, patients were asked “over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems? Feeling angry or anxious when hearing certain sounds related to eating noises, lip-smacking, sniffling, breathing, clicking sounds, tapping?”. The results of routine audiological tests and self-report questionnaires were gathered retrospectively from the records of the patients. Measures included: pure tone audiometry, uncomfortable loudness levels (ULLs), and responses to the tinnitus impact questionnaire (TIQ), the hyperacusis impact questionnaire (HIQ), and the screening for anxiety and depression in tinnitus (SAD-T) questionnaire. The mean age of the patients was 53 years (SD = 16) (age range 17 to 97 years). Fifty four percent were female. Twenty-three percent of patients were classified as having misophonia. The presence and frequency of reporting misophonia symptoms were not related to audiometric thresholds, except that a steeply sloping audiogram reduced the likelihood of frequent misophonia symptoms. Those with more frequent misophonia symptoms had lower values of ULLmin (the across-frequency average of ULLs for the ear with lower average ULLs) than those with less frequent or no reported symptoms. The reported frequency of experiencing misophonia symptoms increased with increasing impact of tinnitus (TIQ score ≥9), increasing impact of hyperacusis (HIQ score >11), and symptoms of anxiety and depression (SAD-T score ≥4). It is concluded that, when assessing individuals with tinnitus and hyperacusis, it is important to screen for misophonia, particularly when ULLmin is abnormally low or the TIQ, HIQ or SAD-T score is high. This will help clinicians to distinguish patients with misophonia, guiding the choice of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (FEPS), University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Hashir Aazh,
| | - Mercede Erfanian
- UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, The Bartlett, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ali A. Danesh
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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24
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Jain S, Narne VK, Nataraja NP, Madhukesh S, Kumar K, Moore BCJ. The effect of age and hearing sensitivity at frequencies above 8 kHz on auditory stream segregation and speech perception. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2022; 152:716. [PMID: 35931505 DOI: 10.1121/10.0012917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The effects of age and mild hearing loss over the extended high-frequency (EHF) range from 9000 to 16 000 Hz on speech perception and auditory stream segregation were assessed using four groups: (1) young with normal hearing threshold levels (HTLs) over both the conventional and EHF range; (2) older with audiograms matched to those for group 1; (3) young with normal HTLs over the conventional frequency range and elevated HTLs over the EHF range; (4) older with audiograms matched to those for group 3. For speech in quiet, speech recognition thresholds and speech identification scores did not differ significantly across groups. For monosyllables in noise, both greater age and hearing loss over the EHF range adversely affected performance, but the effect of age was much larger than the effect of hearing status. Stream segregation was assessed using a rapid sequence of vowel stimuli differing in fundamental frequency (F0). Larger differences in F0 were required for stream segregation for the two groups with impaired hearing in the EHF range, but there was no significant effect of age. It is argued that impaired hearing in the EHF range is associated with impaired auditory function at lower frequencies, despite normal audiometric thresholds at those frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saransh Jain
- All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, University of Mysore, Mysuru-570006 (Kar.), India
| | - Vijaya Kumar Narne
- Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61481, Saudi Arabia
| | - N P Nataraja
- JSS Institute of Speech and Hearing, University of Mysore, Mysuru-570004 (Kar.), India
| | - Sanjana Madhukesh
- Department of Speech and Hearing, Manipal College of Health Professionals, Manipal-576104 (Kar.), India
| | - Kruthika Kumar
- District Disabled Rehabilitation Centre, Chikmagalur-577126 (Kar.), India
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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Aazh H, Ballinger J, Hayes C, Pepler A, Lammaing K, Moore BCJ, Danesh AA, Vitoratou S. Psychometric Evaluation of a Patient Experience Questionnaire (PEQ) for Outpatient Appointments: Analysis Using Data from a UK National Health Service Audiology Department. J Am Acad Audiol 2022; 33:82-91. [PMID: 35512840 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Audiology Department at the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust (RSFT), United Kingdom, developed a patient experience questionnaire (PEQ) to assess and compare patients' experiences of attending a wide range of appointments (e.g., hearing assessment, hearing aid fitting, hearing aid review, tinnitus therapy, balance assessment, and balance rehabilitation). PURPOSE The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the PEQ. The PEQ is a unidimensional instrument with four items that assess a patient's experience of an outpatient appointment. RESEARCH DESIGN Retrospective cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE Patients attending appointments for audiology services at RSFT between January and March 2020. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS All patients (n = 656) attending appointments for audiology services at RSFT during randomly selected days between January and March 2020 were given the questionnaire to complete themselves (PEQ-self) or to complete on their child's behalf (PEQ-parent). The factor structures for the PEQ-self and PEQ-parent were assessed separately, using confirmatory factor analysis. A multiple-causes, multiple-indicators (MIMIC) model was fitted to explore potential bias due to gender and age. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's α. The bivariate correlations between PEQ scores and other variables were evaluated using the nonparametric Spearman correlation coefficient. Floor and ceiling effects were assessed using the distribution of total scores. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a one-factor model gave a close fit to the data for both the self and parent versions. Cronbach's α for the total score was 0.77 for the PEQ-self and 0.86 for the PEQ-parent. The MIMIC model showed no significant direct effects of age or gender for either version. CONCLUSIONS Both the PEQ-self and PEQ-parent questionnaire can be reliably used to measure patients' experiences of outpatient audiology appointments. Future studies should aim to assess the psychometric properties of the PEQ-self and PEQ-parent for a range of outpatient appointments other than audiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Egerton Road, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Judith Ballinger
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Egerton Road, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Chloe Hayes
- Biostatistics and Health Informatics Department, Psychometric and Measurement Lab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Pepler
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Egerton Road, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Karen Lammaing
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Egerton Road, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ali A Danesh
- Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - Silia Vitoratou
- Biostatistics and Health Informatics Department, Psychometric and Measurement Lab, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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Moore BCJ. Listening to Music Through Hearing Aids: Potential Lessons for Cochlear Implants. Trends Hear 2022; 26:23312165211072969. [PMID: 35179052 PMCID: PMC8859663 DOI: 10.1177/23312165211072969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Some of the problems experienced by users of hearing aids (HAs) when listening to music are relevant to cochlear implants (CIs). One problem is related to the high peak levels (up to 120 dB SPL) that occur in live music. Some HAs and CIs overload at such levels, because of the limited dynamic range of the microphones and analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs), leading to perceived distortion. Potential solutions are to use 24-bit ADCs or to include an adjustable gain between the microphones and the ADCs. A related problem is how to squeeze the wide dynamic range of music into the limited dynamic range of the user, which can be only 6-20 dB for CI users. In HAs, this is usually done via multi-channel amplitude compression (automatic gain control, AGC). In CIs, a single-channel front-end AGC is applied to the broadband input signal or a control signal derived from a running average of the broadband signal level is used to control the mapping of the channel envelope magnitude to an electrical signal. This introduces several problems: (1) an intense narrowband signal (e.g. a strong bass sound) reduces the level for all frequency components, making some parts of the music harder to hear; (2) the AGC introduces cross-modulation effects that can make a steady sound (e.g. sustained strings or a sung note) appear to fluctuate in level. Potential solutions are to use several frequency channels to create slowly varying gain-control signals and to use slow-acting (or dual time-constant) AGC rather than fast-acting AGC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The aim of this study was to assess whether the severity of tinnitus, as measured using ratings of tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life, was influenced by the lockdown related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. RESEARCH DESIGN This was a retrospective study. STUDY SAMPLE The data for 105 consecutive patients who were seen at a tinnitus clinic in an audiology department in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 lockdown between April and June 2020 and 123 patients seen in the same period of the previous year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were included. DATA COLLECTION Demographic data for the patients, results of their pure-tone audiometry, and their score on visual analog scale (VAS) of tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life were imported from their records held at the audiology department. This was a retrospective survey comparing ratings on the VAS of tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life for consecutive patients seen during the COVID-19 lockdown and consecutive patients seen in the same period of the previous year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients seen prior to lockdown used a pen and paper version of the VAS, while the patients who were assessed during the COVID-19 lockdown used an adapted version of the VAS, via telephone. All patients were seeking help for their tinnitus for the first time. RESULTS The mean scores for tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life did not differ significantly for the groups seen prior to and during lockdown. CONCLUSION Any changes in psychological well-being or stress produced by the lockdown did not significantly affect ratings of the severity of tinnitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Department of Audiology, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Ali A Danesh
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Hearing Group, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Abstract
It is traditionally believed that the effects of exposure to noise cease once the exposure itself has ceased. If this is the case, exposure to noise relatively early in life, for example during military service, should not affect the subsequent progression of hearing loss. However, recent data from studies using animals suggest that noise exposure can accelerate the subsequent progression of hearing loss. This paper presents new longitudinal data obtained from 29 former male military personnel. Audiograms obtained at the end of military service were compared with those obtained at least five years later. Rates of change of hearing threshold level (HTL) in dB/year were compared with those expected from ISO7029 (2017) for men at the 50th percentile. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that noise exposure during military service accelerates the progression of hearing loss for frequencies where the hearing loss is absent or mild at the end of military service, by about 1.7 dB/year on average for frequencies from 3 to 8 kHz, but has no effect on or slows the progression of hearing loss for frequencies where the hearing loss exceeds about 50 dB. Acceleration appears to occur over a wide frequency range, including 1 kHz. There remains a need for further longitudinal studies using larger sample sizes. Longitudinal studies are also needed to establish whether exposure to other types of sounds, for example at rock concerts or from work in heavy industries, affects the subsequent progression of hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. J. Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David A. Lowe
- ENT Department, James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, UK
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Moore BCJ, Lowe DA, Cox G. Guidelines for Diagnosing and Quantifying Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Trends Hear 2022; 26:23312165221093156. [PMID: 35469496 PMCID: PMC9052822 DOI: 10.1177/23312165221093156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper makes recommendations for the diagnosis and quantification of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in a medico-legal context. A distinction is made between NIHL produced by: steady broadband noise, as occurs in some factories; more impulsive factory sounds, such as hammering; noise exposure during military service, which can involve very high peak sound levels; and exposure to very intense tones. It is argued that existing diagnostic methods, which were primarily developed to deal with NIHL produced by steady broadband noise, are not adequate for the diagnosis of NIHL produced by different types of exposures. Furthermore, some existing diagnostic methods are based on now-obsolete standards, and make unrealistic assumptions. Diagnostic methods are proposed for each of the types of noise exposure considered. It is recommended that quantification of NIHL for all types of exposures is based on comparison of the measured hearing threshold levels with the age-associated hearing levels (AAHLs) for a non-noise exposed population, as specified in ISO 7029 (2017), usually using the 50th percentile, but using another percentile if there are good reasons for doing so. When audiograms are available both soon after the end of military service and some time afterwards, the most recent audiogram should be used for diagnosis and quantification, since this reflects any effect of the noise exposure on the subsequent progression of hearing loss. It is recommended that the overall NIHL for each ear be quantified as the average NIHL across the frequencies 1, 2, and 4 kHz.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David A Lowe
- ENT Department, 156705James Cook University Hospital, Cleveland, UK
| | - Graham Cox
- ENT Department (retired), 6397Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
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Moore BCJ, Humes LE, Cox G, Lowe D, Gockel HE. Modification of a Method for Diagnosing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Sustained During Military Service. Trends Hear 2022; 26:23312165221145005. [PMID: 36518073 PMCID: PMC9761234 DOI: 10.1177/23312165221145005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Moore (2020) proposed a method for diagnosing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) sustained during military service, based on an analysis of the shapes of the audiograms of military personnel. The method, denoted M-NIHL, was estimated to have high sensitivity but low-to-moderate specificity. Here, a revised version of the method, denoted rM-NIHL, was developed that gave a better balance between sensitivity and specificity. A database of 285 audiograms of military noise-exposed men was created by merging two previously used databases with a new database, randomly shuffling, and then splitting into two, one for development of the revised method and one for evaluation. Two comparable databases of audiograms of 185 non-exposed men were also created, again one for development and one for evaluation. Based on the evaluation databases, the rM-NIHL method has slightly lower sensitivity than the M-NIHL method, but the specificity is markedly higher. The two methods have similar overall diagnostic performance. If an individual is classified as having NIHL based on a positive diagnosis for either ear, the rM-NIHL method has a sensitivity of 0.98 and a specificity of 0.63. Based on a positive diagnosis for both ears, the rM-NIHL method has a sensitivity of 0.76 and a specificity of 0.95.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Larry E Humes
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Graham Cox
- ENT Department (retired), 6397Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - David Lowe
- ENT Department, 156705James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, UK
| | - Hedwig E Gockel
- Cambridge Hearing Group, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Meunier S, Van Eeckhoutte M, Moore BCJ. Editorial: Loudness: From Neuroscience to Perception. Front Psychol 2021; 12:785093. [PMID: 34867696 PMCID: PMC8636118 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.785093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Meunier
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Centrale Marseille, LMA, Marseille, France
| | - Maaike Van Eeckhoutte
- Hearing Systems, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.,Copenhagen Hearing and Balance Center, Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) and Audiology Clinic, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Flanagan SA, Moore BCJ, Wilson AM, Gabrielczyk FC, MacFarlane A, Mandke K, Goswami U. Development of binaural temporal fine structure sensitivity in children. J Acoust Soc Am 2021; 150:2967. [PMID: 34717481 DOI: 10.1121/10.0006665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The highest frequency for which the temporal fine structure (TFS) of a sinewave can be compared across ears varies between listeners with an upper limit of about 1400 Hz for young normal-hearing adults (YNHA). In this study, binaural TFS sensitivity was investigated for 63 typically developing children, aged 5 years, 6 months to 9 years, 4 months using the temporal fine structure-adaptive frequency (TFS-AF) test of Füllgrabe, Harland, Sęk, and Moore [Int. J. Audiol. 56, 926-935 (2017)]. The test assesses the highest frequency at which an interaural phase difference (IPD) of ϕ° can be distinguished from an IPD of 0°. The values of ϕ were 30° and 180°. The starting frequency was 200 Hz. The thresholds for the children were significantly lower (worse) than the thresholds reported by Füllgrabe, Harland, Sęk, and Moore [Int. J. Audiol. 56, 926-935 (2017)] for YNHA. For both values of ϕ, the median age at which children performed above chance level was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than for those who performed at chance. For the subgroup of 40 children who performed above chance for ϕ = 180°, the linear regression analyses showed that the thresholds for ϕ = 180° increased (improved) significantly with increasing age (p < 0.001) with adult-like thresholds predicted to be reached at 10 years, 2 months of age. The implications for spatial release from masking are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila A Flanagan
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Angela M Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona C Gabrielczyk
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Annabel MacFarlane
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Kanad Mandke
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Usha Goswami
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience in Education, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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33
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Lowe DA, Moore BCJ. Audiometric assessment of hearing loss sustained during military service. J Acoust Soc Am 2021; 150:1030. [PMID: 34470327 DOI: 10.1121/10.0005846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An analysis is presented of the audiograms, obtained using Telephonics TDH39 headphones (Huntington, NY), of 80 men claiming compensation for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) sustained during military service. A comparison with an independent database of audiograms collected using other headphones suggested that no adjustment was needed to the hearing threshold levels (HTLs) at 6 kHz to allow for the use of TDH39 headphones. The method of Moore [(2020). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 148, 884-894] for diagnosing military noise-induced hearing loss (M-NIHL) gave a positive diagnosis for 92.5% of right ears and 97.5% of left ears. The mean HTLs were maximal and similar at 4, 6, and 8 kHz but with considerable individual variability. A comparison with age-expected HTLs showed that M-NIHL was typically greatest at 3, 4, 6, or 8 kHz but with considerable individual variability. M-NIHL values were positive from 0.5 to 8 kHz. The HTLs were significantly higher for the left than for the right ears, but the asymmetry varied across individuals and could usually be ascribed to specific features of the noise exposure. The asymmetry existed over the range from 0.5 to 8 kHz, supporting the idea that M-NIHL occurs over a wide frequency range. Tinnitus was reported by 76 of the 80 men.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Lowe
- ENT Department. James Cook University Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS4 3BW, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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34
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Kolarik AJ, Moore BCJ, Cirstea S, Aggius-Vella E, Gori M, Campus C, Pardhan S. Factors Affecting Auditory Estimates of Virtual Room Size: Effects of Stimulus, Level, and Reverberation. Perception 2021; 50:646-663. [PMID: 34053354 DOI: 10.1177/03010066211020598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
When vision is unavailable, auditory level and reverberation cues provide important spatial information regarding the environment, such as the size of a room. We investigated how room-size estimates were affected by stimulus type, level, and reverberation. In Experiment 1, 15 blindfolded participants estimated room size after performing a distance bisection task in virtual rooms that were either anechoic (with level cues only) or reverberant (with level and reverberation cues) with a relatively short reverberation time of T60 = 400 milliseconds. Speech, noise, or clicks were presented at distances between 1.9 and 7.1 m. The reverberant room was judged to be significantly larger than the anechoic room (p < .05) for all stimuli. In Experiment 2, only the reverberant room was used and the overall level of all sounds was equalized, so only reverberation cues were available. Ten blindfolded participants took part. Room-size estimates were significantly larger for speech than for clicks or noise. The results show that when level and reverberation cues are present, reverberation increases judged room size. Even relatively weak reverberation cues provide room-size information, which could potentially be used by blind or visually impaired individuals encountering novel rooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Kolarik
- Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.,Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK; University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Silvia Cirstea
- Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.,Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Elena Aggius-Vella
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy; Institute for Mind, Brain and Technology, Herzeliya, Israel.,Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Claudio Campus
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
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35
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Füllgrabe C, Sęk A, Moore BCJ. Frequency selectivity in the modulation domain estimated using forward masking: Effects of masker modulation depth and masker-signal delay. Hear Res 2021; 405:108244. [PMID: 33878648 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The threshold for detecting amplitude modulation (AM) of a sinusoidal or noise carrier is elevated when the signal AM is preceded by masker AM applied to the same carrier. This effect, called AM forward masking, shows selectivity in the AM domain, consistent with the existence of a modulation filter bank (MFB). In this paper we explore the effect of two factors that can influence AM forward masking, using an 8-kHz sinusoidal carrier and a range of masker AM frequencies, fm, both below and above the signal AM frequency, fs, of 40 Hz. The first factor was the time delay, td, between the end of the masker AM and the start of the signal AM. The second was the AM depth, m, of the masker, which was either 1 or 0.25. The AM forward masking patterns in all conditions showed tuning in the AM domain; signal thresholds were highest when fm was close to fs. The amount of AM forward masking decreased with increasing td in a similar way for all fm, so the shapes of the masking patterns did not change markedly with td. Remarkably, the amount of AM forward masking decreased by only about 3 dB (a non-significant effect) when the masker m was decreased from 1 to 0.25. This result appears to be inconsistent with an explanation of AM forward masking in terms of adaptation in a MFB or in terms of a sliding temporal integrator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Füllgrabe
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Ashby Road, Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom.
| | - Aleksander Sęk
- Department of Acoustics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, 85 Umultowska, 61-614 Poznan, Poland.
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom.
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Abstract
Until recently, a commonly held view was that blindness resulted in enhanced auditory abilities, underpinned by the beneficial effects of cross-modal neuroplasticity. This viewpoint has been challenged by studies showing that blindness results in poorer performance for some auditory spatial tasks. It is now clear that visual loss does not result in a general increase or decrease in all auditory abilities. Although several hypotheses have been proposed to explain why certain auditory abilities are enhanced while others are degraded, these are often limited to a specific subset of tasks. A comprehensive explanation encompassing auditory abilities assessed in fully blind and partially sighted populations and spanning spatial and non-spatial cognition has not so far been proposed. The current article proposes a framework comprising a set of nine principles that can be used to predict whether auditory abilities are enhanced or degraded. The validity of these principles is assessed by comparing their predictions with a wide range of empirical evidence concerning the effects of visual loss on spatial and non-spatial auditory abilities. Developmental findings and the effects of early- versus late-onset visual loss are discussed. Ways of improving auditory abilities for individuals with visual loss and reducing auditory spatial deficits are summarized. A new Perceptual Restructuring Hypothesis is proposed within the framework, positing that the auditory system is restructured to provide the most accurate information possible given the loss of the visual signal and utilizing available cortical resources, resulting in different auditory abilities getting better or worse according to the nine principles. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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37
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Moore BCJ. The Effect of Exposure to Noise during Military Service on the Subsequent Progression of Hearing Loss. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:2436. [PMID: 33801367 PMCID: PMC7967570 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews and re-analyses data from published studies on the effects of noise exposure on the progression of hearing loss once noise exposure has ceased, focusing particularly on noise exposure during military service. The data are consistent with the idea that such exposure accelerates the progression of hearing loss at frequencies where the hearing loss is absent or mild at the end of military service (hearing threshold levels (HTLs) up to approximately 50 dB HL), but has no effect on or slows the progression of hearing loss at frequencies where the hearing loss exceeds approximately 50 dB. Acceleration appears to occur over a wide frequency range, including 1 kHz. However, each of the studies reviewed has limitations. There is a need for further longitudinal studies of changes in HTLs over a wide range of frequencies and including individuals with a range of HTLs and ages at the end of military service. Longitudinal studies are also needed to establish whether the progression of hearing loss following the end of exposure to high-level sounds depends on the type of noise exposure (steady broadband factory noises versus impulsive sounds).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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Füllgrabe C, Sęk A, Moore BCJ. Forward masking of amplitude modulation across ears and its tuning in the modulation domain. J Acoust Soc Am 2021; 149:1764. [PMID: 33765781 DOI: 10.1121/10.0003598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Frequency selectivity in the amplitude modulation (AM) domain has been demonstrated using both simultaneous AM masking and forward AM masking. This has been explained using the concept of a modulation filter bank (MFB). Here, we assessed whether the MFB occurs before or after the point of binaural interaction in the auditory pathway by using forward masking in the AM domain in an ipsilateral condition (masker AM and signal AM applied to the left ear with an unmodulated carrier in the right ear) and a contralateral condition (masker AM applied to the right ear and signal AM applied to the left ear). The carrier frequency was 8 kHz, the signal AM frequency, fs, was 40 or 80 Hz, and the masker AM frequency ranged from 0.25 to 4 times fs. Contralateral forward AM masking did occur, but it was smaller than ipsilateral AM masking. Tuning in the AM domain was slightly sharper for ipsilateral than for contralateral masking, perhaps reflecting confusion of the signal and masker AM in the ipsilateral condition when their AM frequencies were the same. The results suggest that there might be an MFB both before and after the point in the auditory pathway where binaural interaction occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Füllgrabe
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Ashby Road, Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
| | - Aleksander Sęk
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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Keshavarzi M, Reichenbach T, Moore BCJ. Transient Noise Reduction Using a Deep Recurrent Neural Network: Effects on Subjective Speech Intelligibility and Listening Comfort. Trends Hear 2021; 25:23312165211041475. [PMID: 34606381 PMCID: PMC8642050 DOI: 10.1177/23312165211041475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A deep recurrent neural network (RNN) for reducing transient sounds was developed and its effects on subjective speech intelligibility and listening comfort were investigated. The RNN was trained using sentences spoken with different accents and corrupted by transient sounds, using the clean speech as the target. It was tested using sentences spoken by unseen talkers and corrupted by unseen transient sounds. A paired-comparison procedure was used to compare all possible combinations of three conditions for subjective speech intelligibility and listening comfort for two relative levels of the transients. The conditions were: no processing (NP); processing using the RNN; and processing using a multi-channel transient reduction method (MCTR). Ten participants with normal hearing and ten with mild-to-moderate hearing loss participated. For the latter, frequency-dependent linear amplification was applied to all stimuli to compensate for individual audibility losses. For the normal-hearing participants, processing using the RNN was significantly preferred over that for NP for subjective intelligibility and comfort, processing using the RNN was significantly preferred over that for MCTR for subjective intelligibility, and processing using the MCTR was significantly preferred over that for NP for comfort for the higher transient level only. For the hearing-impaired participants, processing using the RNN was significantly preferred over that for NP for both subjective intelligibility and comfort, processing using the RNN was significantly preferred over that for MCTR for comfort, and processing using the MCTR was significantly preferred over that for NP for comfort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Keshavarzi
- Department of Bioengineering and Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Centre for Neuroscience in Education, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tobias Reichenbach
- Department of Bioengineering and Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering,
Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen- Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Cambridge Hearing Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Moore BCJ, von Gablenz P. Sensitivity and specificity of a method for diagnosis of military noise-induced hearing loss. J Acoust Soc Am 2021; 149:62. [PMID: 33514161 DOI: 10.1121/10.0002977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Moore [(2020). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 148, 884-894] proposed a method for the diagnosis of hearing loss produced by noise exposure during military service (denoted M-NIHL) based on the audiogram. This letter characterizes the sensitivity and specificity of the method, based on 116 ears of men claiming compensation for M-NIHL and 244 ears of an age-matched non-noise-exposed control group of men screened to match the noise-exposed group in age, absence of conductive hearing loss, no history of ear diseases, and asymmetry across ears ≤10 dB. The sensitivity was 0.97 and the specificity was 0.67, giving a discriminability index d' of 2.3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C J Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Petra von Gablenz
- Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology and Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4All", Oldenburg, Germany
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Aazh H, Stevens J, Moore BCJ. Preliminary Examination of the Incidence of and Factors Related to Hearing Tinnitus in Dreams. J Am Acad Audiol 2020; 32:76-82. [PMID: 33296927 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1718929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of the perception of tinnitus in dreams among patients seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis and to assess whether this is related to the severity of tinnitus and/or hyperacusis. RESEARCH DESIGN This was a retrospective study. STUDY SAMPLE The data for 148 consecutive adult patients who attended a tinnitus/hyperacusis clinic in the United Kingdom were included. The average age of the patients was 56 years (standard deviation [SD] = 15 years). DATA COLLECTION Data were collected retrospectively from their records held at the audiology department. Audiological measures were pure-tone audiometry and uncomfortable loudness levels. Questionnaires administered were: Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Hyperacusis Questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on life, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Patient Health Questionnaire. Patients were also asked "If you dream have you ever perceived tinnitus in your dreams?" RESULTS Five percent of patients (7/148) reported hearing tinnitus in their dreams. There was a nonsignificant trend for patients who reported hearing tinnitus in their dreams to be younger (mean age = 46 years, SD = 15 years) than those who did not (mean age = 57 years, SD = 15 years). The mean scores for the THI and VAS for effect of tinnitus on life were significantly higher (worse) for patients who reported hearing tinnitus in their dreams than for those who did not. CONCLUSION A small proportion of patients reported hearing tinnitus in their dreams and this was associated with higher tinnitus handicap as measured via the THI and more effect of tinnitus on life as measured via the VAS. These preliminary results may indicate that those who are greatly affected by their tinnitus are more likely to hear it in their dreams or to be woken by it. Future studies should use methods that can be used to reliably assess if and when tinnitus is perceived during the sleep cycle, using more physiological measures and testing a wider population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Stevens
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Vinay, Sandhya, Moore BCJ. Effect of age, test frequency and level on thresholds for the TEN(HL) test for people with normal hearing. Int J Audiol 2020; 59:915-920. [DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1783584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vinay
- Department of Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Sandhya
- Department of Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Schlittenlacher J, Turner RE, Moore BCJ. Development of a Deep Neural Network for Speeding Up a Model of Loudness for Time-Varying Sounds. Trends Hear 2020; 24:2331216520943074. [PMID: 32853098 PMCID: PMC7457659 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520943074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The “time-varying loudness” (TVL) model of Glasberg and Moore calculates
“instantaneous loudness” every 1 ms, and this is used to generate
predictions of short-term loudness, the loudness of a short segment of
sound, such as a word in a sentence, and of long-term loudness, the
loudness of a longer segment of sound, such as a whole sentence. The
calculation of instantaneous loudness is computationally intensive and
real-time implementation of the TVL model is difficult. To speed up
the computation, a deep neural network (DNN) was trained to predict
instantaneous loudness using a large database of speech sounds and
artificial sounds (tones alone and tones in white or pink noise), with
the predictions of the TVL model as a reference (providing the
“correct” answer, specifically the loudness level in phons). A
multilayer perceptron with three hidden layers was found to be
sufficient, with more complex DNN architecture not yielding higher
accuracy. After training, the deviations between the predictions of
the TVL model and the predictions of the DNN were typically less than
0.5 phons, even for types of sounds that were not used for training
(music, rain, animal sounds, and washing machine). The DNN calculates
instantaneous loudness over 100 times more quickly than the TVL model.
Possible applications of the DNN are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brian C J Moore
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge
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Abstract
Time-efficient hearing tests are important in both clinical practice and research studies. This particularly applies to notched-noise tests, which are rarely done in clinical practice because of the time required. Auditory-filter shapes derived from notched-noise data may be useful for diagnosis of the cause of hearing loss and for fitting of hearing aids, especially if measured over a wide range of center frequencies. To reduce the testing time, we applied Bayesian active learning (BAL) to the notched-noise test, picking the most informative stimulus parameters for each trial based on nine Gaussian Processes. A total of 11 hearing-impaired subjects were tested. In 20 to 30 min, the test provided estimates of signal threshold as a continuous function of frequency from 500 to 4000 Hz for nine notch widths and for notches placed both symmetrically and asymmetrically around the signal frequency. The thresholds were found to be consistent with those obtained using a 2-up/1-down forced-choice procedure at a single center frequency. In particular, differences in threshold between the methods did not vary with notch width. An independent second run of the BAL test for one notch width showed that it is reliable. The data derived from the BAL test were used to estimate auditory-filter width and asymmetry and detection efficiency for center frequencies from 500 to 4000 Hz. The results agreed with expectations for cochlear hearing losses that were derived from the audiogram and a hearing model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Schlittenlacher
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge
- Josef Schlittenlacher, Division of Human Communication, Development and Hearing, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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Tarnowska E, Wicher A, Moore BCJ. No Influence of Musicianship on the Effect of Contralateral Stimulation on Frequency Selectivity. Trends Hear 2020; 24:2331216520939776. [PMID: 32840175 PMCID: PMC7450455 DOI: 10.1177/2331216520939776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The efferent system may control the gain of the cochlea and thereby
influence frequency selectivity. This effect can be assessed using
contralateral stimulation (CS) applied to the ear opposite to that
used to assess frequency selectivity. The effect of CS may be stronger
for musicians than for nonmusicians. To assess whether this was the
case, psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) were compared for 12
musicians and 12 nonmusicians. The PTCs were measured with and without
a 60-dB sound pressure level (SPL) pink-noise CS, using signal
frequencies of 2 and 4 kHz. The sharpness of the PTCs was quantified
using the measure Q10, the signal frequency divided by the PTC
bandwidth measured 10 dB above the level at the tip. Q10 values were
lower in the presence of the CS, but this effect did not differ
significantly for musicians and nonmusicians. The main effect of group
(musicians vs. nonmusicians) on the Q10 values was not significant.
Overall, these results do not support the idea that musicianship
enhances contralateral efferent gain control as measured using the
effect of CS on PTCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Tarnowska
- Chair of Acoustics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Andrzej Wicher
- Chair of Acoustics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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Hosseinzadeh A, Kamrava SK, Moore BCJ, Reiter RJ, Ghaznavi H, Kamali M, Mehrzadi S. Molecular Aspects of Melatonin Treatment in Tinnitus: A Review. Curr Drug Targets 2020; 20:1112-1128. [PMID: 30892162 DOI: 10.2174/1389450120666190319162147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tinnitus is a hearing disorder characterized by the perception of sound without external acoustic stimuli, which is caused by damage to the auditory system in response to excessive levels of noise, ototoxic agents and aging. Neural plasticity, oxidative/nitrosative stress and apoptosis play important roles in the pathogenesis of tinnitus. The expression of neural plasticity related to excessive glutamatergic neurotransmission leads to generation of abnormal sound in one's ears or head. Furthermore, hyperactivation and over-expression of NMDA receptors in response to excessive release of glutamate contribute to the calcium overload in the primary auditory neurons and subsequent cytotoxicity. Reactive oxygen/nitrogen species are endogenously produced by different type of cochlear cells under pathological conditions, which cause direct damage to the intracellular components and apoptotic cell death. Cochlear hair-cell death contributes to the progressive deafferentation of auditory neurons, which consequently leads to the aberrant activity in several parts of the auditory pathway. Therefore, targeting neural plasticity, oxidative/nitrosative stress, apoptosis and autophagy may ameliorate tinnitus. Melatonin is an endogenously produced indoleamine synchronizing circadian and circannual rhythms. Based on laboratory studies indicating the protective effect of melatonin against cochlear damage induced by acoustic trauma and ototoxic agents, and also clinical studies reporting the ability of melatonin to minimize the severity of tinnitus, melatonin is suggested to be a treatment option for the patient with tinnitus. Herein, we describe the ameliorative effect of melatonin on tinnitus, focusing on neural plasticity, oxidative/nitrosative stress, apoptotsis and autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azam Hosseinzadeh
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Kamran Kamrava
- ENT and Head & Neck Research Center, Hazrate Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Habib Ghaznavi
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Mahboobeh Kamali
- Health Promotion Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Mehrzadi
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Abstract
The diagnosis and quantification of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in a medico-legal context are usually based on the pattern of hearing loss that is typically associated with long-term exposure to steady broadband noises, such as occur in noisy factories. Evidence is reviewed showing that this pattern is not typical for hearing loss produced by intense impulsive sounds of the type that military personnel are exposed to. The audiometric characteristics of noise-exposed military personnel are reviewed. A set of audiograms from a sample of 58 hearing-impaired noise-exposed military veterans was analyzed and used to develop methods for the diagnosis and quantification of military NIHL. Three requirements are specified for diagnosing military NIHL. Quantification of any loss is done by comparison with audiometric thresholds for non-noise exposed individuals, as specified in ISO7029 [International Organization for Standardization, 2017].
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C J Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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Abstract
AbstractThis article reviews and critically analyzes the design of studies on the effect of audiological rehabilitation (AR) programs on hearing aid (HA) outcomes, in order to guide future research.The design of this study was a narrative review. Studies were included in the review if they were randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of AR on HA use and outcome between 2000 and 2016.Seven articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in the review. Most used educational rather than counseling approaches. Although educational AR programs seem to be useful in enhancing the use of communication strategies, there is limited evidence for their effect on HA use and self-perceived hearing handicap.More research is needed in this field. Future studies should (1) investigate the efficacy of AR interventions based on counseling and empathetic listening as opposed to or in addition to educational interventions, (2) use stricter criteria to include only a subpopulation of patients who do not get on well with their HAs, (3) measure the amount of HA use via data-logging and self-report questionnaires, and (4) use a matching comparison intervention for patients in the control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, UK
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, UK
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Füllgrabe C, Moody M, Moore BCJ. No evidence for a link between noise exposure and auditory temporal processing for young adults with normal audiograms. J Acoust Soc Am 2020; 147:EL465. [PMID: 32611153 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The link between lifetime noise exposure and temporal processing abilities was investigated for 45 normal-hearing participants, recruited from a population of undergraduate students, aged 18 to 23 years. A self-report instrument was employed to assess the amount of neuropathic noise (here defined as sounds with levels exceeding approximately 80 dBA) each participant had been exposed to and sensitivity to temporal-fine-structure and temporal-envelope information was determined using frequency discrimination and envelope irregularity detection tasks, respectively. Despite sizable individual variability in all measures, correlations between noise exposure and the ability to process temporal cues were small and non-significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Füllgrabe
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Ashby Road, Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Moody
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Ashby Road, Loughborough LE11 3TU, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C J Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United , ,
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Aazh H, Moore BCJ. Prevalence and Characteristics of Patients with Severe Hyperacusis among Patients Seen in a Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic. J Am Acad Audiol 2020; 29:626-633. [DOI: 10.3766/jaaa.17015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe purpose was to assess the proportion of patients seeking help for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis who have severe hyperacusis and to examine factors associated with severe hyperacusis.This was a retrospective cross-sectional study based on 362 consecutive patients who attended a National Health Service audiology clinic for tinnitus and/or hyperacusis rehabilitation and for whom uncomfortable loudness levels (ULLs) had been measured. The criterion for severe hyperacusis was taken as a ULL of 30 dB HL or less for at least one of the measured frequencies for at least one ear.Thirteen patients had severe hyperacusis, and eight of those had normal hearing. The lowest average ULL across frequencies was 28 dB HL. The difference in average ULLs between ears was 5 dB or less for nine patients. The range of ULLs across frequencies was between 5 and 60 dB, ULLs often being lowest at 8 kHz. Eleven patients had tinnitus, eight had otological abnormalities, twelve had mental health problems, and six were taking antidepressants.Severe hyperacusis is characterized by low ULLs for specific frequencies and no or mild hearing loss. Given the high incidence of tinnitus, otological abnormalities, and mental health problems, the management of patients with severe hyperacusis should involve otologists and psychiatrists in addition to audiologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hashir Aazh
- Audiology Department, Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Brian C. J. Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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