Optimisation of hearing aid fitting
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Objective response detection to natural speech stimuli for optimisation of hearing aid fitting evaluation
IRAS ID
227853
Contact name
Steven L Bell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
This study aims to explore if objective brain responses to speech stimuli (words and running speech) can be used to evaluate hearing aid fitting in adults. Objective brain responses would be beneficial, as they could be used to evaluate hearing with people who are incapable or unwilling to provide subjective responses. The study aims to determine if EEG responses to speech sounds are sensitive to the effects of hearing aids for hearing aid users. Secondary, the study will look into the need for using speech stimuli in order to obtain more robust responses compared to current clinical standards.
The research questions addressed are as follows
1. Are speech-evoked objective brain responses sensitive to hearing aid amplification?
2. Are speech-evoked brain responses sensitive to distortions in speech and can hearing aid amplification resolve issues with brain responses to distorted speech?
3. Which tests are optimal for detection of objective brain responses to speech?
4. Are realistic speech stimuli (words or running speech) able to robustly detect brain responses compared to current clinical standards (clicks and tones)?
The study will be carried out on a group of mildly to moderately hearing impaired subjects between the age of 18 and 70. Subjects will be recruited from the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, where the research will be conducted. Participants will have their hearing function checked as described in the design and methodology section of this proposal. During the experiment, participants will be asked to listen to speech sounds presented from a loudspeaker at comfortable listening levels. The responses will be measured with the participant wearing and not wearing hearing aids. Additionally, participants will perform a behavioural task for perception of speech. Participants will be asked to attend 2 sessions of 2 hours. Data collection will run over 1 year.REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0385
Date of REC Opinion
5 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion