Back to resultsEffects of Cognitive Training on Speech Perception
Primary Purpose
Hearing Loss, Deafness and Auditory Perception
Status
Terminated
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Canada
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Cognitive training
Sponsored by
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Hearing Loss focused on measuring Hearing Loss, Speech Perception, Cognitive Training, Cognitive Fitness, Memory, Short-Term
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Able to come to Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for study visits
- Adults (50 years or older) with mild to moderate hearing loss
- Access to an internet-connected device that is able to use Flash media, basic computer skills
- Medically stable participants
- Not currently taking medication that may affect brain function (e.g., anti-anxiety medication)
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
Exclusion Criteria:
- Participants with neurological conditions such as epilepsy or concussions will be excluded for safety reasons
- Participants who are not native English speakers (materials used in the study are only in English)
- Participants who are unable to provide consent
- Participants with impaired cognition (assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment)
- Participants with high accuracy on the Speech Perception in Noise task at the second study visit (to eliminate participants who may be performing at ceiling level)
Sites / Locations
- NeuroCognitive Imaging Lab, Dalhousie University
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Experimental
Active Comparator
Arm Label
Control, cognitive training
Experimental, cognitive training
Active Control, crossword training
Arm Description
Participants in the control arm will receive cognitive training for cognitive abilities not affected by age-related hearing loss.
Participants in the experimental arm will receive cognitive training for cognitive abilities affected by age-related hearing loss.
Participants in this group will undergo crossword puzzle training. The purpose of this group is control for any effects that may be due to engaging in cognitive training.
Outcomes
Primary Outcome Measures
Speech Perception in Noise Test - Improvement in speech perception accuracy from baseline to post-training for high and low predictability sentences
Sentences of high predictability and low predictability are played with multi-user talker babble. Participants must repeat the last word of each sentence as they heard it. The primary outcome measure will be the accuracy for repeating the sentence.
Secondary Outcome Measures
Working Memory Cognitive Training - Improvements in working memory abilities from baseline
Individuals are asked to participate in 20 hours of cognitive training that will focus on either improving abilities affected by hearing loss (i.e., verbal working memory), or abilities not affected by hearing loss (i.e., spatial working memory).
Performance on the working memory task, Operation Span Task (OSPAN), will be assessed using the total score which is calculated as a sum based on the number of correct answers (letters accurately sequentially recalled) within a block for the duration of the task. Higher scores indicate better working memory capacity. Performance on the working memory cognitive training games will be assessed using the participant's accuracy, reaction time, and final score on the game.
Improvements in working memory will be assessed by comparing participant performance on working memory tasks (OSPAN; cognitive training memory games) before receiving cognitive training, immediately after receiving cognitive training, and eight weeks post-training.
Brain Performance Test
The Brain Performance Test (BPT) is an assessment tool available online through the training program website. Participants will be assessed at home on their initial performance for a variety of cognitive abilities including stop-signal tasks, grammatical reasoning, and memory spans. After completing the eight weeks of cognitive training, participants will again be assessed at home with the BPT to determine whether there are any improvements in cognitive abilities.
Attention Cognitive Training - Improvements in attention abilities from baseline
Individuals are asked to participate in 20 hours of cognitive training. Cognitive training will focus on either improving abilities affected by hearing loss (i.e., attention), or abilities not affected by hearing loss (i.e., spatial working memory).
Performance on the attention task, Flanker-Simon, will be assessed based on participant's accuracy and reaction time for the Flanker task, and the Simon task.
Performance on the attention cognitive training games will be assessed using the participant's accuracy, reaction time, and final score on the game.
Improvements in attention will be assessed by comparing the performance of participants on attention tasks (Flanker-Simon; cognitive training attention games) before receiving cognitive training, immediately after receiving cognitive training, and eight weeks post-training.
Full Information
1. Study Identification
Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT02294812
Brief Title
Effects of Cognitive Training on Speech Perception
Official Title
Effects of Cognitive Training on Age-Related Hearing Loss and Speech Perception
Study Type
Interventional
2. Study Status
Record Verification Date
January 2021
Overall Recruitment Status
Terminated
Why Stopped
lack of funding and staff to conduct the study
Study Start Date
September 2016 (undefined)
Primary Completion Date
September 2020 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
September 2020 (Actual)
3. Sponsor/Collaborators
Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor-Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
Aaron Newman
4. Oversight
Data Monitoring Committee
No
5. Study Description
Brief Summary
In this study, the investigators are testing whether cognitive training can lead to improvements in speech perception for individuals with hearing loss. Individuals will complete 20 hours of cognitive training that is designed to improve cognitive abilities such as short term memory and attention. The investigators predict that cognitive training that improves the cognitive abilities affected by hearing loss will improve speech perception.
6. Conditions and Keywords
Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Hearing Loss, Deafness and Auditory Perception
Keywords
Hearing Loss, Speech Perception, Cognitive Training, Cognitive Fitness, Memory, Short-Term
7. Study Design
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
Participant
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
42 (Actual)
8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions
Arm Title
Control, cognitive training
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Participants in the control arm will receive cognitive training for cognitive abilities not affected by age-related hearing loss.
Arm Title
Experimental, cognitive training
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Participants in the experimental arm will receive cognitive training for cognitive abilities affected by age-related hearing loss.
Arm Title
Active Control, crossword training
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Participants in this group will undergo crossword puzzle training. The purpose of this group is control for any effects that may be due to engaging in cognitive training.
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Cognitive training
Intervention Description
Participants will engage in eight weeks of training that focuses on improving various cognitive abilities. For example, short term memory.
Cognitive training will take place 30 minutes per day, five days per week, for eight weeks. Training will be done in the participant's own home using web-based software. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the active control group, the control cognitive training group, or the experimental cognitive training group following the second study visit.
After eight weeks, participants will no longer partake in training.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Speech Perception in Noise Test - Improvement in speech perception accuracy from baseline to post-training for high and low predictability sentences
Description
Sentences of high predictability and low predictability are played with multi-user talker babble. Participants must repeat the last word of each sentence as they heard it. The primary outcome measure will be the accuracy for repeating the sentence.
Time Frame
Baseline, Weeks 2, 10, and 18
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Working Memory Cognitive Training - Improvements in working memory abilities from baseline
Description
Individuals are asked to participate in 20 hours of cognitive training that will focus on either improving abilities affected by hearing loss (i.e., verbal working memory), or abilities not affected by hearing loss (i.e., spatial working memory).
Performance on the working memory task, Operation Span Task (OSPAN), will be assessed using the total score which is calculated as a sum based on the number of correct answers (letters accurately sequentially recalled) within a block for the duration of the task. Higher scores indicate better working memory capacity. Performance on the working memory cognitive training games will be assessed using the participant's accuracy, reaction time, and final score on the game.
Improvements in working memory will be assessed by comparing participant performance on working memory tasks (OSPAN; cognitive training memory games) before receiving cognitive training, immediately after receiving cognitive training, and eight weeks post-training.
Time Frame
Weeks 2, 10, and 18
Title
Brain Performance Test
Description
The Brain Performance Test (BPT) is an assessment tool available online through the training program website. Participants will be assessed at home on their initial performance for a variety of cognitive abilities including stop-signal tasks, grammatical reasoning, and memory spans. After completing the eight weeks of cognitive training, participants will again be assessed at home with the BPT to determine whether there are any improvements in cognitive abilities.
Time Frame
Weeks 2 and 10
Title
Attention Cognitive Training - Improvements in attention abilities from baseline
Description
Individuals are asked to participate in 20 hours of cognitive training. Cognitive training will focus on either improving abilities affected by hearing loss (i.e., attention), or abilities not affected by hearing loss (i.e., spatial working memory).
Performance on the attention task, Flanker-Simon, will be assessed based on participant's accuracy and reaction time for the Flanker task, and the Simon task.
Performance on the attention cognitive training games will be assessed using the participant's accuracy, reaction time, and final score on the game.
Improvements in attention will be assessed by comparing the performance of participants on attention tasks (Flanker-Simon; cognitive training attention games) before receiving cognitive training, immediately after receiving cognitive training, and eight weeks post-training.
Time Frame
Weeks 2, 10, and 18
10. Eligibility
Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
50 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Able to come to Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for study visits
Adults (50 years or older) with mild to moderate hearing loss
Access to an internet-connected device that is able to use Flash media, basic computer skills
Medically stable participants
Not currently taking medication that may affect brain function (e.g., anti-anxiety medication)
Normal or corrected-to-normal vision
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants with neurological conditions such as epilepsy or concussions will be excluded for safety reasons
Participants who are not native English speakers (materials used in the study are only in English)
Participants who are unable to provide consent
Participants with impaired cognition (assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment)
Participants with high accuracy on the Speech Perception in Noise task at the second study visit (to eliminate participants who may be performing at ceiling level)
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Aaron J Newman, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
Dalhousie University, Canada
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
NeuroCognitive Imaging Lab, Dalhousie University
City
Halifax
State/Province
Nova Scotia
ZIP/Postal Code
B3H 4R2
Country
Canada
12. IPD Sharing Statement
Plan to Share IPD
No
Links:
URL
http://www.ncilab.ca/
Description
NeuroCognitive Imaging Lab
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Effects of Cognitive Training on Speech Perception
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