Active clinical trials for "Hearing Loss"

This study examines the effect of an exercise and health education/auditory rehabilitation and socialization intervention on functional fitness, hearing handicap and psychosocial distress measures in older adults with hearing loss.

Tumors arising from the VIIIth Nerve (vestibulo-cochlear nerve) typically present with progressive unilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. VIIIth Nerve tumors with documented growth on serial MRI scans typically lead to deafness in the affected ear over time. Radiation (Gamma Knife® or stereotactic radiosurgery) may preserve hearing in ~80% while surgery (middle cranial fossa or retrosigmoid approach) may preserve hearing in 16 - 40% of small tumors, although initial hearing preservation by both modalities may fail over time. Surgical resection via the translabyrinthine approach is the safest way to remove many of these tumors, but involves loss of all hearing. In all treatment modalities, the vascular supply (the labyrinthine artery, a terminal branch of AICA with no collaterals) to the cochlea is at risk. After devascularization, the cochlea frequently fills with fibrous tissue or ossifies (labyrinthitis ossificans), making it impossible to place a cochlear implant should it be required later. The incidence of this is 46% in our patients. This study seeks to determine the feasibility of preserving the cochlear duct with an obdurator so that patients undergoing translabyrinthine removal of VIIIth nerve tumors may retain the option of a cochlear implant at a later time.

Single sided deafness (SSD) refers to asymmetrical hearing loss, where there is a significant worsening of hearing in one ear compared to the other. In Cambridge, the investigators see large numbers of patients with SSD caused by vestibular schwannomas, due to their affiliation with the Neuro-Otology Department, with over 100 new SSD patients being referred every year. Only a small number of studies have explored hearing handicap for those with SSD, and music appreciation has not been investigated, to the best of the investigators knowledge, in this patient group. In the limited number of studies conducted on those with single sided deafness, often only one or two outcome measures have been used, or the patient group has been small. The investigators have a large group of patients with a wide range of aetiologies who have completed several questionnaires as part of their treatment in the single sided deafness clinic and the investigators would like to analyse these data. At present there are different devices available on the NHS for the management of SSD and many studies have explored benefits of Bone Anchored Hearing Aids (BAHA). There is an under-representation of studies looking specifically at CROS aid devices which is relevant given the cost differences involved between devices. Study goals and objectives To find out what factors drive hearing handicap in SSD patients by analysing the results of several different well validated hearing handicap questionnaires To find out whether or not it is possible to change hearing handicap in this patient group by looking to see if there is an improvement in questionnaire scores post treatment. The investigators will also look at a sub-group who will be fitted with both traditional wired CROS aids and more up-to-date wireless aids which have been funded through a research grant, in order to assess whether these are more beneficial. The investigators will use a new questionnaire developed in-house to further explore the impact of single sided deafness on music appreciation.

Seniors 65 years of age and older represent one of the fastest growing segments of society with the population doubling within the next 25 years with dramatic rates of mental decline, costing society billions of dollars each year. The proposed research seeks to discover whether relatively short term mental or physical training can enhance gist reasoning, generalize to untrained cognitive areas and modify/strengthen brain function in areas susceptible to aging processes. To identify neuroprotective and non-pharmacological interventions to prevent mental decline and maximize cognitive brain health during the course of the adult lifespan has major public policy implications.

Hearing impairment is one of the most common disabilities in veterans. The decreased ability to communicate is troubling in itself, but the strong association of hearing loss with functional decline and depression adds further to the burden on the hearing-impaired. Although hearing amplification improves quality of life, hearing evaluations are offered infrequently to older patients. Only 25 percent of patients with aidable hearing loss receive treatment. Up to 30 percent of patients who receive hearing aids do not use them. We contend that an effective formal screening program should identify hearing-impaired patients who are motivated to seek evaluation and who derive benefit from treatment.

The investigators will examine the effectiveness of selected over-the-counter personal sound amplifiers in addressing functional hearing problems in middle-aged listeners with mild hearing loss. Many people are unlikely to pay several thousand dollars for hearing aids but they likely would be more willing to try a possible solution that is less expensive. When faced with counseling these individuals, audiologists are at a loss regarding whether or not to suggest that they try this type of technology, since there is virtually no research available to verify that these devices actually are helpful, particularly for individuals with mild hearing loss. The hypothesis being tested is that personal sound amplifiers can improve functional hearing and decrease cognitive load in complex auditory environments.

The objectives of the current project aim to determine whether a more controlled amplification method or a visual administration has an effect on hearing impaired older individuals' cognitive test scores.

The study is a prospective, single-center, comparative, cross-over study with within-subject control design. In the investigation an updated sound processor will be tested at compared to the CE marked Ponto 3 SuperPower sound processor (available on the market since December 2016) in order to establish marketing claim(s) on the updated sound processor. The performance of the two sound processors will be evaluated via speech and hearing tests, and patient reported outcomes.

The Danish health care system has been criticized for its structural inefficiency and latency to initiate proper hearing rehabilitation amongst hearing-impaired individuals. Waiting lists are extensive, and audiometries are repeated before hearing aid treatment is initiated. Demographic changes forecast increasing numbers of +65-year-olds and consequently increased demand for hearing rehabilitation. To remedy this situation, the Danish Ministry of Health has proposed a new national initiative to implement innovative digital approaches to improve hearing rehabilitation, including a new, digital remote assessment routine. The aim of this study is to investigate: Primarily: Patient safety of remote vs. conventional assessment Patient-reported satisfaction and treatment effect of remote vs. conventional assessment Secondarily: Inter-subspecialty and inter-personal assessment differences between four ENT specialists using a remote assessment routine Translation and validation of the Danish adapted version of the Consumer Ear Disease Risk Assessment (CEDRA) questionnaire. The main study is a randomized clinical trial with three arms and 1:1:1 assignment comprising 751 potential first-time adult hearing aid users. Since March 2021, 751 patients have been randomized and assigned to 20 different clinics. The remote assessment routine works well for both patients, assessors, and clinics. Inclusion is expected to end in December 2021 and overall study completion is anticipated in april 2022. Deficient diagnosis of complicating conditions in first time hearing aid users is the main concern in remote assessment. If the study shows the practice to be safe, it could form the foundation of a future nationwide implementation of remote care in Danish hearing rehabilitation.

Hearing loss is a critical health concern in the rapidly aging population, affecting approximately 22 million older individuals in the United States. Yet, only 30% of individuals who would benefit from the use of hearing aids regularly use them. This project aims to improve the benefit of hearing aids for older adults through incorporation of objective neural measures to assess effects of hearing aid algorithms.