Study of Hearing Benefits With Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation in Children and Adults Using Cochlear Implants

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation EAS using cochlear implants can benefit both children and adults with hearing loss. This study focuses on understanding speech recognition, binaural processing, and spatial hearing in individuals who use EAS, as compared to those with only cochlear implants or normal hearing. The trial aims to fill gaps in knowledge about how EAS affects hearing development, especially in children, and how it supports the binaural systems growth over time. Participants in the study include adults and children with cochlear implants fitted with an FDA-approved EAS system, which combines electric stimulation from the implant with acoustic amplification from a hearing aid in the implanted ear. The study also includes groups of age-matched normal hearing children and adults for comparison. The research will track outcomes at multiple time points, such as within one month of EAS activation, and at 6, 12, and 24 months, to observe both acute and long-term effects of EAS on hearing abilities. Throughout the study, participants will undergo tests measuring speech recognition in noise, spatial hearing ability, and sensitivity to binaural cues like interaural time and level differences. Behavioral and objective assessments, including cortical auditory evoked potentials, will be used to evaluate hearing outcomes. Data logging will verify EAS usage, and participants will be monitored over time to assess developmental trajectories and the benefits of EAS technology in real-world hearing situations.

Combined Electric and Acoustic Hearing (EAS) in Children and Adults