Early Deafness Screening Using VRB Test in People Over 50 with Mild to Moderate Cognitive Disorders at a Memory Center

What this Trial Is About

Age-related hearing loss ARHL often develops gradually with age, similar to neurodegenerative diseases, and both conditions can be underdiagnosed because one may mask the other. The CogAudio project focuses on early detection of speech perception problems in noisy environments among patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairments using a specialized VRB test in a memory center setting. Participants undergo the VRB test at the start of the study to identify speech comprehension difficulties in noise. Regardless of the VRB test results, all participants are invited to complete a hearing test within three months, including tone audiometry and an ENT medical consultation, to confirm any hearing loss. The study aims to assess the VRB tests ability to detect deafness and explore the relationship between hearing loss, auditory discomfort, cognitive and functional changes, and brain activity markers over a 12-month period. During the study, participants and their caregivers provide information on hearing difficulties and cognitive status. Researchers will evaluate hearing ability using audiometry, assess cognitive and functional profiles, and measure brain responses related to sound discrimination. The main outcome is the VRB tests effectiveness at three months, with further assessments at 12 months to observe hearing aid use and changes in cognitive function. The study duration includes at least a 12-month follow-up to monitor these outcomes.

EARLY DETECTION OF DEAFNESS IN A MEMORY CENTER