Auditory-cognitive Training Paradigm (NIH P01 Project - Speech Perception With High Cognitive Demand)

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate a new auditory-cognitive training program designed for older adults aged 65 to 85 who have normal hearing but experience increasing difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments. Current hearing aids do not benefit these individuals much because their hearing sensitivity remains normal. The study investigates whether training that combines listening and memory tasks can improve speech perception in challenging situations and potentially reduce social withdrawal and depression. Participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups: an active control group that watches informational videos, an auditory training group that listens to one speaker in everyday scenarios and recalls key information, and an auditory-cognitive training group which performs a similar task but with a memory challenge involving recalling information from two previous sentences. Training is done on touch-screen laptops, allowing for realistic at-home practice. The study compares changes among these groups and also with a younger control group not undergoing training. Participants will undergo pretest assessments during weeks 1-2 and posttest assessments during weeks 5-6, measuring speech-in-noise perception changes along with neural responses using pupillometry and magnetoencephalography (MEG). These tests include behavioral tasks, subjective ratings, auditory stream segregation accuracy, working memory, and brain activity analysis. Researchers monitor participants' progress, reaction times, and brain function changes to evaluate the training benefits over time.

Speech Perception and High Cognitive Demand