Development of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory.
C W Newman, G P Jacobson, J B Spitzer
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8630207/Actively Recruiting
Led by University of Colorado, Denver · Updated on 2026-04-30
344
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
Researchers are investigating the use of Clemastine Fumarate combined with engineered sound to treat age-related central auditory processing disorder CAPD, a condition affecting many people over 40 and causing difficulty hearing in noisy environments. This trial aims to test if the therapy, called Localized Oligodendrocyte Optimization Therapy LOOT, which showed promise in animal studies, can improve hearing in noise for humans. The study is designed to compare the effectiveness of the drug with or without engineered sound in a controlled, randomized setting. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups Clemastine Fumarate with engineered sound, Clemastine Fumarate with placebo sound white or pink noise, placebo drug with engineered sound, or placebo drug with placebo sound. The drug dosage is carefully controlled and given orally over 30 days, while participants listen to the assigned sound stimulation through headphones for one hour daily. The trial includes an adaptive design allowing adjustment of study arms based on interim results. Throughout the study, participants will undergo hearing tests to measure their ability to hear in noisy environments, both before and after treatment. Additional assessments include questionnaires on speech and tinnitus, auditory brainstem response tests, physical exams, blood tests, and EKGs to monitor health and safety. The treatment period lasts one month, with evaluations scheduled around weeks five or six. Safety and hearing improvements are carefully monitored to assess the therapys impact.
CONDITIONS
A Treatment for a Form of Age-Related Central Auditory Processing Disorder Consisting of Clemastine Fumarate Plus Engineered Sound
A
Ajay Keerthy, BS
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University of Colorado, Denver
Lead Sponsor
This table compares participation in this trial with other options available for this condition. The information is drawn from published research and the trial’s study details and is provided for educational purposes only.
| Factors | Clemastine Fumarate plus Engineered Sound | Double Placebo (drug + sound) | Auditory Training (Standard Care Context) |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A combination of 16.08 mg clemastine fumarate daily (oral tablet) and one hour of daily engineered acoustic stimulation targeting central auditory pathways. Both components are delivered concurrently for 30 days using headphones during quiet, awake periods. | An oral placebo tablet, identical in appearance and taste to clemastine fumarate, delivered with one hour of daily placebo acoustic stimulation (broadband pink noise matched for intensity). Both provided for 30 days to ensure blinding. | Guideline-endorsed auditory training therapy for adults with age-related CAPD. Includes formal speech-in-noise practice, often delivered as computer-based programs or sessions with an audiologist. Aims to improve everyday hearing function, especially understanding speech in noise. |
| Role in study | Investigational arm—tests if remyelination therapy plus engineered sound improves hearing-in-noise in middle-aged adults with mild hearing loss and functional speech-in-noise deficit. | Active placebo control—participants receive both placebo drug and placebo sound, maintaining double-blind conditions for both components. | Standard care outside the study—auditory training is main recommended non-pharmacologic therapy for CAPD and is commonly offered to eligible adults in clinical practice. |
| Primary use | To test whether remyelination therapy plus targeted sound improves ability to understand speech in noisy environments in adults with central auditory processing difficulties. | To serve as the blinded comparator arm measuring placebo effects of drug and sound stimulus on hearing-in-noise outcomes. | To improve real-world communication, especially speech recognition in noisy settings, using structured auditory exercises. |
| How it is given or performed | Oral clemastine fumarate tablets taken twice daily in week one, once in the evening for remaining days. Engineered sound delivered via headphones for 60 minutes daily. Both provided during 30-day treatment period. | Participants take matching placebo tablets on same schedule as active drug and listen to pink noise via headphones for 60 minutes daily during 30-day treatment period. | Auditory training is conducted via computer-based programs or in-person with audiologist; repeated sessions over weeks or months focus on speech-in-noise and related listening tasks using adaptive difficulty. |
| Important risks | Clemastine fumarate may cause anticholinergic side effects (e.g., dry mouth, sedation, urinary retention), cardiovascular effects, and can be contraindicated in patients with glaucoma or certain medical conditions. No published hearing-specific risk data yet for combination therapy. | Placebo tablets and sound are intended to be inert with no pharmacological activity. Safety risks are minimal unless participant has rare allergy to tablet components or headphones. | Auditory training carries no known medical risks and is safe for most adults; does not involve pharmacological or invasive intervention. |
| Important limitations | Efficacy for age-related CAPD is unproven; limited prior experience applying remyelinating drugs to hearing disorders. Potential for drug-specific side effects. Complex protocol with two simultaneous interventions may affect adherence and blinding. | Placebo arm cannot improve central auditory processing, but maintains study blinding for both drug and sound. May not represent real-world outcomes for untreated CAPD. | Auditory training requires sustained participant effort and regular practice, which can limit real-world effectiveness. Benefit may decline if training is not maintained long-term; does not target underlying neural degeneration. |
Disclaimer: This comparison is created with the help of artificial intelligence(AI) and may contain errors or missing information. It is not medical advice and does not mean one option is better or safer than another. Clinical trials are still being studied, and joining a trial is your choice. Please consult your healthcare professional before making any decisions.
You may qualify if you...
You will not qualify if you...
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 30 days
Participants receive daily oral medication and listen to sound via headphones for 60 minutes each day during the treatment period.
Daily intervention with medication and sound; visit schedule not specified
Duration - Approximately 2 to 3 weeks after treatment
Participants return for assessments after completing the treatment to evaluate hearing and related outcomes.
1 visit (in-person) after treatment completion
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
4
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https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15035561/University of Colorado, Denver
Lead Sponsor