Reduced High-Frequency Hearing for Speech Perception

Overseen By Brian Monson, PhD

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Brian Monson

Disqualifiers: Non-native English, Hearing loss

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: 1 day

480 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how blocking high-pitched sounds affects speech comprehension. It focuses on individuals who hear normally within a range of 250-8000 Hz. The study targets native American English speakers with normal hearing who might notice differences in understanding speech when high-frequency sounds are reduced. Those with normal hearing who often rely on high pitches may find this trial suitable. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding speech perception without the constraints of traditional clinical trial phases.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this method is safe for speech perception?

Research has shown that changes in hearing at high frequencies can begin even before age 10. One study found that young people have less sensitivity to these frequencies. Another study suggested that high-frequency hearing loss might occur before more noticeable hearing problems develop. While these findings indicate that high-frequency hearing loss can happen early, they don't directly relate to the safety of the treatment under study.

For this trial, detailed safety information is unavailable, and the trial phase is labeled as "Not Applicable." This usually means the study focuses on understanding a concept rather than testing a new drug or procedure. No specific safety evidence is mentioned for reducing extended high-frequency hearing. However, since this trial does not test a new medication or invasive treatment, it is likely considered safe for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores a novel approach to improving speech perception by enhancing audibility in the extended high-frequency range. Unlike traditional hearing aids that primarily focus on amplifying lower frequency sounds, this treatment targets the higher frequencies that are critical for understanding speech in noisy environments. By potentially improving high-frequency hearing, this method could offer a significant advantage for people with normal hearing who still struggle with speech perception, especially in challenging listening situations. This trial aims to uncover new insights into the role of high-frequency sounds in everyday communication.

What evidence suggests that reduced extended high-frequency audibility might be an effective treatment for high-frequency hearing loss?

Research shows that very high-pitched sounds above 8 kHz are important for normal hearing and can enhance speech comprehension. Losing these sounds, such as when they are filtered out, can hinder speech understanding, especially in noisy environments. Some studies have found no major difference in speech comprehension between those who struggle to hear these high-pitched sounds and those who do not. However, other research indicates that losing these sounds can complicate speech understanding in challenging listening situations. This mixed evidence suggests that these high-pitched sounds are crucial for clear hearing, but results can vary. The trial will include normal-hearing listeners to further investigate the impact of reduced extended high-frequency audibility on speech perception. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for people who have normal hearing within the range of 250-8000 Hz and are native speakers of American English. It's not suitable for those with any level of hearing loss or non-native speakers of American English.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a native American English speaker.

My hearing is normal across all pitches.

Exclusion Criteria

History of hearing loss

Non-native speakers of American English

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo speech perception testing with low-pass filtered speech

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any immediate effects post-testing

1 week

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Reduced extended high-frequency audibility

Trial Overview

The study is looking at how reducing high-frequency sounds (above the normal range) affects understanding speech. Participants will listen to speech that has been altered to remove these high frequencies to see if it changes their ability to understand what's being said.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Normal-hearing listeners Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Brian Monson

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1

Recruited

480+

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Collaborator

Trials

377

Recruited

190,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Extended high-frequency (EHF) hearing loss is common among young adults with normal hearing, and it may lead to difficulties in understanding speech in noisy environments.

The study found that while EHF loss did not significantly affect temporal resolution (measured by AMDTs), it was associated with poorer spectral resolution (measured by FCDTs) at 4 kHz, indicating that EHF hearing loss can compromise auditory resolution even when standard audiograms appear normal.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Suprathreshold auditory processes in listeners with normal audiograms but extended high-frequency hearing lossa). Mishra, SK., Fu, QJ., Galvin, JJ., et al.[2023]

In a study of 67 children aged 11 to 14 with hearing impairments, the high frequency range (250-5000 Hz) in hearing aids was found to be effective for 83% of participants, indicating its importance for speech perception.

Only 3% of children showed improved speech discrimination in the low frequency range, while 64% had unchanged capacity, suggesting that high frequency sound reinforcement is more beneficial for children with hearing loss.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[The effect of the frequency characteristics of hearing aids on speech perception in children with neurosensory hearing loss]. Kuks, EN., Kireeva, GA., Poliakova, SK.[2006]

Hearing impairment in extended high frequencies (EHFs) is common in children, even when standard hearing tests show normal results, affecting their ability to recognize speech in noisy environments.

Children with EHF impairment demonstrated poorer speech recognition and altered cochlear functioning, indicating that EHF testing is crucial for identifying hidden hearing issues that can impact language and learning.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hearing Impairment in the Extended High Frequencies in Children Despite Clinically Normal Hearing. Mishra, SK., Saxena, U., Rodrigo, H.[2022]

Extended high frequencies (EHF) above 8 kHz play a crucial role in normal hearing and may enhance speech perception, especially in challenging listening environments, highlighting their importance in auditory function.

Measuring EHF hearing alongside otoacoustic emissions can serve as an early indicator of age-related hearing loss, suggesting that EHF audiometry could be vital for early detection and monitoring in at-risk populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Extended high frequency hearing and speech perception implications in adults and children. Hunter, LL., Monson, BB., Moore, DR., et al.[2023]

Two frequency compression algorithms, nonlinear frequency compression (NFC) and spectral envelope decimation (SED), significantly improved the identification of high-frequency speech sounds in adults with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss, compared to conventional frequency transposition (FT), which performed poorly.

The study found that using a wider input bandwidth (≥4 kHz) with NFC and SED led to better speech recognition, indicating that these methods can effectively enhance hearing aid performance for individuals with high-frequency hearing loss.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of frequency compression and frequency transposition on fricative and affricate perception in listeners with normal hearing and mild to moderate hearing loss. Alexander, JM., Kopun, JG., Stelmachowicz, PG.[2022]

Age has a more significant negative impact on speech perception in noisy environments than mild hearing loss in the extended high-frequency range, as shown in a study comparing young and older adults with varying hearing thresholds.

Individuals with mild hearing loss in the extended high-frequency range require larger differences in fundamental frequency to segregate auditory streams, indicating that even normal hearing thresholds at lower frequencies may not reflect overall auditory function.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of age and hearing sensitivity at frequencies above 8 kHz on auditory stream segregation and speech perception. Jain, S., Narne, VK., Nataraja, NP., et al.[2023]

The study found that 42 out of 222 young adults (ages 19-38) with normal standard audiograms exhibited extended high frequency (EHF) hearing impairment, indicating early signs of auditory aging, particularly in males around the age of 21.

EHF hearing impairment negatively impacts the ability to recognize speech in noisy environments, suggesting that even with normal hearing at standard frequencies, individuals may experience difficulties in real-world listening situations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Extended High-frequency Hearing Impairment Despite a Normal Audiogram: Relation to Early Aging, Speech-in-noise Perception, Cochlear Function, and Routine Earphone Use. Mishra, SK., Saxena, U., Rodrigo, H.[2023]

A formal auditory training program significantly improved behavioral aspects of auditory function in seven adults aged 46 to 57 with bilateral high-frequency hearing loss, particularly in understanding speech in noisy environments.

While some electrophysiological measures showed no significant change, the training led to the emergence of previously absent long-latency components in some participants, indicating potential neural adaptations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of auditory training in individuals with high-frequency hearing loss. Santos, RB., Marangoni, AT., de Andrade, AN., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 60 participants (36 elderly hearing-impaired and 24 young normal-hearing), it was found that elderly listeners with varying degrees of high-frequency hearing loss did not show improved word-recognition performance when exposed to spectrally shaped speech compared to unshaped speech, regardless of the bandwidth conditions.

Young normal-hearing listeners demonstrated better speech understanding in broadband conditions due to higher frequencies, highlighting that high-frequency information is crucial for speech recognition, which is less effective in elderly listeners with hearing loss.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Contribution of high frequencies to speech recognition in quiet and noise in listeners with varying degrees of high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. Amos, NE., Humes, LE.[2007]

Citations

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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Extended high frequency hearing and speech perception ...

Loss of EHFs per se (via masking or low-pass filtering) leads to decrements in speech-in-noise and speech-in-speech performance for normal-hearing listeners.

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sciencedirect.com

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pubs.asha.org

pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2024_JSLHR-23-00652

Exploring the Influence of Extended High-Frequency ...

A recent cross-sectional analysis of NOISE study data from 403 veterans and 287 service members revealed EHF (9–16 kHz) hearing loss in 42% of veterans and 39% ...

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These findings suggest that EHF threshold shifts might precede the appearance of audiometric notches, indicating early subclinical damage.

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sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165587621000793

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Our findings support that decreased hearing sensitivity in the EHF's may start around or even before the age of 10 years.

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pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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mdpi.com

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EHF testing is beneficial for the early detection and monitoring of hearing loss, which often occurs in higher frequencies earlier than in lower frequencies, ...