Reliability measure of a clinical test: Appreciation of Music in Cochlear Implantees (AMICI).

PURPOSE: The goals of this study were (1) to investigate the reliability of a clinical music perception test, Appreciation of Music in Cochlear Implantees (AMICI), and (2) examine associations between the perception of music and speech. AMICI was developed as a clinical instrument for assessing music perception in persons with cochlear implants (CIs). The test consists of four subtests: (1) music versus environmental noise discrimination, (2) musical instrument identification (closed-set), (3) musical style identification (closed-set), and (4) identification of musical pieces (open-set). To be clinically useful, it is crucial for AMICI to demonstrate high test-retest reliability, so that CI users can be assessed and retested after changes in maps or programming strategies. RESEARCH DESIGN: Thirteen CI subjects were tested with AMICI for the initial visit and retested again 10-14 days later. Two speech perception tests (consonant-nucleus-consonant [CNC] and Bamford-Kowal-Bench Speech-in-Noise [BKB-SIN]) were also administered. DATA ANALYSIS: Test-retest reliability and equivalence of the test's three forms were analyzed using paired t-tests and correlation coefficients, respectively. Correlation analysis was also conducted between results from the music and speech perception tests. RESULTS: Results showed no significant difference between test and retest (p > 0.05) with adequate power (0.9) as well as high correlations between the three forms (Forms A and B, r = 0.91; Forms A and C, r = 0.91; Forms B and C, r = 0.95). Correlation analysis showed high correlation between AMICI and BKB-SIN (r = -0.71), and moderate correlation between AMICI and CNC (r = 0.4). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed AMICI is highly reliable for assessing musical perception in CI users.

Valoración del lenguaje en preescolares con pero al nacer menor de 1 500 g / Language evaluation in preschool children with antecedent of low birth weight

Introducción. Objetivo: documentar las habilidades lingüísticas de un grupo de preescolares con peso al nacer igual o menor de 1 500 g.Material y métodos. En forma longitudinal, con corte transversal y comparativo, se efectuó evaluación audiológica y lingüística a niños preescolares con peso al nacer igual o menor de 1 500 g, independientemente de su edad gestacional y morbilidad al nacer, con audición normal bilateral, pertenecientes a una clínica de seguimiento pediátrico del recién nacido de alto riesgo. Los cuales se compararon con niños de bajo riesgo. Para la valoración del lenguaje se utilizó la Batería de la Evaluación de la Lengua Española. Considerándose algunas variables biológicas y ambientales para el desarrollo del lenguaje.Resultados. Se evaluaron a 98 niños preescolares con edad media de 4.2 años, distribuidos en dos grupos: grupo A (n=49) formado por niños con peso al nacer igual o menor de 1 500 g, y grupo B (n=49) constituido por niños de bajo riesgo. La edad gestacional promedio al nacer del grupo A fue de 32.5 semanas por Capurro y peso de 1 220 g; 32 niños ameritaron cuidados intensivos neonatales y 22 ventilación mecánica. La morbilidad del grupo A durante el período neonatal la ocupó en primer término la septicemia neonatal (0.67) seguida de la hiperbilirrubinemia (0.55). Se encontró diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los valores promedio de ambos grupos con P menor de 0.004 en la escala de articulación del lenguaje. Conclusiones. Los niños preescolares con peso al nacer igual o menor de 1 500 g presentan características lingüísticas de menor calidad en comparación con población de bajo riesgo. Lenguaje; valoración; recién nacido de bajo peso.

Análise neuroetológica do desenvolvimento de kindling audiogênico em ratos wistar / Neuroethological analisis of the development of audiogenic kindling in wistar rats

A estimulaçäo repetida sublimiar experimental de áreas límbicas leva ao desenvolvimento de convulsöes generalizadas, inclusive motoras e permanentes, fenômeno conhecido como kindling. De outro lado a estimulaçäo acústica de animais sensíveis pode induzir convulsöes tônico-clônicas generalizadas, conhecidas como convulsöes audiogênicas (CA). A repetiçäo de CA pode recrutar áreas prosencefálicas, modelo conhecido como kindling audiogênico. Nas CA agudas, o colículo inferior é a área inferior mais crítica envolvida na origem de atividade epileptiforme, enquanto que no kindling audiogênico, a amígdala e o córtex cerebral podem ser recrutados. A evoluçäo comportamental indicativa desse recrutamento foi avaliada mediante o uso de técnicas neuroetológicas

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) latency: relative importance of age, sex and sensorineural hearing-loss using a mathematical model of the audiogram.

Influences of age, sex and audiogram on ABR latencies have been studied. Using a mathematical model of audiogram, the analysis of data finds a relative importance of age, sex and audiogram similar to previous studies. Audiogram slope was correlated only with the latencies of waves I and V, and multiple regression analyses indicate the slope effect is relatively weak compared to that of the other parameters. Using a mathematical model of audiogram did not improve the ABR variance across subjects, underscoring the need to discover other relevant variables to explain ABR latency.

Acoustic-immittance screening for detection of middle-ear effusion in children.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the following acoustic-immittance protocols and their constituent measures for detection of middle-ear effusion in children: (a) tympanometric width; (b) absent ipsilateral acoustic reflex; (c) ASHA guidelines; (d) tympanometric peak pressure; and (e) static-acoustic middle-ear admittance. The middle-ear sample was composed of 82 ears of 54 subjects ranging in age from 3 to 11 years. The control (normal-hearing, normal middle-ear) sample was composed of 53 ears of 53 subjects ranging in age from 3 to 10 years. Each subject was given a complete otolaryngologic evaluation (including pneumotoscopy and/or microtoscopy) and audiologic (including acoustic-immittance) evaluation. In the group of middle ears with normal-hearing sensitivity, the sensitivity and specificity of the ASHA guidelines were 63 percent and 79 percent, respectively. An acoustic-immittance screening protocol, based on all of the individual acoustic-immittance measures, and characterized by high sensitivity and specificity, is proposed.

Coupler-related real ear gain. Interaction between subject and hearing aid type.

In order to select hearing aids with a highly predictable real ear gain, in situ gain and compliance through the individual ear mould were measured on 8 normal-hearing subjects. The latter were chosen in order to reduce gain variation caused by various pathological conditions of the ear. All behind-the-ear aids commonly used in Sweden and one in-the-ear aid were studied. One sample of each hearing aid type was tested and the subjects had identical ear moulds. Hence, the variables were hearing aid type and subject. The study showed wide intra-subject coupler-related real ear gain variation (30 dB). Most of the aids showed a distinct correlation between coupler-related overall gain, and mould compliance. Some of the aids gave more uniform real ear gain, i.e. low interaction between subject and frequency-dependent gain. These results are elucidated by measuring the aid's acoustic output impedance.

Psychoacoustical tuning curves. Normative data for clinical use.

This normative study presents a clinically applicable method with which to obtain Psychoacoustical Tuning Curves: data are obtained with clinical audiometers, and measurements are performed on normal-hearing non-trained volunteers. A simultaneous masking method with test frequency of 4,000 Hz was used, withmasking being incremented in 5 dB or 1 dB steps. One group of subjects was tested three times with 5 dB incrementing steps to evaluate the method's reproducibility. A second group of subjects was measured twice with 1 dB incrementing steps, to compare the reproducibility of the 1-dB step measurements, and the difference between the 1-dB step and 5-dB step measurements. All the data were evaluated as normative values. The method presented proves to have a good reproducibility. Although testing with 1-dB incrementing steps provides more accurate measurements and curves with steeper slopes, the 5-dB incrementing step method is more practicable. Interest variability evaluation indicates that differences between two measurements performed on the same person exceeding 120 Hz (2 SD) bandwidth can be interpreted as significant.

Support for Corso's hearing loss model. Relating aging and noise exposure.

A brief review is provided of the variable ratio model [Corso, Audiology 1980;19:221-232] for partitioning the effects of age and noise exposure in cases of occupational hearing loss. Data are presented from Rosenhall, Pedersen, and Svanborg [Ear Hear 1990;11:257-263] which support the variable-ratio model. Suggestions are offered for the application of the model in medico-legal cases of permanent hearing damage due to excessive noise exposure.