Hearing loss and psychosocial outcomes: Influences of social emotional aspects and personality.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of social isolation, loneliness, anxiety, depression, higher stress, and memory complaints interacting with personality traits as a function of hearing loss. Personality traits have previously been shown to correlate with anxiety and depression, as well as hearing loss, suggesting an effect of personality on the relationship between social emotional outcomes and hearing loss. A cross-sectional survey including validated screening measures was anonymously administered. Measures included personality (Big Five Index-2 Extra-Short Form), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), anxiety and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety), loneliness (Three-Item Loneliness Scale), social engagement (Lubben Social Network Scale-6), and self-perceived memory complaints (Subjective Cognitive Function). Eight hundred and ninety-one responses were obtained from adults between the ages of 18 and 90 years old (M = 50 years old). Hearing loss was positively correlated with subjective memory complaints only when not accounting for demographic variables, personality traits, psychosocial outcomes, and social emotional outcomes. There were additive effects of hearing loss and negative emotionality on increases in memory complaints in those who self-identified as maybe having hearing loss. Higher degrees of hearing loss also increased loneliness, with greater hearing loss negating the positive correlation between extraversion and social engagement. Overall, our results suggest that hearing loss significantly interacts with personality traits and other social emotional measures. Our results suggest that the impact of hearing loss on memory complaints, social isolation, and loneliness may differ across patients with hearing loss in comparison with those who think they maybe have hearing loss. Information from this study may provide insights for hearing healthcare and mental healthcare professionals to better serve persons with hearing loss who may require additional support or interventions.

Neurocognitive outcomes in young adults with cochlear implants: The role of early language access and crossmodal plasticity.

Many children with profound hearing loss have received cochlear implants (CI) to help restore some sense of hearing. There is, however, limited research on long-term neurocognitive outcomes in young adults who have grown up hearing through a CI. This study compared the cognitive outcomes of early-implanted (n = 20) and late-implanted (n = 21) young adult CI users, and typically hearing (TH) controls (n=56), all of whom were enrolled in college. Cognitive fluidity, nonverbal intelligence, and American Sign Language (ASL) comprehension were assessed, revealing no significant differences in cognition and nonverbal intelligence between the early and late-implanted groups. However, there was a difference in ASL comprehension, with the late-implanted group having significantly higher ASL comprehension. Although young adult CI users showed significantly lower scores in a working memory and processing speed task than TH age-matched controls, there were no significant differences in tasks involving executive function shifting, inhibitory control, and episodic memory between young adult CI and young adult TH participants. In an exploratory analysis of a subset of CI participants (n = 17) in whom we were able to examine crossmodal plasticity, we saw greater evidence of crossmodal recruitment from the visual system in late-implanted compared with early-implanted CI young adults. However, cortical visual evoked potential latency biomarkers of crossmodal plasticity were not correlated with cognitive measures or ASL comprehension. The results suggest that in the late-implanted CI users, early access to sign language may have served as a scaffold for appropriate cognitive development, while in the early-implanted group early access to oral language benefited cognitive development. Furthermore, our results suggest that the persistence of crossmodal neuroplasticity into adulthood does not necessarily impact cognitive development. In conclusion, early access to language - spoken or signed - may be important for cognitive development, with no observable effect of crossmodal plasticity on cognitive outcomes.

Digits-in-Noise Test as an Assessment Tool for Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between an American English Digits in Noise (DIN) test and commonly used audiological measures to evaluate the DIN test's ability to detect hearing loss and validate hearing aid fitting. QuickSIN and DIN tests were completed by participants with untreated hearing loss (n = 46), prescription hearing aids (n = 15), and over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids (n = 12). Performance on the QuickSIN showed moderate positive correlations with DIN for untreated hearing loss participants and prescription hearing aid users, but not for OTC hearing aid users. For untreated hearing loss participants, both QuickSIN and DIN tests showed positive moderate to strong correlations with high frequency puretone averages. In OTC users, DIN scores did not significantly change over a 6-month time period and were better when conducted remotely compared to in-person testing. Our results suggest that the DIN test may be a feasible monitoring option for individuals with hearing loss and those fitted with hearing aids. However, due to small sample size in this pilot study, future research is needed to examine DIN test's utility for fitting and validating OTC hearing aids.

Person-centered aural rehabilitation program improved mood, cognition, and auditory processing in a professional musician who uses a hearing aid and cochlear implant: Case Report.

Introduction: Aural rehabilitation focused on music for individuals with cochlear implants (CIs) and/or hearing aids (HAs) typically emphasizes perceptual skills rather than enjoyment of music. Yet, those with CIs and/or HAs often struggle to enjoy music, complaining that it sounds distorted with the implant or HAs. Typically, aural rehabilitation programs require a significant time commitment, but this may not be feasible or preferable for many patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two individualized intensive 3-week home practice programs focused on enjoyment of music, a personal goal for this subject. Methods: The subject was a professional musician who used a CI and HA. Cognitive measures of global cognitive function, executive function, processing speed, auditory working memory, visual-spatial abilities, verbal fluency, and auditory-verbal memory, as well as auditory electrophysiology (EEG) measures were conducted pre-post experiment 2. Two experiments were undertaken to evaluate responses to two practice programs that incorporated different variations in listening dosage and intervention activities. Results: Experiment 1 resulted in minimal measurable improvements related to music likability ratings, with the highest dosage condition showing a small increase in average likability rating from baseline to week 3. The results of experiment 2 revealed an improvement in likability ratings only when dosage steadily increased each week. The subject also reported improved mood and decreased frustration during weeks two and three of experiment 2. Finally, we found improvement pre-post experiment 2 on several cognitive and EEG measures. Discussion: The results of these experiments are encouraging and support the use of an individualized, person-centered, and semi-structured home practice program to increase music enjoyment and improve quality of life and auditory processing for individuals with hearing loss. Future studies should aim to increase sample size and explore pairing person-centered home practice programs with concurrent clinician-lead aural rehabilitation.

Auditory Cortex Maturation and Language Development in Children with Hearing Loss and Additional Disabilities.

A significant portion of hearing-impaired children have additional disabilities, but data about the maturation of their auditory cortex are scarce. In these children, behavioral tests are often unreliable, and objective tests are needed for diagnostics and follow-up. This study aimed to explore auditory cortical maturation and language development, and the usability of an objective electroencephalogram-based biomarker in children with multiple disabilities. In 65 hearing aid and cochlear implant users (36 females; 36 with multiple disabilities; 44.3 ± 18.5 months of age, mean ± SD), auditory processing was examined using the P1 cortical auditory evoked response biomarker, and language development with the Preschool Language Scales 5th edition (PLS-5). During the study, all of the children received intensive extra language therapy for six months. No significant differences were found between the groups in P1 latency development, the proportion of abnormal P1 latencies, or the number of children whose P1 latencies changed from abnormal to normal during the study. The PLS-5 total language scores, auditory comprehension scores, or expressive communication scores did not differ between groups either. The P1 latencies showed meaningful negative correlations with the language scores. The results suggest that auditory cortex development is similar in hearing-impaired children with/without additional disabilities, and the P1 biomarker is a feasible tool to evaluate central auditory maturation in children with multiple disabilities.

Face mask use in healthcare settings: effects on communication, cognition, listening effort and strategies for amelioration.

AIM: To investigate mask use and the difficulties it may pose during communication in healthcare settings. METHODS: A survey utilizing a series of Likert scales was administered. Mask use challenges between clinicians and their patients were examined in the domains of communication, listening effort, cognition, and rehabilitation. RESULTS: Across 243 participants, mask use significantly increased listening effort, with hearing loss having an additive effect on listening effort. Listening effort was also significantly associated with more trouble understanding conversation, decreased interest in conversation, more difficulty connecting with patients, changes in cognition for both providers and patients, and changes in the clinical efficiency of providers. Hearing loss had an additive effect for trouble understanding conversations and changes in clinical efficiency. CONCLUSION: These results provide information about the clinical strain introduced from mask use in healthcare settings. Overall, results show that in healthcare settings there is increased cognitive load and listening effort for both patients and providers, as well as changes in clinical efficiency for providers when utilizing masks. These effects are often greater with hearing loss. Results showed that patients reported written and visual instructions would be most beneficial to include in appointments among the other rehabilitative strategies which are discussed.