Effects of Training on Adult Cochlear Implant Users

描述：（改编自申请人摘要）：长期目标 拟议的研究是制定评估和培训战略， 成人和安装人工耳蜗（CI）的儿童的语音识别。 这项研究将集中在成年CI用户低于平均水平（差）的讲话 识别技能。它将利用一种组合的行为 和神经生理学方法来表征心理物理和语言 识别技能，构建个性化的训练策略。 具体目标是：（1）评估强化心理物理治疗的益处 （2）评估强化语音识别训练的益处; 以及（3）评估神经生理学和 心理生理反应和语音识别 所提议的实验的意义在于证明， (i.e.,低于平均水平的语音识别）成人CI用户，基本的心理物理 和语音识别技能可以通过强化 训练以前的尝试，以提高语音识别能力的穷人 到中等植入物使用者最多只显示出极小的成功。然而，在这方面， 这些努力提供的培训数量极为有限。 更密集的训练计划可能会导致更大，更一致的 语音识别的改进。临床上，神经生理反应 例如听觉诱发电位可以提供重要信息， 用于指导和监控个性化的培训计划。从理论上讲， 这些结果将增加我们对中枢听觉系统的了解 可塑性和认知过程中涉及的皮层过程和机制 学习

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from applicant's abstract): The long-term goal of the proposed study is to develop assessment and training strategies that maximize speech recognition in adults and children fitted with a cochlear implant (Cl). This study will focus on adult Cl users with lower than average (poor) speech recognition skills. It will capitalize on the benefits of a combined behavioral and neurophysiological approach to characterize psychophysical and speech recognition skills and construct individualized training strategies. The specific aims are to (1) evaluate the benefit of intensive psychophysical training; (2) evaluate the benefit of intensive speech recognition training; and (3) evaluate the correlations between the neurophysiological and psychophysical responses, and speech recognition. The significance of the proposed experiments is the demonstration that in poor (i.e., below average speech recognition) adult Cl users, basic psychophysical and speech recognition skills can be improved significantly by intensive training. Previous attempts to improve the speech recognition abilities of poor to moderate implant users have shown, at best, only minimal success. However, these attempts have been extremely limited in the amount of training provided. More intensive training programs may result in larger, more consistent improvements in speech recognition. Clinically, neurophysiological responses such as auditory evoked potentials may provide important information that can be used to guide and monitor individualized training programs. Theoretically, these results will increase our understanding of central auditory system plasticity and the cortical processes and mechanisms involved in perceptual learning.