The Ear-Brain System: Approaches to the Study and Treatment of Hearing Loss

描述（由申请人提供）：国家听觉康复研究中心（NCRAR）每两年举办一次会议，旨在将临床医生和研究人员聚集在一起，讨论和学习与听力受损个体康复改善相关的临床问题。本拨款申请的目的是为即将举行的第四届双年会议“耳-脑系统：听力损失的研究和治疗方法”申请资金。大会将于2009年10月7日至9日在俄勒冈州波特兰举行。这次特别会议的目的是增加对周围听觉系统（“耳朵”）与听觉脑干和皮层（“大脑”）之间存在的功能关系的理解。年龄相关的听力损失折磨着65岁以上的美国人口的一半，大多数（83%）的人超过70岁，报告还显示听力损失在所有年龄组中都在上升。科学文献表明，在听复杂刺激（如言语）时，听力受损个体的表现比听力正常个体差，即使刺激同样可检测。这强调了在处理听觉康复时考虑中枢和外周功能和功能障碍之间相互作用的重要性。为此，本次会议将从神经、功能和临床的角度探讨耳朵和大脑之间的相互作用。特邀演讲者将介绍耳脑系统的解剖学和生理学基础，这种相互联系的系统的感知和行为效用，评估各部分之间关系的方法，各部分受损的机制，以及诊断和治疗这种损伤的治疗方法。将强调现实世界的例子和案例研究，并将花费大量时间检查可用的治疗方法以及正在进行的研究重点或未来可以设想的治疗方法。会议将以开幕招待会和第一天晚上的主题演讲开始，随后是两天的演讲和海报会议。主要报告将分四次进行，每一次讨论一个不同的主题。每届会议有两位特邀演讲者和一次圆桌讨论。本次会议将教育与会者如何考虑和对待耳朵和大脑作为一个互动的功能系统，可以提高对听力损失的理解和治疗。它将为主要的临床受众提供必要的基础和应用研究，以开发数据驱动的临床方案，并使科学界的成员了解临床医生对患者护理的关键见解和动机，这些见解和动机只能来自治疗患者的第一手经验。目标受众是临床听力学家。然而，在过去的几年里，研究人员、医务人员和学生也参加了NCRAR会议。将向执业临床医生颁发最多10个奖学金，以支付出席会议的费用；其中一项奖学金将保留给少数族裔申请人。会议将通过国家和地方组织的电子邮件列表以及听力学培训项目进行宣传。会议记录将发表在《听证会研讨会》杂志上。NCRAR在2003年、2005年和2007年举办了与本次会议相同的形式和地点的非常成功的会议。这些会议的听众评分显示，几乎90%的与会者认为会议的内容、形式、演讲者和地点“有利”或“非常有利”。这项拨款的目的是补充由国家听觉康复研究中心（NCRAR）主办的第四届双年会议的资金。这次会议的题目是“耳-脑系统：听力损失的研究和治疗方法”。它将于2009年10月7日至9日在俄勒冈州波特兰举行。所有NCRAR会议的目标是为临床医生和研究人员提供一个论坛，以交流思想和知识，以改善听觉障碍的康复。这次特别会议的目的是增加对周围听觉系统（“耳朵”）与听觉脑干和皮层（“大脑”）之间存在的功能关系的理解。九位世界著名的科学家已经同意出席这次会议。目标受众是执业听力学家，但在过去的几年里，研究人员，医务人员和听力学学生也参加了NCRAR会议。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR) hosts a conference biennially with a view to bringing together clinicians and researchers to discuss and learn about clinical issues associated with improvement of rehabilitation for hearing-impaired individuals. The purpose of this grant application is to request funding for the upcoming 4th Biennial Conference titled "The Ear-Brain System: Approaches to the Study and Treatment of Hearing Loss." It will take place in Portland, Oregon on October 7th-9th, 2009. The objective of this particular conference is to increase understanding of the functional relationships that exist between the peripheral auditory system ("the ear") and the auditory brainstem and cortex ("the brain"). Age- related hearing loss afflicts just under half of the U.S. population over the age of 65 years, and most (83%) individuals over the age of 70 years, and reports also show hearing loss is on the rise for all age groups. The scientific literature shows that when listening to complex stimuli (e.g. speech), the performance of hearing impaired individuals is poorer than that of normal hearing individuals, even when stimuli are equally-detectable. This emphasizes the importance of considering the interactions between central and peripheral function and dysfunction when addressing auditory rehabilitation. To this end, this conference will address the interactions between the ear(s) and the brain from neural, functional, and clinical perspectives. Presentations by invited speakers will describe the anatomical and physiological basis of the ear-brain system, the perceptual and behavioral utility of such an interconnected system, the ways that the relationships between the parts can be assessed, the mechanisms by which the various parts can be damaged, and the therapeutic methods that exist for diagnosing and treating this damage. Real-world examples and case studies will be emphasized and significant time will be spent examining the available treatments as well as those that are the focus of ongoing research or could be envisioned for the future. The meeting will begin with an opening reception and keynote address on the first evening followed by two days of presentations and a poster session. The primary presentations will take place over four sessions, each session addressing a different topic. There are two invited speakers and one roundtable discussion associated with each session. This conference will educate participants about the ways in which considering and treating the ear and the brain as an interactive functional system can improve understanding and treatment of hearing loss. It will provide a primarily clinical audience with exposure to the basic and applied research necessary for the development of data-driven clinical protocols, as well as exposing members of the scientific community to critical insights and motivation from clinicians regarding patient care that can only come from first-hand experience treating patients. The target audience is practicing clinical audiologists. However, in past years researchers, medical personnel and students have also attended the NCRAR conferences. Up to ten scholarships will be awarded to practicing clinicians to cover the cost of conference attendance; one of these scholarships will be reserved for a minority applicant. The meeting will be publicized via e-mail lists from national and local organizations and through audiology training programs. Conference proceedings will be published in the journal "Seminars in Hearing". The NCRAR hosted highly successful conferences in 2003, 2005, and 2007 using the same format and locations as this proposed meeting. Audience ratings from those meetings show that almost 90% of participants found the content, format, speakers and location to be "favorable" or "extremely favorable." The purpose of this grant is to supplement funding of the 4th Biennial Conference to be hosted by the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR). The conference is titled 'The Ear-Brain System: Approaches to the Study and Treatment of Hearing Loss". It will take place in Portland, Oregon on October 7th- 9th, 2009. The goal of all NCRAR conferences is to provide a forum for clinicians and researchers to exchange ideas and knowledge with the purpose of improving rehabilitation for auditory impairment. The objective of this particular conference is to increase understanding of the functional relationships that exist between the peripheral auditory system ("the ear") and the auditory brainstem and cortex ("the brain"). Nine world-renowned scientists have agreed to present at the meeting. The target audience is practicing audiologists, however in past years researchers, medical personnel and audiology students have also attended the NCRAR conferences.