中枢性老年耳聋（central presbycusis）是老年人常见的一种中枢性听觉处理障碍，主要表现为噪声环境下无法正确地感知言语信息。目前中枢性老年耳聋的言语障碍机制尚不明了，致使临床上缺乏有效的康复方法。研究表明噪声环境下的言语感知与听觉注意和工作记忆等认知功能有关，并且言语感知和言语运动系统存在交互性作用。据此，我们提出噪声环境下的言语感知与认知功能相关，并且听觉认知训练能够改善中枢性老年耳聋的言语感知障碍，进而提高言语运动控制水平。本项目拟利用噪声环境下的言语感知测试方法与基于听觉注意和工作记忆的听觉认知训练方法，结合基于听觉反馈扰动的心理声学与神经生理学方法，研究中枢性老年耳聋言语障碍的认知神经机制，揭示听觉认知训练改善言语感知障碍的神经可塑性，阐释认知处理-听觉感知-运动控制在言语产生中的整合机制，为利用认知-感觉系统的平衡补偿机制治疗中枢性老年耳聋言语障碍提供科学依据。

Central presbycusis is a central auditory processing disorder that is common in aging adults. It typically manifests itself as deficits of speech perception in noise. To date, neural mechanism underlying speech disorders caused by central presbycusis remains unclear, leading to the difficulty in the effective treatment of these disorders. There is evidence to suggest that speech perception in noise is related to cognitive functions such as auditory attention and working memory, and interactions between speech perception and speech motor control have been demonstrated. Accordingly, we propose a hypothesis that cognitive function may play an important role in the processing of speech perception in noise, and auditory cognitive training may result in an improvement of speech perception in noise, which in turn leads to a better control of vocal motor behavior. The primary purpose of the present project is to address the neural mechanisms underlying speech perception in noise and speech motor control in central presbycusis. In order to achieve this goal, we develop the method of hearing in noise test and the protocol of auditory cognitive training based on auditory attention and working memory. Psychoacoustic and neurophysiological techniques that incorporate the altered auditory feedback are used to investigate the role of cognitive function in speech perception in noise and auditory-vocal integration. Finally, we plan to address the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying speech perception and production in central presbycusis, determine how auditory cognitive training facilitate the cortical processing of speech through the functional connectivity between cognitive and auditory system, and reveal the integration of cognitive system with auditory and motor system in vocal production.This work will lay a foundation for the development of new techniques according to the decline-compensation theory in sensory processing to treat speech disorders caused by central presbycusis.