Auditory Training to Improve Spectral Resolution in Cochlear Implant Listeners

描述（由申请人提供）：该研究项目的长期目标是了解频谱分辨率在人工耳蜗（CI）听者语音感知中的作用，以及改进用于成人和儿童人群的听力康复技术。尽管设备技术和处理策略有所改进，但CI听者所经历的感知增益可能是高度可变的，特别是在存在竞争噪声的情况下听音乐或讲话时。虽然许多因素可能导致CI侦听器的性能差异很大，但一个假设的因素是谱分辨率差。由于频谱分辨率对语音感知很重要，人们对提高频谱分辨率很感兴趣，期望这些改进可以推广到更好的音乐和语音感知。测量CI听者频谱分辨率的一种方法是使用“谱纹”噪声，据报道，谱纹辨别阈值与音乐感知和理解语音的能力显著相关，即使在存在竞争噪声的情况下。因此，谱纹阈值正在CI听者中进行研究，有兴趣和证据表明，谱纹阈值可以通过听觉训练来提高。各种类型的听觉训练项目表明，即使是CI听众，也有可能提高语言感知能力。然而，并不是所有的节目都适合年轻听众，因为它们需要大量的时间和语言材料。因此，我们有兴趣确定使用谱纹噪声的听觉训练是否可以为为CI用户设计的现有训练计划提供非语言替代方案。如果是这样的话，使用涟漪刺激的训练可以更有效、更迅速地提高所有年龄段的听众对安静、噪音和音乐的感知能力，包括幼儿和非英语母语者。但首先重要的是确定训练是否可以提高频谱分辨率，从而提高波纹阈值，从而在语音和音乐感知的代表性测试中显示出改进的性能增益。因此，本研究旨在通过集中听觉训练来提高CI听者的频谱分辨率，并确定频谱分辨率的提高是否与语音和音乐感知的改善有关。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term goal of this program of research is to understand the role of spectral resolution in speech perception for cochlear implant (CI) listeners as well as to improve aural rehabilitation techniques for use in adult and pediatric populations. Despite improvements in device technology and processing strategies, the perceptual gains experienced by CI listeners can be highly variable, especially when listening to music or speech in the presence of competing noise. While many factors are likely to contribute to the wide range of performance seen among CI listeners, one hypothesized contributor is poor spectral resolution. Because spectral resolution is important for speech perception, there is interest in improving spectral resolution with the expectation that these improvements might generalize to better music and speech perception. One way to measure spectral resolution in CI listeners involves the use of "spectral ripple" noise, and spectral ripple discrimination thresholds are reported to significantly correlate with music perception and the ability to understand speech, even in the presence of competing noise. For this reason, spectral ripple thresholds are being studied among CI listeners and there is interest and evidence to show that spectral ripple thresholds can be improved with auditory training. Various types of auditory training programs have shown that it is possible to improve speech perception, even in CI listeners. However, not all programs are suitable for younger listeners because they are time intensive and heavily rely on linguistic materials. We are therefore interested in determining if auditory training using spectral ripple noise can provide a non-linguistic alternative to the existing training programs designed for CI users. If so, training using ripple stimuli could be more effective, and expeditious, at improving the perception of speech in quiet, noise and music perception for listeners of all ages, including young children and non-native English speakers. But first it is important to determine if training can improve spectral resolution, and therefore ripple thresholds, and in turn show improved performance gains on representative tests of speech and music perception. Therefore, the proposed research aims to improve spectral resolution in CI listeners using focused auditory training and to determine whether improvements in spectral resolution are associated with improvements in speech and music perception. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research proposal is aligned within the scientific mission and interests of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, to further improve the outcomes for CI listeners and improve overall aural rehabilitation techniques for use in adult and pediatric populations.