The effects of auditory spatial training on informational masking release in elderly listeners: a study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.
Background: Regarding the strong auditory spatial plasticity capability of the central auditory system and the effect of short-term and long-term rehabilitation programs in elderly people, it seems that an auditory spatial training can help this population in informational masking release and better track speech in noisy environments. The main purposes of this study are developing an informational masking measurement test and an auditory spatial training program. Protocol: This study will be conducted in two parts. Part 1: develop and determine the validity of an informational masking measurement test by recruiting two groups of young (n=50) and old (n=50) participants with normal hearing who have no difficulty in understanding speech in noisy environments. Part 2 (clinical trial): two groups of 60-75-year-olds with normal hearing, who complain about difficulty in speech perception in noisy environments, will participate as control and intervention groups to examine the effect of auditory spatial training. Intervention: 15 sessions of auditory spatial training. The informational masking measurement test and Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale will be compared before intervention, immediately after intervention, and five weeks after intervention between the two groups. Discussion: Since auditory training programs do not deal with informational masking release, an auditory spatial training will be designed, aiming to improve hearing in noisy environments for elderly populations. Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( IRCT20190118042404N1) on 25 th February 2019.
['Jarollahi|Farnoush|F|', 'Amiri|Marzieh|M|0000-0001-8787-1260', 'Jalaie|Shohreh|S|', 'Sameni|Seyyed Jalal|SJ|']
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D006801:Humans D007492:Iran D008875:Middle Aged D009622:Noise D010470:Perceptual Masking D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic D013067:Speech Perception D055815:Young Adult
Train Informational masking Elderly Energetic masking Speech perception in noise