Representation of amplified speech at cortical level in good and poor hearing aid performers

Hearing aid users reject their own hearing aid because of annoyance with background noise. The reason for dissatisfaction is located anywhere from the hearing aid microphone to the integrity of neurons along the auditory pathway. In this preview, the output of hearing aid was recorded at the level of ear canal and at auditory cortex in good and poor hearing aid users, who were classified using acceptable noise level.

To study the representation of amplified speech in good and poor hearing aid performers.

A total of 60 participants (age ranged 15-65 years) with moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing impairment grouped into good (n=35) and poor (n=25) hearing aid performers. Gap detection test and aided SNR 50 were administered. In addition, ear canal acoustic measures and cortical auditory evoked potentials were recorded in unaided and aided conditions at 65dB SPL.

Hearing aid minimally alters temporal contrast of speech reflected in envelope difference index. Although having similar temporal impairment, acoustic characteristics of amplified speech sounds and SNR 50 scores from both groups, the aided cortical auditory evoked potentials surprisingly showed significant earlier latencies and higher amplitudes in good performers than poor performers. In addition, good and poor performers classified based on annoyance level was predicted by latencies of 2N1 and 2P2 components of acoustic change complex. Further, a follow-up revealed hearing aid use has relation with acceptance towards noise.

Participants who are willing to accept noise from those who are not willing to accept noise have subtle physiological changes evident at the auditory cortex, which supports the hearing aid usage.