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Author Spotlight: Optimizing EAS with Long Electrodes for Enhanced Cochlear Coverage and Hearing Preservation
Published on: October 11, 2024
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Extended high-frequency hearing enhances speech perception in noise
Lina Motlagh Zadeh1,2, Noah H Silbert2, Katherine Sternasty3
1Communication Sciences Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45229; lina.motlaghzadeh@cchmc.org.
Summary
Extended high-frequency (EHF) hearing loss, above 8 kHz, is common even in young adults and linked to self-reported hearing difficulties. This EHF hearing contributes to understanding speech in noisy environments.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Speech-language pathology
- Hearing science
Background:
- Clinical audiometry typically assesses hearing up to 8 kHz, missing potential information in extended high frequencies (EHFs; 8-20 kHz).
- Speech-in-noise perception is crucial, and difficulty understanding speech in noise is a common early sign of hearing loss.
- Extended high frequencies may contain important speech information, but their role in challenging listening conditions is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the contribution of hearing in extended high frequencies (8-20 kHz) to speech-in-noise perception.
- To determine the prevalence of hearing loss in EHFs among self-reported "normally hearing" adults.
- To assess the relationship between EHF hearing, self-reported hearing difficulties, and speech-in-noise performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized standard and EHF audiometry to assess hearing thresholds up to 20 kHz.
- Administered self-report questionnaires regarding hearing difficulties in noise.
- Employed a Digits-in-Noise (DIN) test with low-pass filtered masking noise (cutoff frequencies from 2 kHz to 8 kHz) to evaluate speech perception.
Main Results:
- A significant portion (74/116) of "normally hearing" adults exhibited hearing loss in the EHF range (above 8 kHz).
- Hearing loss in EHFs correlated significantly with self-reported difficulties in understanding speech in noisy environments.
- Speech-in-noise perception, even with noise filtered up to 8 kHz, was significantly better than with broadband noise, indicating the contribution of sound energy above 8 kHz.
Conclusions:
- Hearing loss at extended high frequencies (above 8 kHz) is prevalent even in young, "normally hearing" adults and may serve as an early indicator of hearing damage.
- Extended high-frequency hearing plays a role in speech-in-noise perception, contributing to intelligibility in challenging auditory conditions.
- EHF hearing loss is a potential factor underlying self-reported difficulties in understanding speech in noise for individuals with seemingly normal hearing.
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