Neural and Behavioral Changes in Older Adults from Auditory-Cognitive Training

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Audiology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Older adults with normal hearing often struggle with speech perception in noise.
• Cognitive factors may contribute to this difficulty, suggesting auditory-cognitive training as a potential intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of auditory-cognitive training on speech-in-noise perception in normal-hearing older adults.
• To compare neural and behavioral outcomes between younger and older adults post-training.

Main Methods:

• Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and temporal response function (TRF) models were used to analyze neural responses during auditory tasks.
• Behavioral assessments included working memory (RSPAN), speech perception in noise (SPIN), and auditory stream segregation (SFG).

Main Results:

• Auditory-cognitive training led to improvements in behavioral measures (RSPAN, SPIN, SFG) and reduced listening effort.
• Neural measures indicated enhanced processing of attended versus unattended stimuli post-training.
• Pre-training SFG performance predicted the degree of neuroplasticity observed.

Conclusions:

• Auditory-cognitive training offers significant perceptual and neural benefits for older adults experiencing difficulties with speech-in-noise.
• The findings highlight the potential for targeted training to enhance auditory processing and cognitive function in aging populations.