Slope Characteristics of CID W-22 Word Functions in Elderly Hearing-Impaired Listeners

1983 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall C. Beattie ◽  
Virginia Warren
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Step Size ◽  
Monosyllabic Word ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Conventional Manner

Some variables affecting the slope of monosyllabic word functions were investigated among subjects having mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Slope is an important variable because it determines the intensity range and the step size that is likely to accurately and efficiently describe the function. Eighty-one ears from 60 elderly subjects were tested with the Auditec recording of the CID W-22 words. Slopes were computed between the 20 and 80% intelligibility points from the individual functions. The results indicated that the magnitude of hearing loss did not affect the slope of the intelligibility function. That is, slopes remained at approximately 3% per dB even though spondaic thresholds varied over a 45-dB range (15-60 dB HTL). The audiometric configuration was found to affect slope, although this relationship was weak (r=.30). As the audiogram progressed from flat to steeply falling, the slope decreased from about 3.5% per dB to 2.5% per dB. With subjects having flat and falling audiograms, slope was steeper for the 20-50% intelligibility segment (4.3% per dB) than for the 50-80% interval (2.9% per dB). These subjects also exhibited substantial differences in mean slope, depending on the procedure selected for computations. The mean of individual slopes was steepest (3.3% per dB), whereas the mean slope was only 2.4% per dB when computed from the function derived in the conventional manner by averaging intelligibility scores at fixed intensities.

Range of Intensities Yielding Pb Max and the Threshold for Monosyllabic Words for Hearing-Impaired Subjects

1990 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 417-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall C. Beattie ◽  
Judy A. Zipp
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Accurate Estimate ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Monosyllabic Words

Characteristics of the range of intensities yielding PB Max and of the threshold for monosyllabic words (PBT) were investigated in 110 elderly subjects with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Word recognition functions were generated using the Auditec recordings of the CID W-22 words with 50 words per level. The results indicated that (a) the range of intensities yielding PB Max was approximately 33 dB at a level corresponding to 12% below PB Max, (b) the PB Max range decreased as the magnitude of hearing loss increased, (c) testing at the loudness discomfort level was likely to provide a more accurate estimate of PB Max than testing at most comfortable listening level, (d) word recognition scores should be obtained at a minimum of two intensities in order to estimate PB Max, (e) the PBT in dB SL re the spondaic threshold increased as the steepness of the audiogram increased, and (f) the PBT should not be considered unusual unless it exceeds the predicted value by about 14 dB.

Speech-Recognition Difficulties of the Hearing-Impaired Elderly

1990 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 726-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry E. Humes ◽  
Lisa Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Recognition Performance ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Threshold Elevation

The role that sensorineural hearing loss plays in the speech-recognition difficulties of the hearing-impaired elderly is examined. One approach to this issue was to make between-group comparisons of performance for three groups of subjects: (a) young normal-hearing adults; (b) elderly hearing-impaired adults; and (c) young normal-hearing adults with simulated sensorineural hearing loss equivalent to that of the elderly subjects produced by a spectrally shaped masking noise. Another approach to this issue employed correlational analyses to examine the relation between audibility and speech recognition within the group of elderly hearing-impaired subjects. An additional approach was pursued in which an acoustical index incorporating adjustments for threshold elevation was used to examine the role audibility played in the speech-recognition performance of the hearing-impaired elderly. A wide range of listening conditions was sampled in this experiment. The conclusion was that the primary determiner of speech-recognition performance in the elderly hearing-impaired subjects was their threshold elevation.

Dimensions of Consonant Perception in Normal and Hearing-Impaired Listeners

1975 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 444-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian E. Walden ◽  
Allen A. Montgomery
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Recognition Ability ◽  
Similarity Judgments ◽  
The Individual

Judgments of consonant similarity were obtained from subjects who had normal hearing, high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, or relatively flat sensorineural hearing loss. The individual differences model through program INDSCAL was used to derive a set of perceptual features empirically from the similarity judgments, and to group the subjects on the basis of strength of feature usage. The analysis revealed that sonorance was the dominant dimension in the similarity judgments of the subjects with high-frequency hearing losses, while sibilance tended to dominate the judgments of the subjects with flat audiometric configurations. The normal-hearing subjects tended to weight these two dimensions approximately equally. These differences in similarity judgments were observed based upon audiometric configuration, despite the fact that the two hearing-impaired groups were not unique in word-recognition ability.

Relationship between Pure-Tone and Speech Loudness Discomfort Levels among Hearing-Impaired Subjects

1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall C. Beattie ◽  
Robyn L. Boyd
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Standard Errors ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Speech Loudness

The purpose of this study was to investigate how accurately pure-tone (250–6000 Hz) loudness discomfort levels (LDLs) predict speech (CID Test W-22) LDLs. One ear was tested in each of 50 elderly subjects with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The results revealed poor-to-fair correlations (r = 0.00 to 0.42) and large standard errors of estimate ( 9.5 dB). Thus, it was concluded that pure-tone LDLs are not accurate predictors of the speech LDL, and, if the clinician wants to ascertain the upper intensity for listening to speech, this measurement must be made directly.

scholarly journals Acoustic reflex measurements and the loudness function in sensorineural hearing loss

1980 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila Uliel
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Differential Diagnosis ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Acoustic Impedance ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Acoustic Reflex ◽  
Reflex Responses ◽  
Loudness Function ◽  
The Individual

The suprathreshold acoustic reflex responses of forty two ears affected by sensorineural hearing loss of cochlear origin and fifty-eight ears demonstrating normal hearing, were recorded by means of an electro-acoustic impedance meter and attached X-Y recorder. The recordings were done in ascending and descending fashion,  at successively increasing and decreasing 5dB intensity levels from 90-120-90 dB HL respectively, for the individual pure-tone frequencies of 500, 1 000, 2 000 and 4 000 Hz. The contralateral mode of measurement was employed. Analysis of  these recordings indicated that the acoustic reflex  responses could be differentiated into five  characteristic patterns of  growth, which could be depicted upon a continuum of peaked, peaked-rounded, rounded, rounded-flat,  and flat  shapes. The peaked and peaked-rounded patterns were found  to predominate at all four pure-tone frequencies  in the normal ears, while the rounded-fiat  and flat  patterns were found  to predominate only at the higher pure-tone frequencies of 2 000 and 4 000 Hz in the ears affected  by sensorineural hearing loss. This latter relationship was also able to be applied to two disorders of  the loudness functio— loudness recruitment and hyperacusis. It was concluded that the flattened  acoustic reflex  patterns at the higher pure-tone frequencies  constituted a potential diagnostic cue related to the differential  diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss, and to disorders of  the loudness function.

scholarly journals Does Drilling Induce Hearing Loss after Modified Radical Mastoidectomy? A Retrospective Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-41
Author(s):  
Yogesh Neupane ◽  
Bijaya Kharel ◽  
Heempali Dutta
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Bone Conduction ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Radical Mastoidectomy ◽  
Modified Radical Mastoidectomy ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Sensory Neural ◽  
Mastoid Surgery ◽  
Sensory Neural Hearing Loss

Introduction Incidence of sensory neural hearing loss following mastoid surgery varies from 1.2 – 4.5%.There are various causes for postoperative sensorineural hearing loss during mastoid surgery. This study aims to identify whether there is any correlation between drilling and postoperative sensory neural hearing loss. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted in the Department of ENT from January 2018 to June 2019. A total number of 68 patients above five years of age who underwent modified radical mastoidectomy for chronic otitis media squamous were included. Revision surgery, preoperative sensorineural hearing loss, injury to the ossicular chain during surgery, patients with lack of follow up or doubtful reports in mentally challenged were excluded from the study. The average bone conduction threshold was calculated from 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz and compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. ResultsThere were 43 males and 25 females in the study with a median age of 23.5 years (16-55). The mean preoperative bone conduction threshold in the four frequencies of 500 Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz, 4kHz were -2.06dB, -2.06dB, 3.31dB, 4.63 dB respectively and the mean postoperative bone conduction thresholds were 1.03, 1.32, 5.29, 4.04 respectively. There was a decline of mean of 3.09 dB and 3.38dB only at the low-frequencies (500Hz and 1kHz) BC threshold respectively which were statistically significant, whereas at higher frequency there was no decline in average postoperative BC threshold. ConclusionThere is no definite role of drill in inducing hearing loss and if present other causes of hearing loss should be sought in postoperative sensorineural hearing loss.

Reliability of Threshold, Slope, and PB Max for Monosyllabic Words

1985 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall C. Beattie ◽  
Michael J.M. Raffin
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensation Level ◽  
Step Size ◽  
Binomial Theorem ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
Impaired Group ◽  
Word Lists ◽  
Monosyllabic Words ◽  
Single List

The Auditec recordings of the CID W-22 monosyllables were used to generate test and retest intelligibility functions on normally hearing listeners and subjects with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The normally hearing subjects were tested with 50-word lists at SPLs ranging from 15 to 50 dB. Lists of 25 words were used with the hearing-impaired group. The functions were analyzed to assess the reliability of threshold (50% point), slope (20%–80% points), and maximum intelligibility (PB max). The 50% point was obtained at 28 dB SPL for the normally hearing listeners and at a sensation level (SL) of 12 dB re spondaic thresholds for the hearing-impaired group. Very stable monosyllabic thresholds were found because 95% of the test-retest values were within 6 dB for both subject groups. Slopes of 4.9% per dB and 2.7% per dB were obtained for the normally hearing and hearing-impaired groups, respectively. Fair reliability was observed; 95% of the test-retest values encompassed a range of ± 1.9% per dB for the normally hearing subjects and ± 1.1% per dB for the hearing-impaired group. Although group slopes provide useful information for selecting the range and step size for generating psychometric functions, the value of routinely obtaining slope on an individual basis has not been demonstrated. Even though the same word lists were used for both test and retest measurements, reliability closely agreed with predicted results based on the binomial theorem. In contrast to the large variability for a single list of 25 words, very stable PB max scores were found when two or three scores were averaged on the plateau of the function.

Limiting Spectral Resolution in Speech for Listeners With Sensorineural Hearing Loss

1999 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 773-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Turner ◽  
Siu-Ling Chi ◽  
Sarah Flock
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Present Experiment ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Speech Condition

Consonant recognition was measured as a function of the degree of spectral resolution of the speech stimulus in normally hearing listeners and listeners with moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Previous work (Turner, Souza, and Forget, 1995) has shown that listeners with sensorineural hearing loss could recognize consonants as well as listeners with normal hearing when speech was processed to have only one channel of spectral resolution. The hypothesis tested in the present experiment was that when speech was limited to a small number of spectral channels, both normally hearing and hearing-impaired listeners would continue to perform similarly. As the stimuli were presented with finer degrees of spectral resolution, and the poorer-than-normal spectral resolving abilities of the hearing-impaired listeners became a limiting factor, one would predict that the performance of the hearing-impaired listeners would then become poorer than the normally hearing listeners. Previous research on the frequency-resolution abilities of listeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss suggests that these listeners have critical bandwidths three to four times larger than do listeners with normal hearing. In the present experiment, speech stimuli were processed to have 1, 2, 4, or 8 channels of spectral information. Results for the 1-channel speech condition were consistent with the previous study in that both groups of listeners performed similarly. However, the hearing-impaired listeners performed more poorly than the normally hearing listeners for all other conditions, including the 2-channel speech condition. These results would appear to contradict the original hypothesis, in that listeners with moderate sensorineural hearing loss would be expected to have at least 2 channels of frequency resolution. One possibility is that the frequency resolution of hearing-impaired listeners may be much poorer than previously estimated; however, a subsequent filtered speech experiment did not support this explanation. The present results do indicate that although listeners with hearing loss are able to use the temporal-envelope information of a single channel in a normal fashion, when given the opportunity to combine information across more than one channel, they show deficient performance.

Evaluation of Hearing-Impaired Listeners Using a Nonsense-Syllable Test II. Syllable Recognition and Consonant Confusion Patterns

1982 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy R. Dubno ◽  
Donald D. Dirks ◽  
Laurn R. Langhofer
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Nonsense Syllable ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Closed Set ◽  
Systematic Relationship ◽  
Place Of Articulation ◽  
Recognition Ability ◽  
Potential Use

Syllable recognition ability and consonant confusion patterns were evaluated for 38 listeners with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss using the closed-set Nonsense-Syllable Test (NST). Performance for these materials varies as a function of consonant voicing, the position of the consonant in the syllable, and the accompanying vowel. Scores for listeners with steeply sloping audiometric configurations were consistently poorer than those for listeners with gradually sloping or flat audiograms. Consonant confusion analyses revealed place of articulation errors to be the most frequent, regardless of the listener's audiometric configuration. Analysis of consonant confusion patterns indicates the existence of a systematic relationship between consonant confusions and audiometric configuration. The NST findings are discussed in terms of the test's potential use and are compared to the results of existing confusion analyses.

Understanding Excessive SNR Loss in Hearing-Impaired Listeners

2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (04) ◽  
pp. 258-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken W. Grant ◽  
Therese C. Walden
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Temporal Acuity ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Noise Test

Background: Traditional audiometric measures, such as pure-tone thresholds or unaided word-recognition in quiet, appear to be of marginal use in predicting speech understanding by hearing-impaired (HI) individuals in background noise with or without amplification. Suprathreshold measures of auditory function (tolerance of noise, temporal and frequency resolution) appear to contribute more to success with amplification and may describe more effectively the distortion component of hearing. However, these measures are not typically measured clinically. When combined with measures of audibility, suprathreshold measures of auditory distortion may provide a much more complete understanding of speech deficits in noise by HI individuals. Purpose: The primary goal of this study was to investigate the relationship among measures of speech recognition in noise, frequency selectivity, temporal acuity, modulation masking release, and informational masking in adult and elderly patients with sensorineural hearing loss to determine whether peripheral distortion for suprathreshold sounds contributes to the varied outcomes experienced by patients with sensorineural hearing loss listening to speech in noise. Research Design: A correlational study. Study Sample: Twenty-seven patients with sensorineural hearing loss and four adults with normal hearing were enrolled in the study. Data Collection and Analysis: The data were collected in a sound attenuated test booth. For speech testing, subjects' verbal responses were scored by the experimenter and entered into a custom computer program. For frequency selectivity and temporal acuity measures, subject responses were recorded via a touch screen. Simple correlation, step-wise multiple linear regression analyses and a repeated analysis of variance were performed. Results: Results showed that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) loss could only be partially predicted by a listener's thresholds or audibility measures such as the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII). Correlations between SII and SNR loss were higher using the Hearing-in-Noise Test (HINT) than the Quick Speech-in-Noise test (QSIN) with the SII accounting for 71% of the variance in SNR loss for the HINT but only 49% for the QSIN. However, listener age and the addition of suprathreshold measures improved the prediction of SNR loss using the QSIN, accounting for nearly 71% of the variance. Conclusions: Two standard clinical speech-in-noise tests, QSIN and HINT, were used in this study to obtain a measure of SNR loss. When administered clinically, the QSIN appears to be less redundant with hearing thresholds than the HINT and is a better indicator of a patient's suprathreshold deficit and its impact on understanding speech in noise. Additional factors related to aging, spectral resolution, and, to a lesser extent, temporal resolution improved the ability to predict SNR loss measured with the QSIN. For the HINT, a listener's audibility and age were the only two significant factors. For both QSIN and HINT, roughly 25–30% of the variance in individual differences in SNR loss (i.e., the dB difference in SNR between an individual HI listener and a control group of NH listeners at a specified performance level, usually 50% word or sentence recognition) remained unexplained, suggesting the need for additional measures of suprathreshold acuity (e.g., sensitivity to temporal fine structure) or cognitive function (e.g., memory and attention) to further improve the ability to understand individual variability in SNR loss.

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