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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03666676

Hearing Study: Sensitivity to Features of Speech Sounds

The purpose of this study is to better understand the sensitivity of listeners to the fast changes in frequency or amplitude of sounds that occur in speech. The investigators are studying ways to manipulate these aspects of sounds in an effort to make speech sounds more clear.

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Key information

Conditions

Hearing Loss, Sensorineural Ear Diseases Hearing Disorders Hearing Loss Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Rochester

Rochester, New York, 14642, United States

About this study

The investigators will test listeners with normal hearing or with mild or moderate hearing loss. Tests will first focus on sensitivity to changes in fast changes in amplitude (loudness) or frequency (pitch) in sounds. Then the investigators will test the intelligibility of synthetic vowels and syllables in which these "chirps" are manipulated. Finally, the investigators will test intelligibility of words in noise while manipulating sounds in an effort to improve clarity.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Normal hearing, mild or moderate symmetric sensorineural hearing loss.

Exclusion criteria

  • Asymmetric hearing thresholds (more than 15 decibels (dB) threshold difference between the two ears at any frequency up to 4 kHz).
  • Severe hearing loss (greater than 60 dB hearing thresholds at any frequency up to 4 kHz).

Treatment and study plan

Signal processing to improve intelligibility

Other

Signal processing will be used to manipulate frequency and amplitude fluctuations in complex sounds.

Primary outcomes

  1. Pure-tone Average Thresholds

    Time frame: 6 months

    Hearing thresholds, average across test frequencies from 250 to 4000 Hz and averaged across the two ears.

  2. F1 Discrimination Threshold

    Time frame: 6 months

    Discrimination threshold for changes in F1, the low-frequency formant (spectral peak) in the synthetic vowel sounds.

  3. F2 Discrimination Threshold

    Time frame: 6 month

    Discrimination thresholds in % frequency for F2, the higher-frequency peak in synthetic vowel stimuli.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Rochester

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

Registry information

Official study title

Auditory Processing of Complex Sounds - Sensitivity to Chirps

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Sep 12, 2018
Registry last updated
May 29, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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