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NCT Number: NCT05260307

Improving Spatial Perception and Speech Understanding in Multitalker Mixtures

The purpose of this study is to investigate several approaches for improving spatial perception and speech intelligibility in multitalker listening situations for hearing-aid users. The hypotheses are that spatial perception and speech intelligibility will be improved by (1) increased high-frequency audibility, (2) speech envelope enhancement, and/or (3) appropriate sound image externalization.

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Key information

Conditions

Hearing Loss Behavior Communication Ear Diseases Hearing Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Speech Speech Intelligibility Verbal Behavior

Age range

18 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Virginia A Best, PhD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Virginia Best

CONTACT

[email protected]

617-353-2622

About this study

The purpose of this study is to investigate several approaches for improving spatial perception and speech intelligibility in multitalker listening situations for hearing-aid users. Aim 1 will investigate how well different amplification strategies provide access to the spectrotemporally sparse speech information that is available in multitalker mixtures. The hypothesis is that subtle differences in high-frequency audibility across different strategies may have much greater effects on the intelligibility of sparse speech than intact speech. This Aim will involve 40 subjects with hearing loss across 2 experiments. Aim 2 is an exploratory aim that will investigate the potential of a speech enhancement algorithm to improve spatial hearing in multitalker mixtures. The hypothesis is that speech enhancement, in addition to its established monaural benefits, will enhance the salience of interaural time differences and thus provide binaural benefits in multitalker mixtures. This Aim will involve 30 subjects with normal hearing and 60 subjects with hearing loss across 3 experiments. Aim 3 will investigate how different hearing-aid styles affect sound externalization. The hypothesis is that hearing aids can disrupt sound externalization, which in turn impacts speech intelligibility in multitalker mixtures. This Aim will involve 30 subjects with normal hearing and 60 subjects with hearing loss across 3 experiments.

This is a prospective design involving adult human subjects. While the investigators will recruit subjects with normal and impaired hearing, all subjects will be assigned to the same set of experimental conditions. Therefore, for the purposes of intervention (or prospective assignment), the subjects can be treated as a single group completing the same intervention (or set of interventions). The behavioral experiments involve listening to speech sounds (either unaided, with hearing aids, or with simulated hearing aids), and providing responses related to spatial perception or speech intelligibility. The order of experimental conditions will be randomized for each subject in order to control for order effects. All of the experimental tasks and outcome measures have been previously established, have good reliability and validity, and will be appropriate for informing future studies.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

Normal-Hearing Subjects

  • 18 to 35 years of age
  • Audiometric thresholds that do not exceed 20 dB HL at any frequency from 250 to 8000 Hz
  • Able to provide informed consent and understand experimental instructions
  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

Inclusion criteria

Hearing-Impaired Subjects

  • 18 to 80 years of age
  • Documented sensorineural hearing loss
  • Able to provide informed consent and understand experimental instructions
  • Normal or corrected-to-normal vision

Exclusion criteria

(some experiments)

  • Non-native speakers of English

Treatment and study plan

hearing aid condition

Other

The intervention will be a hearing aid or a modification to the sound stimulus that simulates a hearing aid configuration, style, or processing strategy.

Primary outcomes

  1. Speech intelligibility at baseline

    Time frame: Baseline

    Speech intelligibility scores will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent correct (0-100%).

  2. Speech intelligibility post-intervention

    Time frame: Up to 4 hours

    Speech intelligibility scores will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent correct (0-100%).

  3. Speech reception threshold at baseline

    Time frame: Baseline

    Speech reception thresholds will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in decibels (the level of the target speech relative to the masker speech needed to identify 50% of the words in a sentence).

  4. Speech reception threshold post-intervention

    Time frame: Up to 4 hours

    Speech reception thresholds will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in decibels (the level of the target speech relative to the masker speech needed to identify 50% of the words in a sentence).

  5. Interaural time difference discrimination at baseline

    Time frame: Baseline

    Thresholds for the discrimination of interaural time differences in speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in microseconds.

  6. Interaural time difference discrimination post-intervention

    Time frame: Up to 4 hours

    Thresholds for the discrimination of interaural time differences in speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in microseconds.

  7. Externalization rating at baseline

    Time frame: Baseline

    Externalization judgments for speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of different hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent (0-100%).

  8. Externalization rating post-intervention

    Time frame: Up to 4 hours

    Externalization judgments for speech will be measured in a baseline condition (e.g. unaided) and in a number of different hearing-aid conditions (post-intervention). Scale is in percent (0-100%).

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Christine Mason

CONTACT

[email protected]

[email protected]

Virginia A Best, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(617) 353-2622

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Boston University Charles River Campus

Other

Collaborators

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

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Mar 2, 2022
Registry last updated
Sep 24, 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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