When: Monday, November 23rd, 2020 9:00 AM
Title: “USING THE HEARING-IN-NOISE TEST AS A SCREENING TOOL FOR COCHLEAR SYNAPTOPATHY IN STUDENT MUSICIANS”
Candidate: Stephanie Monette
Committee: Dr. Navid Shahnaz, Dr. Sigfrid Soli
Abstract
Purpose: Recent studies suggest synaptic connections between hair cells and the auditory nerve may be more vulnerable to noise exposure than the sensory hair cells in the cochlea. The resulting neuropathy may be associated with a decreased performance with speech in noise despite a normal audiogram. This type of hearing loss has been named “hidden hearing loss”. Studies with animal models suggest that suprathreshold wave I auditory brainstem responses are sensitive to the loss of synaptic ribbons in mice, but humans studies are inconclusive. This work aims to identify the diagnostic potential of tympanic membrane electrocochleography on noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy.
Method: The experimental group consisted of 20 student musicians (MAGE = 22.7, SD = 3, range =18-28). The control group was comprised of 22 students with normal hearing and limited noise exposure (MAGE = 21.9, SD = 2.5, range =18-27). Previous noise exposure was estimated using the Noise Exposure Structured Interview (NESI; Guest et al., 2018). The hearing-in-noise test (HINT; Nillson et al., 1994) and the random gap-in-noise test (RGDT; Keith, 2000) were administered to assess temporal and speech-in-noise perception abilities. A Bayesian multilevel linear model was used to investigate differences in HINT scores between groups and conditions.
Results: The musician group showed higher estimated lifetime exposure than the control group. Differences were found between conditions of the HINT, but not between groups. No association was found between HINT-ITD and estimated lifetime noise exposure.
Discussion: It is possible that the population studied did not have sufficient noise exposure to exhibit difficulties processing temporal stimuli. Given the current literature on CS in humans, strict inclusion criteria, broad research protocols and interdisciplinary collaborations are warranted. Future studies should focus on finding behavioral tests with good sensitivity and specificity to reliably diagnose CS in humans in older musicians.