Research

Tinnitus and oscillatory brain activity

Details: Published on 29 January 2013

Different clinically-relevant tinnitus characteristics show distinctive associations with spontaneous brain oscillatory power, according to a German study. The study revealed that

Phonemes in running speech versus isolation

Details: Published on 28 January 2013

In the past decade, aided speech evoked cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) have been proposed for validation of hearing aid fittings. However, unlike in running speech, phonemes presented as stimuli during CAEP testing are preceded by silent intervals of over one second. Researchers at the National Centre for Audiology conducted a study

Older adults with hearing impairment suffer memory loss

Details: Published on 25 January 2013

A new study from Johns Hopkins reveals that older adults who suffer hearing loss are more at risk to develop thinking and memory problems. In a study conducted over six years, researchers discovered that volunteers with cognitive problems showed a 30 to 40% faster decline than those with normal hearing. They found that levels of declining brain function

Stressed out women are more sensitive to sound

Details: Published on 18 January 2013

Stress-related exhaustion can cause hypersensitivity to sound in women, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University's Stress Research Institute in Sweden. Even the sound level of normal conversation can be painful. The study was published in the online scientific journal PLoS One. The subjects were 208 women and 140 men with low, medium and high levels of “emotional exhaustion”. It found that men and women with low levels of exhaustion were less

Audiologists need better prep for rural work

Details: Published on 18 January 2013

South Africa

Educators need to use innovative ways to ensure that curricula adequately prepare audiology and speech language pathology students for rural community work, according to South African researchers from the University of Witwatersrand. They also must show a sense of leadership that links clinical practice to theory, policy, ethics and social responsibility. Researchers conducted

Solvents are a threat to hearing

Details: Published on 07 August 2012

During work in industrial processes, the inhalation, ingestion, and absorption of organic solvents through the skin slowly brings about deterioration in hearing, and this should be taken heed of. So said Chilean researcher, Adrián Fuente, on highlighting the role of audiologists in detecting this problem. Fuente was speaking during an AAA workshop in Boston.

Hearing screening Denmark Goals for screening are not complied

Details: Published on 07 August 2012

Two Danish audio and speech therapists with master in arts, Christina Degn and Maria Baltzer Gormsen, have studied how the guidelines for screening of new-borns are followed in Denmark, and whether the goals for the screening process are complied. They found that there was a potential for improvement. In this article they describe the study and their conclusions.

Research explores pros and cons of teleaudiology

Details: Published on 06 August 2012

Teleaudiology works best with patients who already have a wellestablished relationship with their audiologist. Recent research in Canada also suggests that teleaudiology — which involves interacting electronically with patients, such as via the Internet — can benefit patients who live in areas with few audiologists.

A choir that combines voice and signs

Details: Published on 06 August 2012

Integration

Even though they suffer from severe hypoacusis, taking part in a choir has not proved an obstacle for Alexis and Valentina, two pupils from the Cardenal Carlos Oviedo school at the Belén Educa Foundation in Santiago, Chile. At the choir's performances, the children's fellow choristers sing out and use sign language at the same time, alongside their hearing affected pals.

Brazil study finds a disabling hearing loss prevalence of 7% in Itajai

Details: Published on 06 August 2012

Study

Published by the Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology march/April 2012, a population-based survey whose field research was carried out from July 2008 to 2011 in the city of Itajai (state of Santa Catarina - southern part of brazil), found a disabling hearing loss prevalence of 7%. The work is the third population-based study about deafness published in Brazil. The first two researches, realized in canoas (Beria et al., 2007) and Monte Negro (Bevilacqua et al., 2006), showed respectively prevalence of disabling hearing loss of 6.8% e 4.8%.