Effects of Removing Low-Frequency Electric Information on Speech Perception with Bimodal Hearing

• Published in: Journal of speech, language, and hearing research language, and hearing research, 2016-02, Vol.59 (1), p.99-109
• Main Authors: Fowler, Jennifer R, Eggleston, Jessica L, Reavis, Kelly M, McMillan, Garnett P, Reiss, Lina A. J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation - methods; Acoustics; Adult; Adults; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Assistive Technology; Auditory Perception; Cochlear Implantation - methods; Cochlear Implants; Control Groups; Deafness; Ears & hearing; Experimental Groups; Experimental Programs; Female; Functional Laterality; Hearing; Hearing Disorders; Hearing Impairments; Hearing Tests; Humans; Interference (Learning); Language Therapy; Listening Comprehension; Localization; Male; Measurement; Middle Aged; Noise; Noise - adverse effects; Patients; Phonemes; Physiological aspects; Quality; Sentences; Sound; Speech; Speech Communication; Speech Improvement; Speech Perception; Studies
• ISSN: 1092-4388; 1558-9102
• DOI: 10.1044/2015_JSLHR-H-15-0247

Purpose: The objective was to determine whether speech perception could be improved for bimodal listeners (those using a cochlear implant [CI] in one ear and hearing aid in the contralateral ear) by removing low-frequency information provided by the CI, thereby reducing acoustic-electric overlap. Method: Subjects were adult CI subjects with at least 1 year of CI experience. Nine subjects were evaluated in the CI-only condition (control condition), and 26 subjects were evaluated in the bimodal condition. CIs were programmed with 4 experimental programs in which the low cutoff frequency (LCF) was progressively raised. Speech perception was evaluated using Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant words in quiet, AzBio sentences in background babble, and spondee words in background babble. Results: The CI-only group showed decreased speech perception in both quiet and noise as the LCF was raised. Bimodal subjects with better hearing in the hearing aid ear (< 60 dB HL at 250 and 500 Hz) performed best for words in quiet as the LCF was raised. In contrast, bimodal subjects with worse hearing (> 60 dB HL at 250 and 500 Hz) performed similarly to the CI-only group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that reducing low-frequency overlap of the CI and contralateral hearing aid may improve performance in quiet for some bimodal listeners with better hearing.