A Nottingham study that demonstrated how
training the brain could be used to improve listening and cognition in
people with hearing loss is to receive international recognition.
An academic paper* on the research conducted by experts at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Hearing Biomedical Research Unit (BRU) has been chosen as the Editors’ Award 2014 by Ear and Hearing, the number one ranked international peer-reviewed hearing science journal.
Researchers from the BRU — a partnership between academics at The University of Nottingham and theMedical Research Council Institute of Hearing Research (MRC IHR) and clinicians from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust— will be in the US to receive the award on March 6.
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Dr Melanie Ferguson, Consultant Clinical
Scientist (audiology) and Hon associate professor led the research. She
said: “Our overall aim in carrying out research studies like this is to
help people with hearing loss overcome their hearing difficulties, and
make better use of their hearing in their everyday life. Our study
showed some novel results, which suggest that training the auditory
system seems to also train the brain. It’s a bit like going to the gym,
except it is the auditory system — which includes the brain — that is
being exercised.
“The research team is absolutely delighted
to win this international award that recognises our important
contribution to hearing research. It is even more rewarding because the
research takes us a step closer to providing a better understanding of
how we can help people with hearing loss. The consequences of hearing
loss are often not understood and this can lead many people to withdraw
from family, social and work life.”
Social isolation
One in
six of the UK population has a significant hearing loss – 10 million
people. Hearing loss is a long-term condition that cause difficulties
communicating with others leading to social isolation and withdrawal,
depression and reduced quality of life.
For the Nottingham study, people with
hearing loss aged 50-74 years old were asked to play computerised
auditory training games which involved actively listening to short
sections of words such as ‘ah-ah-eh’ and identifying which was the odd
one out. They did this for 15 minutes a day over four weeks. The
training was completed at home on laptops loaned by the researchers.
Most people completed all the training
requested even though almost a third had never used a computer before.
After four weeks of training, people where
better able to identify the differences between the sounds they heard.
But what was interesting was that people also showed improvements on
other measures such as cognitive tests of divided attention and working
memory, which are important when listening to people speaking.
Study participants said they were able to
listen better after training, particularly in challenging listening
situations such as group conversations, which is a problem for many
people with hearing loss. Furthermore, these benefits in cognition and
listening remained four weeks later.
Robust evidence
Dr
Helen Henshaw, senior research fellow, said: “Although we hear with our
ears, listening requires both our ears and our brains. Past research to
assess training interventions for people with hearing loss has typically
lacked scientific rigour. Our high-quality approach enabled us to
systematically assess the benefits of auditory training for people with
hearing loss and provide robust evidence for benefits to communication
and cognition.
“Participants in this study really enjoyed
the training and they were motivated to beat their previous scores on
the training games each day. The training made them aware that they had
to actively listen and focus in conversations.”
Each year the editorial board members for Ear and Hearing
select an article to be recognised for its outstanding contribution to
the literature on hearing and balance. The overarching goal of the
journal is to publish articles that not only advance understanding of
hearing and balance but also translate that knowledge into future
clinical practice.
Dr Melanie Ferguson and Dr Helen Henshaw
will be travelling to the US to receive the award at the 2015 American
Auditory Society (AAS) meeting being held in Arizona on March 6, along
with their collaborator on the paper Professor Dave Moore, Director of
the Communication Sciences Research Center at Cincinnati Children's
Hospital Medical Center and former Director of MRC IHR in Nottingham.