E-HHL-D

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This project will develop novel diagnostic protocols based on auditory evoked potentials for the early detection of hearing losses that compromise intelligibility in noisy venues without significantly affecting hearing thresholds (early stages of progressive hearing loss, presbycusis, accumulated acoustic trauma, etc.). These protocols will provide an objective evaluation of hearing loss specifically oriented towards its impact on quality of life, and particularly, on speech intelligibility and sounds segregation in noisy conditions.

Based on techniques previously developed by the research team, which facilitate the comprehensive recording of auditory evoked responses from the entire auditory pathway using complex stimuli (e.g., randomized stimuli, natural speech, or binaural stimuli), the experimental design aims to provide sensitive biomarkers to three specific neurophysiological pathologies associated with the loss of intelligibility. The comparative evaluation in groups of subjects, analyzing both subjective indicators (e.g., intelligibility in psychoacoustic speech-in-noise tests) and objective indicators based on auditory evoked potentials, will allow the development of advanced protocols for the early detection of pathologies related to hearing-in-noise difficulties, which cannot be detected by current best-practice clinical protocols (mostly focused on hearing thresholds).

The expected results over the 3-year duration of the project include: (A) Development of protocols for the evaluation of auditory intelligibility and associated pathologies. (B) Application of the protocols to a group of individuals with normal audiometric thresholds, with and without speech-in-noise intelligibility difficulties. (C) Identification of objective indicators oriented towards the early detection of hearing loss. (D) Development of materials and activities oriented towards scientific dissemination (encouraging the use of developed tools and technology transfer) and outreach (raising social awareness regarding auditory well-being and the prevention of auditory pathologies).

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Journal articles

• Valderrama JT, de la Torre A, McAlpine D. The hunt for hidden hearing loss in humans: From preclinical studies to effective interventions. Frontiers in Neuroscience (2022) 16, 1000304, 13p. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1000304. [Download]

Conferences

• de la Torre A, Valderrama JT, Alvarez IM, Segura, JC, Vargas JL, Palma AJ, Carvajal MA, Pousibet A. Live demonstration of a portable, affordable, and versatile auditory evoked potentials recording system mostly based on off-the-shelf electronics. Podium presentation and live demonstration at the XXVIII International Evoked Response Audiometry Study Group (IERASG) Biennial Symposium, Cologne, Germany (September 15-19, 2023). [Abstract, Presentation, Slides description, Temporary Supplemental file (583 MB, available until 02/12/2023), Permanent Supplemental file (6 MB, Binary files and detailed figures excluded), Conference summary]
• de la Torre A, Sanchez I, Valderrama JT, Alvarez IM, Segura JC, Muller N, Vargas JL. Simultaneous deconvolution of multiple auditory evoked potentials in a reduced representation space. Podium presentation at the XXVIII International Evoked Response Audiometry Study Group (IERASG) Biennial Symposium, Cologne, Germany (September 15-19, 2023). [Abstract, Presentation, Slides description, Conference summary]
• Valderrama JT, de la Torre A, Alvarez IM, Segura JC, Vargas JL. Deconvolution for flexible recording of transient evoked potentials. Podium presentation at the XXVIII International Evoked Response Audiometry Study Group (IERASG) Biennial Symposium, Cologne, Germany (September 15-19, 2023). [Abstract, Presentation, Slides description, Conference summary]
• Valderrama JT, de la Torre A, Alvarez IM, Segura JC, Vargas JL. En la búsqueda de nuevos biomarcadores de la pérdida de audición oculta. Podium presentation at the XIX National Congress of Audiology of the Spanish Association of Audiology (AEDA), Madrid, Spain (June 15-17, 2023). [Presentation]