Normal Hearing
Conditions
Keywords
RBANS-H, Older adults, Normal hearing, Cognition, Age-related hearing loss
Brief summary
The present cross-sectional study aims to examine the cognitive capabilities of older adults, aged 50 to 89, with normal hearing or age-related hearing loss by means of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status for Hearing impaired individuals (RBANS-H). Secondly, the correlations between cognition on the one hand and hearing and speech reception capabilities on the other hand are investigated. For this purpose, twenty participants are included in the age categories 50 to 59, 60 to 69, 70 to 79 and 80 to 89, bringing the total number to 80. Three questionnaires are administered to the participants: the Health Utilities Index-2/3 (HUI 2/3), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and a general questionnaire on education and profession, medical history, hearing aid use and tinnitus. Also an audiological examination is performed, including pure tone audiometry, speech in quiet and speech in noise audiometry. Finally, cognition is assessed using the RBANS-H.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTRBANS-H
The RBANS-H is a diagnostic cognitive test battery
Sponsors
University Hospital, Antwerp
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to 89 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Hearing: Air conduction hearing thresholds according to age, based on the ISO standards * Age: 50 - 89
Exclusion criteria
* History of any neurological disease * History of otological surgery or disease
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| RBANS-H total scaled score | Baseline | The RBANS-H assess cognition and provides one total score of cognition. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Free field best aided speech in noise audiometry: Speech Reception Threshold (SRT) | Baseline | The speech reception in noise is assessed by means of the Leuven Intelligibility Sentences Test (LIST) using an adaptive procedure. This speech material is developed to quantify the speech understanding in subjects with severely impaired hearing. The frequency spectrum of the noise signal is equal to the long-term average speech spectrum of the sentences. The level of the noise is fixed at 65 dB SPL, while the level of the speech signal is altered depending on the response of the patient. Each list consists of ten sentences and the speech reception threshold (SRT) is calculated as the mean level of the last five sentences together with the level of the imaginary 11th sentence of the list. This speech in noise test is performed both pre- and postoperatively in an aided, free field situation with the loudspeaker in front of the subject at a distance of one meter. |
| Free field best aided speech in quiet audiometry (phoneme score): SRT | Baseline | Speech reception in quiet is measured using Dutch open-set word lists. Each list consists of twelve monosyllabic words (consonant-vowel-consonant) of which one is a training item. The lists are presented at 65, 55, 40, 30, 20 and 10 dB SPL in free field with a loudspeaker at 0° azimuth. The intensity at which 50% of the phonemes is received correctly, is the SRT. |
| Free field best aided hearing thresholds: Fletcher Index (FI) | Baseline | The best aided thresholds with no, one or two hearing aid(s) are measured through free field audiometry with warble tones. The loudspeaker is placed at a distance of one meter in front of the subject at ear level. |
| RBANS-H index scores | Baseline | The RBANS-H assesses five cognitive domains (Immediate Memory, Visuospatial/constructional, Language, Attention and Delayed Memory). The test consists of twelve subtests and the score on each subtest contributes to one of the five domains. |
| Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) | Baseline | The DHI is used to quantify the impact of dizziness on everyday life. This 25-item questionnaire was developed to assess the self-perceived handicapping effects imposed by vestibular system disorders. Each item is rated as Yes = 4, Sometimes = 2 or No = 0 and contributes to one of three subscales, namely Functional, Emotional and Physical. A total score is calculated adding the scores on each item. |
| General questionnaire | Baseline | A non-validated general questionnaire on education and profession, medical history, hearing aid use and tinnitus |
| Health Utilities Index-2/3 (HUI 2/3) | Baseline | The HUI questionnaire measures the self-perceived health status of the participant and rates the health-related quality of life (HRQL). The questionnaire consists of 17 items with four to six options. The HRQL scoring systems provide utility (preference) scores on a generic scale where dead = 0.00 and perfect health = 1.00. |
Countries
Belgium
Contacts
Primary ContactPaul Van de Heyning, prof PhD MD
Backup ContactAnnes J. Claes, MSc
Outcome results
None listed