Audiology Research最新文献

{"title":"Effects of a Nanotechnology-Based Application on Balance Control in Hearing Aid Users.","authors":"Francesca Campoli, Andrea Fabris, Donatella Di Corrado, Dorota Kostrzewa-Nowak, Robert Nowak, Lucio Caprioli, Vincenzo Cristian Francavilla, Elvira Padua, Giuseppe Messina","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020042","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020042","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Balance impairment and falls are a major health concern in older adults. Beyond vestibular and visual factors, growing evidence indicates that age-related hearing loss contributes to postural instability through altered multisensory integration. However, interventions addressing the interaction between auditory input and postural control remain limited. This study examined whether integrating Taopatch^® nanotechnology, based on localized photobiomodulation, into conventional hearing aids could influence postural control in individuals with hearing loss.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Forty experienced hearing aid users (mean age 77.3 ± 15.6 years) completed five postural assessments using a SensorMedica^® baropodometric platform. Four sessions employed a placebo patch identical in appearance to the active device, and the fifth used Taopatch^®. Static and stabilometric parameters were analyzed under open- and closed-eye conditions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant improvements were observed with the Taopatch^®-integrated device. Sway path length (-8%, <i>p</i> = 0.002), mean velocity (-8%, <i>p</i> = 0.002), and low-frequency sway (-30%, <i>p</i> = 0.04) decreased, indicating smoother and more efficient postural control. A lateral redistribution of plantar load and an increase in contact surface area (up to +15%) were also found. These effects were less evident without visual input.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Preliminary findings suggest that localized photobiomodulation integrated into hearing aids may positively influence postural stability in older adults with hearing impairment, possibly by supporting sensory integration processes. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm these effects and clarify the underlying mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010744/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Novel Water Method for Reducing Air Conduction in Soft Tissue Conduction.","authors":"Shai Chordekar, Haim Sohmer, Miriam Geal-Dor","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020041","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Bone vibrator (BV) stimulation applied to skin sites on the body elicits hearing by soft tissue conduction (STC). However, BV stimulation to sites far from the ear requires the delivery of higher-intensity stimulus vibrations to achieve threshold, which can then induce hearing by air conduction (AC) contamination. This problem limits the study of STC thresholds at sites more distant from the ear. <b>Objective:</b> To overcome this problem, we evaluated the possibility of delivering STC vibratory stimuli to body sites in a water bath, based on the different acoustic impedances between air and water, which produces a 30 dB reduction in transmission from water to air. <b>Methods:</b> A standard clinical BV delivered vibration stimuli (tonal and speech stimuli) applied directly to two body sites: finger and foot. BV and body sites were immersed in a water bath. One control involved both stimulation site and BV both in water, but not in contact. In an additional control, the BV was in the bath, while the stimulation site was out of the bath. <b>Results:</b> STC hearing of both pure tones and speech could be elicited at stimulus intensities below those induced by control stimulation (body site and BV both in water, but not in contact; BV in bath, stimulation site out of bath). STC thresholds at the finger site were lower than those at the foot. <b>Conclusions:</b> The current results suggest that water-immersion method enables study of STC hearing in response to higher-intensity vibrational stimuli, and at body sites more distant from the ear, without contamination by AC hearing.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010688/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147504835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New Insight into Potential Otoprotective Effects of Lactoferrin: Is It Paradoxically Ototoxic? An Experimental Investigation.","authors":"Ahmet Mutlu, Ayse Yasemin Gunduz, Burcu Bakici, Murat Erinc, Erdogan Bulut, Onur Ersoy, Serdal Celik, Dogan Cakan, Mahmut Tayyar Kalcioglu","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020040","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To evaluate the potential ototoxic effects of lactoferrin on the inner ear using electrophysiological and histological methods.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats (64 ears) were divided into four groups: control, saline, antiseptic solution (70% isopropyl alcohol + 2% chlorhexidine), and lactoferrin. Groups II-IV received three intratympanic injections. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests were performed at baseline, day 7, and day 21. Cochlear histology and VEGF immunoreactivity were assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Baseline hearing was similar across groups. Post-treatment, Groups II and IV showed partial recovery at 8, 16, and 24 kHz, while Groups III and IV had worsening thresholds at higher frequencies. Histologically, Group IV's cochlear structures remained largely intact. VEGF immunoreactivity was severe to moderate in Groups I, II, and IV, and weaker in Group III.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Lactoferrin showed relative safety at lower frequencies but possible ototoxicity at higher frequencies. However, no significant structural damage was observed in cochlear tissues.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010596/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bedside Approach to Acute Vertigo with Spontaneous Horizontal Nystagmus: The Role of Simultaneous Ice-Water Test Stimulation and Its Correlation with the HINTS Protocol in Differentiating Peripheral and Central Etiologies.","authors":"Luigi Califano, Cataldo Latorre, Maria Grazia Melillo, Iacopo Cangiano, Giuseppe Manna, Maria Gabriella Coppola, Roberto Teggi","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020039","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020039","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acute vertigo is among the most frequent causes of access to the Emergency Department. In acute vestibular syndrome, differentiating peripheral from central causes remains challenging. The HINTS protocol provides high diagnostic accuracy but requires expertise and adequately informed physicians. The caloric ice-water test has recently been proposed as a bedside tool to aid this differential diagnosis. This study evaluates a novel approach: simultaneous bilateral ice-water irrigation in association with the HINTS protocol.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>One hundred consecutive patients presenting with acute vertigo and spontaneous unidirectional nystagmus were enrolled across three Italian centers. All patients underwent clinical assessment including among other the HINTS protocol and the simultaneous bilateral ice-water irrigation. Changes in spontaneous nystagmus during the ice test were recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eighty-six patients fulfilled HINTS criteria for acute unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy, all of whom demonstrated marked suppression/abolition of nystagmus during the simultaneous ice test. In contrast, nystagmus persisted in all 12 patients classified as having central vestibular pathology.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Simultaneous bilateral ice-water irrigation is a simple and well-tolerated bedside test that demonstrates strong concordance with the HINTS protocol. While it cannot replace comprehensive clinical assessment, it represents a valuable complementary tool to distinguish peripheral from central causes of acute vertigo.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010788/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mandibular Movement During Swallowing in Patients with Tinnitus: An Instrumented Case-Control Study.","authors":"Henri Albert Didier, Federica Di Berardino, Giorgio Lilli, Diego Zanetti, Alexander Henri Didier, Giorgio Raponi, Saverio Joshua Leone, Silvia Romano, Marco Farronato, Elisa Boccalari, Marco Serafin, Alberto Caprioglio, Dino Re, Aldo Bruno Giannì","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020038","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020038","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Objectives&lt;/b&gt;: This study aimed to determine whether adults with tinnitus exhibit altered phase-specific mandibular kinematics during saliva swallowing and increased prevalence of tongue thrust and Eustachian-tube insufficiency versus tinnitus-free controls. &lt;b&gt;Methods&lt;/b&gt;: This was a cross-sectional case-control study including adults with tinnitus and controls. Standardized computerized kinesiography recorded three spontaneous saliva swallows per participant. Primary outcomes were opening/closing time (OCT) and post-closure stabilization time (STT); total swallowing time (SWT) was secondary. Tongue thrust (TT) and tubal insufficiency (TI) were assessed clinically. Distributional assumptions were checked with Shapiro-Wilk; between-group comparisons used two-sided Mann-Whitney U tests and Fisher's exact tests (TT, TI). Effect sizes included rank-biserial correlation (&lt;i&gt;r&lt;/i&gt;), Hodges-Lehmann median difference (Δ), and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals. Co-occurrence of TT and TI and their relationships with OCT, STT, and SWT were evaluated within strata (cases vs. controls) using Fisher's exact test, &lt;i&gt;φ&lt;/i&gt;, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Spearman's &lt;i&gt;ρ&lt;/i&gt;. Given the marked imbalance in age and sex between groups, unadjusted non-parametric comparisons were complemented by multivariable models with adjustment for age and sex. An omnibus non-parametric combination test summarized case-control differences across OCT, STT, and SWT. &lt;b&gt;Results&lt;/b&gt;: Statistical analysis was performed on 77 cases with tinnitus and 78 controls. Tinnitus cases showed longer OCT (1.75 ± 0.92 vs. 1.12 ± 0.62 s; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001; &lt;i&gt;r&lt;/i&gt; ≈ 0.40; Δ ≈ +0.60 s) and STT (1.44 ± 0.88 vs. 0.84 ± 0.62 s; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001; &lt;i&gt;r&lt;/i&gt; ≈ 0.42; Δ ≈ +0.60 s), while SWT differed modestly and was not significant (2.75 ± 0.69 vs. 2.57 ± 0.65 s; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.115; &lt;i&gt;r&lt;/i&gt; ≈ 0.15; Δ ≈ +0.18 s). TT was more frequent in cases (18.2%) than controls (6.4%; OR = 3.05, 95% CI 1.08-8.61; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.029), whereas TI occurred in 16.9% of cases and 0% of controls (corrected OR = 32.85, 95% CI 1.92-563.49; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001). Within tinnitus cases, TT and TI did not show meaningful co-occurrence (&lt;i&gt;φ&lt;/i&gt; ≈ -0.03; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 1.00). TT+ tinnitus patients exhibited markedly prolonged OCT compared with TT- (median 2.22 vs. 1.45 s; Δ ≈ +0.88 s; &lt;i&gt;r&lt;/i&gt; ≈ 0.60; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001), whereas STT and SWT were minimally affected; TI was not materially associated with any swallowing-time parameter. Spearman analyses confirmed a moderate monotonic association between TT and OCT in tinnitus cases (&lt;i&gt;ρ&lt;/i&gt; ≈ 0.40; &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001), with all other correlations small and clinically negligible. Age- and sex-adjusted analyses confirmed longer OCT and STT in tinnitus cases, whereas SWT remained non-significant; TT and TI also remained more frequent in cases after adjustment. The omnibus test indicated a clear global separation between groups across OCT, STT, and SWT (permutation &lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010669/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Personalized Hearing Loss Care Using SNOMED CT-Aligned Ontology and Random Forest Machine Learning: A Hybrid Decision-Support Framework.","authors":"Darine Kebsi, Chamseddine Barki, Ismail Dergaa, Riadh Gouider, Halil İbrahim Ceylan, Amina Maddouri, Abderrazak Jemai, Mourad Elloumi, Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, Hanene Boussi Rahmouni","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020037","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020037","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Hearing loss affects over 466 million individuals globally and is recognized as a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, yet treatment personalization remains limited due to the complexity and diversity of underlying causes. Current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches lack standardized methods to accurately predict the most appropriate intervention for individual patients. The integration of medical ontologies with machine learning offers a promising solution for enhancing diagnostic accuracy and treatment personalization.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aim: &lt;/strong&gt;Our study aimed to (i) develop a Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT)-aligned clinical ontology for hearing loss using Semantic Web Rule Language for automated reasoning; (ii) implement a Random Forest classifier trained on ontology-enriched patient data to classify hearing loss types (conductive, sensorineural, mixed, or normal); and (iii) predict optimal personalized treatments based on laterality, severity, audiometric thresholds, and medical history using real-world patient data.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;We developed a task ontology using Protégé 5.6.3 with Web Ontology Language (OWL), integrated SNOMED CT terminology alignment, and implemented Semantic Web Rule Language rules executed by the Pellet 2.2.0 reasoner. The framework was trained and evaluated on 3723 adult patients from the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset with complete audiometric and clinical data. Random Forest models were developed using an 80-20 train-test split with stratified sampling and five-fold cross-validation. Performance was compared between K-Means clustering-based labeling and ontology-based semantic inference using accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and log loss metrics.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The ontology successfully generated semantic labels for all 3723 patients, enabling precise classification of hearing loss types, severity levels, and laterality. The Random Forest model with K-Means clustering achieved a test accuracy of 90.2% with a log loss of 0.2766 and a cross-validation mean accuracy of 91.22% (standard deviation 1.2%). Integration of ontology-based semantic enrichment significantly improved performance, achieving a test accuracy of 92.48% with a cross-validation mean accuracy of 92.80% (standard deviation 0.9%). F1-scores improved across all classes, with mixed hearing loss showing a notable increase from 0.86 to 0.92. Feature importance analysis identified audiometric thresholds, ontology-derived severity labels, and medical history as top predictors, enhancing clinical interpretability.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This study demonstrates that combining SNOMED CT-aligned ontology with Random Forest classification achieves superior diagnostic accuracy and enables personalized treatment recommendations for hearing loss. The hybrid framework provides clinically interpretab","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010750/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Tinnitus and Angina Pectoris in U.S. Adults: Evidence from NHANES 2009-2018.","authors":"Mitra Britton, Ishan Sunilkumar Bhatt","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020035","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>Tinnitus has been increasingly associated with cardiovascular disease, and recent phenome-wide analyses have identified angina pectoris as a condition linked to tinnitus. This study aimed to replicate and quantify the association between tinnitus and angina pectoris in a nationally representative U.S. adult sample using NHANES, while adjusting for key demographic, cardiovascular, and tinnitus-related risk factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using data from four NHANES cycles 2009-2018, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted, which included 9185 participants, and used multivariate logistic regression analyses to investigate the association between tinnitus and angina pectoris.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 9185 adults, angina was associated with higher odds of tinnitus in all models. In the crude model, OR = 3.30 (95% CI: 2.18-4.91, <i>p</i> < 0.001); partially adjusted, OR = 1.92 (95% CI: 1.27-2.89, <i>p</i> = 0.002); fully adjusted, OR = 1.65 (95% CI: 1.07-2.55, <i>p</i> = 0.026). In the fully adjusted model, hearing loss (OR = 4.11), noise exposure (OR = 1.63), current smoking (OR = 1.29), older age (OR = 1.01 per year), and total cholesterol (OR = 1.003 per mg/dL) were additional significant predictors for tinnitus.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, tinnitus was more frequently reported among individuals with a history of angina pectoris, and this association persisted after adjustment for demographic factors, socioeconomic status, hearing loss, noise exposure, smoking, and cardiometabolic comorbidities. These findings support emerging evidence that cardiovascular conditions may be associated with tinnitus, potentially reflecting shared vascular or systemic mechanisms. Given the cross-sectional design, causal inferences cannot be drawn, and the temporal relationship between angina and tinnitus remains unclear. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify underlying mechanisms, assess directionality, and determine whether cardiovascular risk modification may have implications for tinnitus prevention or management.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010772/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapeutic Assessment of TrkB Agonist in a Unilateral Blast-Induced Hearing Loss Mouse Model.","authors":"Sung Kyun Kim, Han-Gyu Bae, Jun Hee Kim","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020036","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>Blast-induced hearing loss (BIHL) is a major concern, particularly for military personnel, and is linked to impaired auditory neuron survival and synaptic plasticity. This study investigates the potential of the TrkB agonist 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) to reduce the severity of BIHL and promote recovery in a mouse model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eight-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were used. A custom-built, compressed air-driven system utilizing a modified paintball apparatus was employed to deliver controlled unilateral double blasts (~22 psi exposure pressure) to the left ear. The blasts were administered 30 min apart. Immediately following the second blast, mice received either 7,8-DHF (10 mg/kg) or vehicle (10% DMSO) via intraperitoneal injection. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were measured in both ears at baseline (pre-blast) and at several post-exposure time points.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The consecutive blast exposure induced a significant elevation in ABR thresholds, indicative of hearing loss, in both the ipsilateral (exposed) and contralateral (unexposed) ears of vehicle-treated mice. Notably, mice treated with 7,8-DHF demonstrated a marked improvement in hearing recovery compared to the vehicle group. Significant reductions in ABR thresholds were observed in the ipsilateral ear at 4 weeks post-blast (<i>p</i> < 0.0001) and in the contralateral ear as early as 1-week post-blast (<i>p</i> = 0.0236). However, the recovery was partial, with ABR thresholds plateauing after 4 weeks.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A controlled blast model demonstrates that systemic administration of the TrkB agonist 7,8-DHF exerts a protective effect, partially restoring auditory function after blast injury. This supports the therapeutic potential of targeting the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway for managing BIHL.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010636/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Influence of Hearing Aid Type on Reading: Results of an Eye-Tracking Study at University.","authors":"Regina Fefelova, Ilia Poputnikov, Mikhail Mozgovoi, Mikhail Konstantinov","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020033","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>The study examines the characteristics of reading written texts depending on the type of hearing aid (monaural or binaural) and the individual hearing compensatory device used (cochlear implant or hearing aid) by students studying engineering fields of study in inclusive higher education.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The identification of the students' characteristics while reading was carried out using an eye-tracker.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The data obtained by eye-tracking technology indicate that there are no significant differences in the gaze point indicators when reading everyday text between students with binaural hearing aids and students without hearing impairments. At the same time, students with monaural cochlear implants showed different gaze point indicators when reading everyday text compared to the results of groups of students without hearing impairments and students with binaural hearing aids. Significant differences were found in indicators related to pupil diameter, in particular between the groups of students with monaural cochlear implants and students with binaural hearing aids.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results demonstrate the need to adapt written teaching materials not only to take into account the characteristics caused by the hearing impairment itself, but also to take into account individual characteristics caused by the type of hearing aid. However, given the small sample size (13-14 people in each group) and multiple variables included (types of devices and number), the results should be interpreted with caution and considered preliminary-additional studies involving a larger number of participants are needed to confirm the identified patterns.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010651/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Binaural Processing Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorder.","authors":"John A Kara, Tashonda B Vaughn, Tanya Gandhi, Charles C Lee","doi":"10.3390/audiolres16020034","DOIUrl":"10.3390/audiolres16020034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The central auditory system integrates signals received from both ears to derive information about the spatial and spectral features of the emitting sound source. This binaural processing of acoustic information is critical for both communication and environmental awareness. However, these binaural computations may become disrupted in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), potentially leading to difficulties with speech perception, sound attention, and sensory hypersensitivity. Here, we present a narrative review of the emerging evidence regarding binaural processing deficits in ASD. These deficits include elevated thresholds for interaural time and level differences and reduced sound localization accuracy. In addition, physiological data suggests that these behavioral traits correspond with abnormal activity in central auditory structures. Molecular and cellular alterations to central auditory circuits may underlie these behavioral and physiological features, which could arise from both genetic and environmental factors. Overall, binaural processing alterations in ASD remain under-studied, with a need for future studies to identify neural circuit-level mechanisms and potential interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":44133,"journal":{"name":"Audiology Research","volume":"16 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13010764/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147505036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}