American Journal of Audiology最新文献

{"title":"Effects of Independent Dynamic Range Compression of Speech and Music Signals on Sound Quality.","authors":"Varsha Rallapalli, Yu-Hsuan Huang, Ryan Corey","doi":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00171","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00171","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to compare the effects of independent dynamic range compression (independent DRC) and conventional mixed-signal dynamic range compression (conventional DRC) on the sound quality of speech and music, in an ideal condition where the individual sound sources are available to the compressor. The hypothesis is that independent DRC optimized for individual signals yields higher sound quality ratings than conventional DRC optimized for a single signal.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Participants were 15 young adults with audiometrically normal hearing. Stimuli included a 10-s-long spontaneous speech sample spoken by a female talker mixed with a classical music excerpt. The speech level was fixed at 65 dBA, and the music level was varied to achieve three speech-to-background ratios (SBRs; -10, 0, and 10 dB). A hearing aid simulator applied frequency-specific gain for a standard mild-moderate hearing loss with three amplification strategies: (a) conventional DRC-speech and music were compressed with a 50-ms release time after the signals were mixed; (b) independent DRC-speech was compressed with a 50-ms release time, and music was independently compressed with a 4,000-ms release before the signals were mixed; and (c) linear amplification (control condition)-stimuli were processed with linear amplification, before or after mixing. The participants rated sound quality across four scales: overall sound quality, speech clarity, speech naturalness, and music naturalness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Independent DRC yielded higher ratings than conventional DRC and linear amplification for overall sound quality and speech clarity at -10 dB SBR. Both DRC strategies resulted in poorer speech clarity ratings than linear amplification at 10 dB SBR. There were no significant differences between the amplification strategies for speech naturalness and music naturalness scales across SBRs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results are a proof-of-concept that, under ideal circumstances, independent compression of sound sources can improve speech clarity and overall sound quality, particularly when the speech is softer than background music. Generally, DRC may result in poorer speech clarity compared to linear amplification when speech is more intense than background music. The results provide a baseline for future work involving independent compression of sound sources.</p><p><strong>Supplemental material: </strong>https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31855201.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"745-759"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147634919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Normal Hearing Thresholds in Korean Adults Aged 20-79 Years: Establishing Reference Values and Comparison With International Organization for Standardization 7029:2017.","authors":"Dongwoo Lee, Chanbeom Kwak, Junghee Sagong, Donghyeok Lee, Yuseon Byun, Young Joon Seo, In-Ki Jin","doi":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00295","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00295","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to establish age-specific and ear-specific normative hearing thresholds for Korean adults aged 20-79 years, examining interaural asymmetry, sex-related variations, internal consistency, and comparing findings with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 7029:2017.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of 1,409 participants (382 men, 1,027 women) with otologically normal hearing were included in this multicenter cross-sectional study (2021-2024). Ear-specific audiometry was performed at standard frequencies (250-8000 Hz) with calibrated equipment across four hospitals in South Korea. Measurement equivalence across institutions was confirmed through equivalence testing.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Measurement equivalence was confirmed across institutions (± 4-dB equivalence bounds). Age-specific normative hearing thresholds were established for Korean adults. Significant interaural asymmetry was observed, with right ear thresholds higher than left ear thresholds by an average of 2.8 dB in women and 1.7 dB in men (<i>p</i> < .05), particularly in younger adults (20s-50s). Sex differences were significant at specific frequencies and age groups, with men demonstrating higher thresholds than women. Internal consistency varied significantly by sex and age group, with men showing lower consistency in middle-aged groups (40s-50s). Korean hearing thresholds diverged significantly from ISO 7029:2017 medians across most age groups and frequencies (elevations: 2.0-19.0 dB, <i>p</i> < .05). Minimum required sample sizes varied substantially across demographic subgroups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides age-specific and ear-specific normative hearing thresholds for Korean adults. The findings revealed statistically significant interaural differences and deviations from ISO standards, underscoring the importance of population-specific reference data and updating international standards with contemporary cohort-specific information.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"691-711"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147949826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-Reported Hearing Loss and Expressions of Anger in U.S. Older Adults.","authors":"Jessica S West, Hannah R Crowder, Rong Jiang, Matthew E Dupre","doi":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00263","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00263","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Hearing loss is the most prevalent sensory disability in older adults and has been linked to various forms of psychological distress. However, the extent to which hearing loss contributes to anger remains unclear. This study investigated the association between self-reported hearing loss and expressions of anger in U.S. males and females.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We examined data from a nationally representative prospective cohort of older adults in the 2006-2012 Health and Retirement Study (<i>n</i> = 10,664). Hearing status was assessed at each wave by self-reported hearing loss (higher scores indicated greater hearing loss). Outcomes included internalized anger (anger-in) and externalized anger (anger-out) scales based on participants' reported frequency of anger (range: 1-4). Linear mixed models were used to estimate anger scores while adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among study participants (<i>M</i>_age = 66.77 years [±9.06]), males were more likely to report worse hearing compared to females (1.77 [1.08] vs. 1.40 [0.99]) and had greater levels of anger at baseline than females. Multivariable mixed models showed that worse hearing was associated with significantly greater levels of anger-in (β = 0.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.03, 0.05], <i>p</i> < .001) and anger-out (β = 0.03, 95% CI [0.03, 0.04], <i>p</i> < .001). There was no significant sex difference in anger-in (interaction <i>p</i> = .362); however, males with worse hearing reported greater levels of anger-out than females (interaction <i>p</i> = .010). The associations remained largely unchanged after accounting for covariates.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Results demonstrate the influence of hearing loss on anger and suggest that interventions for anger management may promote healthy aging in U.S. males and females with hearing loss.</p><p><strong>Supplemental material: </strong>https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.32292633.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"724-733"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13237582/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147976621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Transducer High-Frequency Output on Clinically Used Speech Recognition in Noise Tests.","authors":"Sangamanatha Ankmnal Veeranna, Jennifer Chapman","doi":"10.1044/2025_AJA-25-00248","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2025_AJA-25-00248","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of the present study was to determine whether standard and high-frequency transducers influence test scores on clinically used speech-in-noise (SIN) assessments, such as the Word-In-Noise (WIN) and QuickSIN tests.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Sixteen individuals whose hearing thresholds were within normal limits (≤ 25 dB HL at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz), and nine individuals with sensorineural hearing loss participated in this research. Hearing thresholds were obtained at extended high frequencies in adults with normal hearing. The WIN and QuickSIN tests were administered to only one ear. These tests were conducted using the RadioEar IP30 and RadioEar DD450 transducers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were no significant differences in the WIN and QuickSIN test scores between the IP30 and DD450 transducers in both groups. Analysis of WIN and QuickSIN test scores of individuals whose thresholds were within normal limits while controlling for age and extended high-frequency hearing thresholds showed no significant effect of the transducer, suggesting that these factors did not influence the test scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings of this study suggest that both IP30 inserts and DD450 headphones are suitable for use in WIN and QuickSIN testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"557-564"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147515946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Usability and Performance of the Apple Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Feature.","authors":"Megan Kruger, Vinaya Manchaiah, De Wet Swanepoel","doi":"10.1044/2025_AJA-25-00192","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2025_AJA-25-00192","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study provides the first independent evaluation of the Apple Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Feature (OTC-HAF), examining its usability and laboratory performance among adults with self-perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A cross-sectional evaluation was conducted at a university audiology clinic. Digitally literate iPhone users (<i>n</i> = 25, ages 20-72 years) independently used AirPods Pro 2 to complete the Apple Hearing Test Feature and activate the OTC-HAF. The sample size aligns with usability model recommendations for moderately complex systems. Outcomes were assessed immediately after setup.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Usability was high, with a mean mHealth App Usability Questionnaire score of 6.7/7 (<i>SD =</i> 0.3) and a mean Hearing Aid Skills and Knowledge Inventory-Clinical score of 93.4% (<i>SD =</i> 9.0%). Study-specific questionnaire responses showed high satisfaction, good sound quality, and ease of use. Qualitative feedback highlighted affordability, convenience, and dual-purpose design, with some noting occlusion and difficulty locating settings. Some participants reported they would only use the device situationally. The audiogram import feature showed limited accuracy: 71% of thresholds were within 5 dB of the reference when both ears were scanned together and 73% when each ear was scanned separately, with 12% and 8% of thresholds missing for these methods, respectively. Objective performance measures showed nonsignificant speech-in-noise benefit (Quick Speech-in-Noise Test mean benefit of 0.1 dB SNR, <i>SD =</i> 1.9), and real-ear measurements showed gain levels generally below National Acoustic Laboratories-Non-Linear 2 targets.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Apple OTC-HAF showed high usability and satisfaction among digitally literate iPhone users, but nonsignificant speech-in-noise benefit and gain levels generally lower than prescriptive targets. Further research should explore broader applicability, long-term outcomes, and strategies to support uptake and consistent use.</p><p><strong>Supplemental material: </strong>https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.31366123.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"472-486"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147285617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does Misophonia Affect Spatial Hearing? A Study Using Closed-Field Assessment Tools.","authors":"Urmi Roy, Prashanth Prabhu, Kavassery Venkateswaran Nisha","doi":"10.1044/2025_AJA-25-00058","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2025_AJA-25-00058","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The study compared spatial hearing in individuals with misophonia, by examining interaural time difference (ITD) and interaural level difference (ILD) thresholds, Virtual Acoustic Spatial Identification (VASI) scores, and potential correlations between these thresholds and the Amsterdam Misophonia Questionnaire (A-MISO-S).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Standard group comparison consisting of 40 individuals with normal hearing was conducted. Participants were divided into two groups: 20 individuals with misophonia and 20 without misophonia (controls). Misophonia was diagnosed based on A-MISO-S scores. Behavioral assessments included ITD and ILD, and VASI tests (identification of eight virtual locations), which were carried out in a closed field environment (under headphones).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Multivariate analysis of variance results showed that the misophonic group demonstrated significantly higher ITD thresholds and significantly lower overall VASI accuracy scores. This effect was also reflected in location-specific performance on VASI test, with markedly poorer scores at the R45 and L45 positions, compared to the nonmisophonic group. Correlational analysis showed significant negative correlation between A-MISO-S scores and VASI accuracy scores, in a misophonic group. Furthermore, Fisher discriminant analysis revealed that ITD and VASI are effective predictors of group segregation based on spatial hearing performance, with an overall classification accuracy of 95%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings suggest that misophonia may be associated with reduced performance on binaural hearing tasks involving temporal cues (ITD) and spatial identification tasks (VASI). This may be secondary to limited cognitive resources in complex spatial tasks and altered binaural temporal processing in misophonics.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"531-544"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147436937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patient-Centered Hearing Intervention Leads to Positive Outcomes: The Association of Hearing Technology With Daily Hearing Aid Usage and Listening Goals in the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders Study.","authors":"Victoria A Sanchez, Emmanuel E Garcia Morales, Michelle L Arnold, Haley N Neil Calloway, Sarah Faucette, Adele M Goman, Alison R Huang, Christine M Mitchell, Nicholas S Reed, Laura Sherry, Jacqueline M Weycker, Theresa H Chisolm","doi":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00229","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00229","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose: &lt;/strong&gt;This study describes the patient-centered approach to hearing technology selection and fitting of the participants randomized to a best practice hearing intervention as part of the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders (ACHIEVE) study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03243422). We evaluated associations between hearing technology with daily hours of hearing aid use and listening and communication goal achievement.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Method: &lt;/strong&gt;The ACHIEVE study (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 977) was a multicenter, randomized controlled trial designed to test the effect of a best practice hearing intervention versus health education control on cognitive decline over 3 years among older adults with untreated hearing loss. Participants were aged 70-84 years, had adult-onset mild-to-moderate hearing loss, had no previous hearing aid use, and were without substantial cognitive impairment at baseline. Participants randomized to the hearing intervention (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 490) received a patient-centered comprehensive hearing program including hearing aids with varying feature sets, characterized as &lt;i&gt;standard&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;advanced&lt;/i&gt;, and &lt;i&gt;premium&lt;/i&gt; technology levels, and offered at least one hearing-assistive technology (HAT). The Client-Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI) was used to identify listening needs that guided intervention delivery and was used to assess attainment of hearing-related goals following ~10-week intervention period. Hearing aid datalogging was used to measure hours of daily wear. We estimated the association between hearing aid technology level, HATs, hours of wear, and COSI goal attainment using an ordered logistic model adjusting for auditory and sociodemographic characteristics. Proportionality odds assumption was checked for all models.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 459 participants completed the hearing intervention and reported outcomes. Selection of hearing aid technology level and HATs was guided through evidence-based protocol-directed recommendations, with 88 (19%) participants receiving standard; 260 (57%) participants, advanced; and 111 (24%) participants, premium hearing aid technology. Mean daily hours of hearing aid use was high (&lt;i&gt;M&lt;/i&gt; = 9.3 hr across all participants) and did not differ between hearing technology (levels or HATs). Participant COSI goals, which included categories such as conversation in noise and in quiet or attending church and/or meetings, improved and were not dependent on technology used. Participants benefited from patient-centered hearing intervention, and there were no statistically significant associations among hearing aid technology level, HATs, hours of use, and change in COSI goals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;The patient-centered selection of hearing technology used in the ACHIEVE study resulted in high levels of hearing aid and HAT usage, along with positive COSI listening goal attainment for the majority of participants. Carefully assessed","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"634-651"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13492100/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147787215","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dual Assessment of Word Recognition and Auditory Working Memory in Older Adults With Hearing Loss: Validation of the Korean Word Recognition and Span Test.","authors":"Sungmin Lee, Soo Jung Lee","doi":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00146","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00146","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study aimed to validate the Korean Word Recognition and Span Test (K-WRST) in older adults with hearing loss. The K-WRST was developed to simultaneously assess auditory working memory and monosyllabic word recognition using standardized Korean Speech Audiometry materials.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Forty-two older adults (age range: 60-84 years, <i>M</i> = 70.67 years, <i>SD</i> = 6.05) with slight to profound age-related hearing loss participated in this study. The K-WRST was administered under four test conditions, varying by background noise (quiet vs. noise) and recall order (forward vs. backward): quiet-forward (QF), quiet-backward (QB), noise-forward, and noise-backward (NB). Outcome measures included word recognition scores, percent correct recall, and word-recall span. Validation was conducted by examining correlations and regression analyses between K-WRST outcomes and working memory measures, including digit span scores from the Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition and a reference word span test (R-WST).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Word recognition and recall performance were significantly affected by noise, with quiet conditions yielding higher scores. Word-recall span was highest in the QF condition and lowest in the NB condition. Among the four conditions, QB span scores demonstrated the strongest and most consistent correlations with both digit span and R-WST outcomes. Regression analyses identified QB span as the best predictor of working memory outcomes in older adults.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The K-WRST appears to be a valid tool for concurrently assessing word recognition and auditory working memory in older adults with hearing loss. The results underscore the clinical potential of the K-WRST, particularly the QB condition, as a cognitively informative measure in audiological evaluation.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"591-603"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147693258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the Effects of Caloric Vestibular Stimulations on Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission Responses.","authors":"Handan Turan Dizdar, Oğuz Yilmaz, Oğulcan Gündoğdu","doi":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00234","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00234","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Although the effects of the auditory system on the balance system are known, we do not possess sufficient knowledge about the possible effects of the balance system on the auditory system. This study aims to investigate the impact of bithermal caloric stimulation on the outer hair cell functions of the contralateral ear.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were recorded before, during, and after bithermal caloric stimulation. A repeated-measures multivariate analysis examined the effects of Condition (pre, cold, warm, post) and Frequency (13 <i>f</i>₂ frequencies).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>DPOAE amplitudes decreased significantly during caloric-induced nystagmus. A significant effect was observed among DPOAE frequencies. The largest amplitude changes occurred in the midfrequency range, while smaller response changes were seen at both low and high frequencies. This significant frequency interaction indicates that caloric-induced suppression varies across frequencies. Furthermore, both cold and warm irrigation reduced DPOAE amplitudes with warm irrigation, in particular, generally provided greater suppression and showed that this effect was related to the rate of caloric stimulation. Posttest values showed that this reduction persisted, albeit to a lesser extent than during active irrigation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study shows a significant decrease in DPOAE results for all frequencies during caloric stimulation, supporting the idea that vestibular inputs affect the auditory system through central mechanisms. These findings contribute to emerging evidence of bidirectional interactions between the vestibular and auditory systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"628-633"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147934896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Idiopathic Musical Ear Syndrome in a Young Adult: A Case Report and Therapeutic Response.","authors":"Selva Samaei, Ashika Govindaraju, Aswinlal Kuzhikkatt, Aysha Afra, Asna Perincheeri, Prashanth Prabhu","doi":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00214","DOIUrl":"10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00214","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Musical ear syndrome (MES), or musical hallucinations, is a rare auditory phenomenon involving the perception of music in the absence of external stimuli. This case report presents an idiopathic occurrence of MES in a young female with normal hearing, highlighting the potential efficacy of structured auditory therapy in reducing symptom distress.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A 19-year-old female reported vivid, complex musical hallucinations persisting for 2 years, without any psychiatric, neurological, or audiological abnormalities. Comprehensive audiological and neuropsychological assessments were conducted, including pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, otoacoustic emissions, imaging, and standardized questionnaires (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory [THI]). A 12-session intervention involving psychoeducation, sound enrichment, and auditory retraining using patient-selected stimuli was implemented.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Audiological and neurological evaluations were normal. The patient demonstrated progressive improvement with intervention: Her THI score reduced from 54 (moderate handicap) to 12 (slight handicap) over 3 months. Qualitative reports also indicated reduced intensity of hallucinations, improved emotional coping, and enhanced social engagement.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This case underscores the potential for nonpharmacological auditory interventions to alleviate MES-related distress, even in idiopathic cases with normal hearing. The findings challenge traditional assumptions linking MES strictly to hearing loss and support expanding diagnostic and therapeutic frameworks for younger populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":49241,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"415-422"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147475756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}