Clinical Research Directory

Performance and Hearing-related Outcomes in Adults Implanted With the CI622D Dexamethasone-eluting Cochlear Implant Compared to Those Implanted With a Standard Cochlear Implant (CI622)

This clinical study will test a newly developed cochlear implant known as CI622D. This experimental cochlear implant has been designed to slowly release a drug called dexamethasone. Dexamethasone works to ease inflammation, which is common after any surgical procedure. The goal is to learn if there are added benefits in implant performance and hearing outcomes with the dexamethasone-releasing cochlear implant (CI622D) vs. the standard cochlear implant (CI622) without dexamethasone. The study will be conducted in adults with sensorineural hearing loss, a type of hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve. The study participants will undergo a series of tests that include testing their implant and their hearing. They will also complete questionnaires to see how they rate their hearing ability and their overall general health.

Technology-assisted Language Intervention (TALI)

This study is testing the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication technology among deaf or hard of hearing children for improving language development. Children will be randomized to receive either the technology intervention or treatment as usual

Preschool Hearing Screening

Children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (D/HH) are at risk of speech and language delays, which can be mitigated through early identification and intervention. Identifying hearing loss (HL) during preschool is crucial, but the most effective hearing screening method for preschoolers remains uncertain. The purpose of this study is to learn whether, compared to the gold-standard two-stage Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) + otoacoustic emissions (OAE) screening (TS-PO), single-stage OAE (SS-O) screening alone is not inferior at identifying hearing loss when performed in a community-based preschool setting. This study holds the potential to improve early hearing loss detection and intervention among D/HH children, reducing the likelihood of speech and language delays. A diverse group of 13,764 preschool-age children across community-based preschool centers will be recruited. The intervention involves all subjects undergoing both PTA and OAE screening, with the order determined through randomization. Children who show potential hearing issues based on screening results or teacher concerns will receive further testing to determine the final hearing outcome. Group allocation will be post-hoc, based on their screening results. In addition to the primary objective, the study will compare other hearing screening measures and outcomes between the two methods (TS-PO and SS-O). This approach aims to reflect the real-life effectiveness of hearing screening in a diverse population. Ultimately, the study seeks to provide insights into an optimal hearing screening method that could prevent speech and language delays among D/HH children.

Sentence Shaping - DHH

The proposed research addresses a long-standing and important challenge of improving literacy skills of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, a historically under researched group. The investigators aim to leverage shape coding - an empirically validated intervention approach for constructing sentences in spoken English - for improving how efficiently children who are deaf and hard of hearing learn to correctly construct sentences in written English. To advance the promising yet underutilized research on shape coding, the investigators complete the next logical step of applying the visual supports provided with shape coding to written language for deaf and hard of hearing children. Shape coding has been effective for teaching sentence structure in spoken English to children with language disabilities and has recently been applied to sentence structure in American Sign Language with deaf and hard of hearing children. Intervention involving shape coding is predicted to result in increased accuracy of word order in sentences in written English because deaf and hard of hearing children often benefit from visual information. The investigators will accomplish this aim using single case multiple probe across participants design studies with 30 fifth through eighth grade children who are deaf and hard of hearing. The knowledge gained will guide language and literacy intervention for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Safety and Effectiveness of Cochlear Implantation in an Expanded Adult Population

This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cochlear implantation for adults with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss who currently do not meet the FDA-approved indications for cochlear implantation. Following cochlear implantation, participants will complete speech perception assessments and questionnaires over the course of seven visits.

Characterisation of Low Frequency Hearing and Vestibular Function in Patients Undergoing Cochlear Implantation

The study will follow a cohort of CI-candidates becoming CI-user, till two years postoperative. A through-out assessment of both their audiological and vestibular status will be carried out at multiple fixed timepoints over 2 years, evaluating both subjective (patients reported) and objective outcomes over time. For the audiological part of the study both pure-tone and speech audiometry results will be held against the patient perceived benefit of the treatment as assessed by the questionnaires NCIQ and SSQ-12. The vestibular part of the study will evaluate the function of the SCCs and the sacculus. This is will be put in concert with functional tests of the vestibular system, and the patient perceived outcome measure DHI. Correlations between vestibular and audiological performances will be examined. A collection of specific hypotheses will be tested by predefined statistical methods.

Long-Term Outcomes of Early Communication Intervention for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Toddlers

The overall goal of this randomized clinical trial is to learn about the effects of a parent-mediated intervention (PMI) designed to support communication outcomes for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. Previously, the investigators enrolled 96 DHH children between 12 and 18 months of age and their parents. Families were randomly assigned to receive either the PMI or a business-as-usual control group. The PMI was a 6-month intervention that included weekly, hour-long Zoom sessions. During the intervention sessions, parents were taught communication support strategies to support their child's language development throughout daily routines and play. This current period of the trial follows the same children into early elementary school to determine whether the effects of the PMI are long-lasting. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the PMI improve language, reading, and social communication outcomes in the early school years? * Does parent involvement during early intervention support continued engagement in their child's education? The investigators will compare parents and children who received the PMI to those in the business-as-usual control group to determine whether the intervention has lasting effects on these outcomes. Participants will complete standardized assessments, parent-report surveys, and video-recorded naturalistic interactions. All assessments will be completed remotely.

Clinical Utility of Residual Hearing in the Cochlear Implant Ear

The current study is a randomized multi-center clinical trial that investigates the role an intraoperative hearing monitoring system (electrocochleography) has on helping to save residual hearing in patients undergoing cochlear implantation (CI).

Speech Understanding and Listening Effort Benefits of Hearing Instruments

The goal of this clinical study is to investigate the benefits of hearing instrument use in adults with hearing loss. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does hearing instrument use improve speech understanding and listening effort amount people with hearing loss? Researchers will compare varying models of hearing instruments to see how speech understanding and listening effort are impacted. Participants will be asked to wearing varying hearing instruments and participate in lab-based activities to evaluate their speech understanding, listening effort, and subjective preference.