Clinical Research Directory

Transitional Intervention for Hyperacusis in Autism

The main goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness, benefits, and post-treatment persistence of an intervention for loudness hyperacusis in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the intervention increase loudness tolerance * Does the intervention reduce symptoms related to loudness hyperacusis Researchers will compare measures related to loudness hyperacusis before, during, and after the intervention. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to either one of two groups. One group will receiver the intervention immediately. This group will be evaluated during the 6-month intervention and evaluated for 6 months after the end of the intervention. The other group will be evaluated for 6 months before the intervention and during the 6-month intervention. * Visit the test site once every month over the course of a year for evaluation and intervention activities * Keep a diary of their symptoms and the number of hours per day they engage in the intervention

Biomodulator Patch for Subjective Tinnitus

This study tested whether a skin patch, worn behind the ear, could help reduce tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) in adults. Eighty participants took part. Half wore an active patch, and half wore a patch that looked the same but had no active effect (a placebo). Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who received which patch until the study ended. All participants also received an educational counseling session about tinnitus and how to manage it. Participants were assessed before treatment, three weeks later, about seven weeks later, and again about one year later. The researchers measured how much tinnitus affected their daily life, their sensitivity to sound, and their anxiety or mood.

Role of Exposure in Hyperacusis

This study focuses on patients with a primary complaint of hyperacusis. Hyperacusis has been defined as 'abnormally reduced tolerance to sound'. It shows a high comorbidity with tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of a sound source. For the period of one month, hyperacusis and tinnitus severity and exposure to sounds will be evaluated by use of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in all participants. A novel approach to assessments, EMA prompts participants during their daily life to answer short questionnaires, increasing ecological validity and minimizing the risk for recall and memory biases. At a randomized time point during the one-month period, participants will individually receive a single psychoeducation session (1h) delivered by an experienced audiologist. The goal of the study is to investigate if the psychoeducation session leads to an increase in exposure to sound and a decrease in hyperacusis severity.

Treatment of Tinnitus With Noninvasive Neuromodulation and Listening Therapy

The goal of this study is to use non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with active listening therapy to treat tinnitus and hyperacusis and related conditions.

A Feasibility Study of a Novel, Fully Remote Counseling and Sound Therapy Program for Hyperacusis

There is no universal approach used to treat hyperacusis, a condition defined as having reactions to sound as too loud, annoying, fearful, or painful. A collaborative report published by prominent researchers recommended counseling and sound therapy for managing hyperacusis, but emphasized the need for rigorously designed clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of these treatments. The investigators developed a face-to-face counseling approach, Hyperacusis Activities Treatment (HAT), and have demonstrated its effectiveness for in-person therapy. In this study, the investigators will conduct a controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the two components of HAT in managing hyperacusis: Aim 1, remotely delivered counseling, and Aim 2, sound therapy. In Aim 1, participants will complete four weeks of remote counseling using instructional videos, homework activities, discussion forums, and hands-on exercises. To ensure rigor in the approach, all participants will complete 4 weeks of weekly monitoring (control) before beginning counseling (treatment) for an additional 4 weeks. In aim 2, participants will be randomized into one of two sound therapy groups: (1) Group 1: Listen to their individually chosen bothersome sounds using successive approximations or a gradual increase in sound level; and (2) Group 2: Listen to continuous, low-level background noise. In both groups, devices will be fit remotely and used for 1-2 hours per day for four weeks. Completion of this R15 Academic Research Enhancement Award project at Augustana College will lead to a shift in hyperacusis management by providing early clinical evidence for the effectiveness of the components that make up the HAT protocol: counseling and sound therapy.