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Clinical Neurophysiology : Official... Jan 2020Systematically review the abnormalities in event related potential (ERP) recorded in Rett Syndrome (RTT) patients and animals in search of translational biomarkers of...
OBJECTIVE
Systematically review the abnormalities in event related potential (ERP) recorded in Rett Syndrome (RTT) patients and animals in search of translational biomarkers of deficits related to the particular neurophysiological processes of known genetic origin (MECP2 mutations).
METHODS
Pubmed, ISI Web of Knowledge and BIORXIV were searched for the relevant articles according to PRISMA standards.
RESULTS
ERP components are generally delayed across all sensory modalities both in RTT patients and its animal model, while findings on ERPs amplitude strongly depend on stimulus properties and presentation rate. Studies on RTT animal models uncovered the abnormalities in the excitatory and inhibitory transmission as critical mechanisms underlying the ERPs changes, but showed that even similar ERP alterations in auditory and visual domains have a diverse neural basis. A range of novel approaches has been developed in animal studies bringing along the meaningful neurophysiological interpretation of ERP measures in RTT patients.
CONCLUSIONS
While there is a clear evidence for sensory ERPs abnormalities in RTT, to further advance the field there is a need in a large-scale ERP studies with the functionally-relevant experimental paradigms.
SIGNIFICANCE
The review provides insights into domain-specific neural basis of the ERP abnormalities and promotes clinical application of the ERP measures as the non-invasive functional biomarkers of RTT pathophysiology.
Topics: Age Factors; Animals; Auditory Cortex; Biomarkers; Disease Models, Animal; Electroencephalography; Electroencephalography Phase Synchronization; Evoked Potentials, Auditory; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; Evoked Potentials, Visual; Female; Hippocampus; Humans; Male; Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Mutation; Perceptual Masking; Rett Syndrome; Signal-To-Noise Ratio; Visual Cortex
PubMed: 31812082
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.11.003 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Jan 2020Whether fear conditioning can take place without contingency awareness is a topic of continuing debate and conflicting findings have been reported in the literature.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Whether fear conditioning can take place without contingency awareness is a topic of continuing debate and conflicting findings have been reported in the literature. This systematic review provides a critical assessment of the available evidence. Specifically, a search was conducted to identify articles reporting fear conditioning studies in which the contingency between conditioned stimuli (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US) was masked, and in which CS-US contingency awareness was assessed. A systematic assessment of the methodological quality of the included studies (k = 41) indicated that most studies suffered from methodological limitations (i.e., poor masking procedures, poor awareness measures, researcher degrees of freedom, and trial-order effects), and that higher quality predicted lower odds of studies concluding in favor of contingency unaware fear conditioning. Furthermore, meta-analytic moderation analyses indicated no evidence for a specific set of conditions under which contingency unaware fear conditioning can be observed. Finally, funnel plot asymmetry and p-curve analysis indicated evidence for publication bias. We conclude that there is no convincing evidence for contingency unaware fear conditioning.
Topics: Awareness; Cognitive Neuroscience; Conditioning, Classical; Fear; Humans; Perceptual Masking; Research Design
PubMed: 31747553
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.11.012 -
International Journal of Audiology 2017This paper reviewed the literature on the trajectories and the factors significantly affecting post-implantation speech perception development in Mandarin-speaking... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
This paper reviewed the literature on the trajectories and the factors significantly affecting post-implantation speech perception development in Mandarin-speaking children with cochlear implants (CIs).
DESIGN
A systematic literature search of textbooks and peer-reviewed published journal articles in online bibliographic databases was conducted.
STUDY SAMPLE
PubMed, Scopus and Wiley online library were searched for eligible studies based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.
RESULTS
A total of 14 journal articles were selected for this review. A number of consistent results were found. That is, children with CIs, as a group, exhibited steep improvement in early speech perception, from exhibiting few prelingual auditory behaviours before implantation to identifying sentences in noise after one year of CI use. After one to three years of CI use, children are expected to identify tones above chance and recognition of words in noise. In addition, early age at implantation, longer duration of CI use and higher maternal education level contributed to greater improvements in speech perception.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings from this review will contribute to the establishment of appropriate short-term developmental goals for Mandarin-speaking children with CIs in mainland China and clinicians could use them to determine whether children have made appropriate progress with CIs.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescent Development; Age Factors; Audiometry, Speech; Child; Child Behavior; Child Language; Child, Preschool; China; Cochlear Implantation; Cochlear Implants; Electric Stimulation; Female; Hearing; Hearing Loss; Humans; Infant; Male; Noise; Perceptual Masking; Persons With Hearing Impairments; Recognition, Psychology; Speech Perception; Time Factors
PubMed: 28296526
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2017.1300694 -
International Journal of Audiology Feb 2017Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the presence of non-purulent inflammation in the middle ear. Hearing impairment is frequently associated with OME. Pure tone... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the presence of non-purulent inflammation in the middle ear. Hearing impairment is frequently associated with OME. Pure tone audiometry and speech audiometry are two of the most primarily utilised auditory assessments and provide valuable behavioural and functional estimation on hearing loss. This paper was designed to review and analyse the effects of the presence of OME on children's listening abilities.
DESIGN
A systematic and descriptive review.
STUDY SAMPLE
Twelve articles reporting frequency-specific pure tone thresholds and/or speech perception measures in children with OME were identified using PubMed, Ovid, Web of Science, ProQuest and Google Scholar search platforms.
RESULTS
The hearing loss related to OME averages 18-35 dB HL. The air conduction configuration is roughly flat with a slight elevation at 2000 Hz and a nadir at 8000 Hz. Both speech-in-quiet and speech-in-noise perception have been found to be impaired.
CONCLUSIONS
OME imposes a series of disadvantages on hearing sensitivity and speech perception in children. Further studies investigating the full range of frequency-specific pure tone thresholds, and that adopt standardised speech test materials are advocated to evaluate hearing related disabilities with greater comprehensiveness, comparability and enhanced consideration of their real life implications.
Topics: Adolescent; Age Factors; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Audiometry, Speech; Auditory Threshold; Child; Child, Preschool; Hearing; Hearing Loss; Humans; Infant; Noise; Otitis Media with Effusion; Perceptual Masking; Risk Factors; Speech Intelligibility; Speech Perception
PubMed: 27841699
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2016.1250960 -
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual... Jun 2015New behavioral treatment methods, including dichoptic training, perceptual learning, and video gaming, have been proposed to improve visual function in adult amblyopia.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
PURPOSE
New behavioral treatment methods, including dichoptic training, perceptual learning, and video gaming, have been proposed to improve visual function in adult amblyopia. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of these methods to investigate the factors involved in amblyopia recovery and their clinical significance.
METHODS
Mean and individual participant data meta-analyses were performed on 24 studies using the new behavioral methods in adults. Studies were identified using PubMed, Google Scholar, and published reviews.
RESULTS
The new methods yielded a mean improvement in visual acuity of 0.17 logMAR with 32% participants achieving gains ≥ 0.2 logMAR, and a mean improvement in stereo sensitivity of 0.01 arcsec-1 with 42% of participants improving ≥2 octaves. The most significant predictor of treatment outcome was visual acuity at the onset of treatment. Participants with more severe amblyopia improved more on visual acuity and less on stereo sensitivity than those with milder amblyopia. Better initial stereo sensitivity was a predictor of greater gains in stereo sensitivity following treatment. Treatment type, amblyopia type, age, and training duration did not have any significant influence on visual and stereo acuity outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Our analyses showed that some participants may benefit from the new treatments; however, clinical trials are required to confirm these findings. Despite the diverse nature of the new behavioral methods, the lack of significant differences in visual and stereo sensitivity outcomes among them suggests that visual attention-a common element among the varied treatment methods-may play an important role in amblyopia recovery.
Topics: Adult; Amblyopia; Behavior Therapy; Female; Humans; Learning; Perceptual Masking; Photic Stimulation; Vision, Binocular; Visual Acuity; Visual Perception
PubMed: 26114483
DOI: 10.1167/iovs.15-16583 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jan 2014Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound or noise in the absence of real acoustic stimulation. In the current absence of a cure for tinnitus, clinical management... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound or noise in the absence of real acoustic stimulation. In the current absence of a cure for tinnitus, clinical management typically focuses on reducing the effects of co-morbid symptoms such as distress or hearing loss. Hearing loss is commonly co-morbid with tinnitus and so logic implies that amplification of external sounds by hearing aids will reduce perception of the tinnitus sound and the distress associated with it.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of hearing aids specifically in terms of tinnitus benefit in patients with tinnitus and co-existing hearing loss.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders Group Trials Register; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); PubMed; EMBASE; CINAHL; Web of Science; Cambridge Scientific Abstracts; ICTRP and additional sources for published and unpublished trials. The date of the search was 19 August 2013.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised controlled trials and non-randomised controlled trials recruiting adults with subjective tinnitus and some degree of hearing loss, where the intervention involves amplification with hearing aids and this is compared to interventions involving other medical devices, other forms of standard or complementary therapy, or combinations of therapies, no intervention or placebo interventions.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Three authors independently screened all selected abstracts. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed those potentially suitable studies for risk of bias. For studies meeting the inclusion criteria, we used the mean difference (MD) to compare hearing aids with other interventions and controls.
MAIN RESULTS
One randomised controlled trial (91 participants) was included in this review. We judged the trial to have a low risk of bias for method of randomisation and outcome reporting, and an unclear risk of bias for other criteria. No non-randomised controlled trials meeting our inclusion criteria were identified. The included study measured change in tinnitus severity (primary measure of interest) using a tinnitus questionnaire measure, and change in tinnitus loudness (secondary measure of interest) on a visual analogue scale. Other secondary outcome measures of interest, namely change in the psychoacoustic characteristics of tinnitus, change in self reported anxiety, depression and quality of life, and change in neurophysiological measures, were not investigated in this study. The included study compared hearing aid use to sound generator use. The estimated effect on change in tinnitus loudness or severity as measured by the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score was compatible with benefits for both hearing aids or sound generators but no difference was found between the two alternative treatments (MD -0.90, 95% confidence interval (CI) -7.92 to 6.12) (100-point scale); moderate quality evidence. No negative or adverse events were reported.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The current evidence base for hearing aid prescription for tinnitus is limited. To be useful, future studies should make appropriate use of blinding and be consistent in their use of outcome measures. Whilst hearing aids are sometimes prescribed as part of tinnitus management, there is currently no evidence to support or refute their use as a more routine intervention for tinnitus.
Topics: Adult; Hearing Aids; Hearing Loss; Humans; Loudness Perception; Perceptual Masking; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Tinnitus
PubMed: 24482186
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010151.pub2 -
International Journal of Audiology Feb 2014To review the literature in order to identify outcome measures used in research on adults with hearing loss (HL) as part of the ICF Core Sets development project, and to... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To review the literature in order to identify outcome measures used in research on adults with hearing loss (HL) as part of the ICF Core Sets development project, and to describe study and population characteristics of the reviewed studies.
DESIGN
A systematic review methodology was applied using multiple databases. A comprehensive search was conducted and two search pools were created, pool I and pool II.
STUDY SAMPLE
The study population included adults (≥ 18 years of age) with HL and oral language as the primary mode of communication.
RESULTS
122 studies were included. Outcome measures were distinguished by 'instrument type', and 10 types were identified. In total, 246 (pool I) and 122 (pool II) different measures were identified, and only approximately 20% were extracted twice or more. Most measures were related to speech recognition. Fifty-one different questionnaires were identified. Many studies used small sample sizes, and the sex of participants was not revealed in several studies.
CONCLUSION
The low prevalence of identified measures reflects a lack of consensus regarding the optimal outcome measures to use in audiology. Reflections and discussions are made in relation to small sample sizes and the lack of sex differentiation/descriptions within the included articles.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Audiology; Audiometry, Speech; Auditory Pathways; Biomedical Research; Disability Evaluation; Health Status; Hearing; Hearing Loss; Humans; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; Language; Noise; Perceptual Masking; Persons With Hearing Impairments; Predictive Value of Tests; Recognition, Psychology; Severity of Illness Index; Speech Perception; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 24313738
DOI: 10.3109/14992027.2013.851799 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Nov 2012This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in The Cochrane Library in Issue 12, 2010.Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound or noise in the absence... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in The Cochrane Library in Issue 12, 2010.Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound or noise in the absence of real acoustic stimulation. Numerous management strategies have been tried for this potentially debilitating, heterogeneous symptom. External noise has been used as a management tool for tinnitus, in different capacities and with different philosophical intent, for over a century.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness of sound-creating devices (including hearing aids) in the management of tinnitus in adults. Primary outcome measures were changes in the loudness or severity of tinnitus and/or impact on quality of life. Secondary outcome measures were change in pure-tone auditory thresholds and adverse effects of treatment.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched the Cochrane ENT Group Trials Register; CENTRAL; PubMed; EMBASE; CINAHL; Web of Science; BIOSIS Previews; Cambridge Scientific Abstracts; ICTRP and additional sources for published and unpublished trials. The date of the most recent search was 8 February 2012.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Prospective randomised controlled trials recruiting adults with persistent, distressing, subjective tinnitus of any aetiology in which the management strategy included maskers, noise-generating device and/or hearing aids, used either as the sole management tool or in combination with other strategies, including counselling.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors independently examined the 387 search results to identify studies for inclusion in the review, of which 33 were potentially relevant. The update searches in 2012 retrieved no further potentially relevant studies. Both authors extracted data independently.
MAIN RESULTS
Six trials (553 participants) are included in this review. Studies were varied in design, with significant heterogeneity in the evaluation of subjective tinnitus perception, with different scores, scales, tests and questionnaires as well as variance in the outcome measures used to assess the improvement in tinnitus sensation/quality of life. This precluded meta-analysis of the data. There was no long-term follow-up. We assessed the risk of bias as medium in three and high in three studies. Following analysis of the data, no significant change was seen in the loudness of tinnitus or the overall severity of tinnitus following the use of sound therapy compared to other interventions such as patient education, 'relaxation techniques', 'tinnitus coping strategies', counselling, 'tinnitus retraining' and exposure to environmental sounds. No side effects or significant morbidity were reported from the use of sound-creating devices.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The limited data from the included studies failed to show strong evidence of the efficacy of sound therapy in tinnitus management. The absence of conclusive evidence should not be interpreted as evidence of lack of effectiveness. The lack of quality research in this area, in addition to the common use of combined approaches (hearing therapy plus counselling) in the management of tinnitus are, in part, responsible for the lack of conclusive evidence. Other combined forms of management, such as tinnitus retraining therapy, have been subject to a Cochrane Review. Optimal management may involve multiple strategies.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Hearing Aids; Humans; Perceptual Masking; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sound; Tinnitus
PubMed: 23152235
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006371.pub3 -
Otolaryngology--head and Neck Surgery :... Sep 2012To systematically review the outcomes of bilateral versus unilateral bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) for individuals with bilateral permanent conductive hearing loss... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
OBJECTIVE
To systematically review the outcomes of bilateral versus unilateral bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) for individuals with bilateral permanent conductive hearing loss (CHL) with the goal of (1) deriving clinically oriented insights into the advantages and disadvantages of bilateral fitting and (2) identifying gaps in knowledge to stimulate future research.
DATA SOURCES
Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies of all languages published between 1977 and July 2011.
REVIEW METHODS
Studies were included if subjects of any age had permanent bilateral CHL and bilateral implanted BAHAs. Outcome measures of interest were any subjective or objective audiologic measures, quality of life indicators, or reports of adverse events.
RESULTS
In all, 628 abstracts were generated from the literature searches; 11 studies met the criteria for data extraction and analysis. All 11 studies were observational. In most studies, comparisons between unilateral and bilateral BAHA were intra-subject. Bilateral BAHA provided audiologic benefit compared to unilateral BAHA (improved thresholds for tones [2 studies], speech in quiet [5 studies] and in noise [3 studies], and improved localization/lateralization [3 studies]) and patients' perceived subjective benefit from bilateral BAHA (3 studies). Disadvantages of bilateral BAHAs included listening in noise in some conditions (3 studies), presumed additional cost, and presumed increase in adverse event risk.
CONCLUSION
Bilateral BAHA provided additional objective and subjective benefit compared to unilateral BAHA; however, there was a limited number of studies available with good quality evidence. Aspects of bilateral BAHA that would benefit from further investigation are described, and recommendations for bilateral BAHA candidacy criteria are provided.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Auditory Threshold; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Hearing Aids; Hearing Loss, Bilateral; Hearing Loss, Conductive; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Satisfaction; Perceptual Masking; Quality of Life; Speech Discrimination Tests; Speech Reception Threshold Test; Suture Anchors; Young Adult
PubMed: 22714424
DOI: 10.1177/0194599812451569 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Dec 2010Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound or noise in the absence of real acoustic stimulation. Numerous management strategies have been tried for this... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Tinnitus is described as the perception of sound or noise in the absence of real acoustic stimulation. Numerous management strategies have been tried for this potentially debilitating, heterogeneous symptom. External noise has been used as a management tool for tinnitus, in different capacities and with different philosophical intent, for over a century.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness of sound-creating devices (including hearing aids) in the management of tinnitus in adults. Primary outcome measures were changes in the loudness or severity of tinnitus and/or impact on quality of life. Secondary outcome measures were change in pure-tone auditory thresholds and adverse effects of treatment.
SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched the Cochrane ENT Group Trials Register; CENTRAL (2009, Issue 3); PubMed; EMBASE; CINAHL; Web of Science; BIOSIS Previews; Cambridge Scientific Abstracts; mRCT and additional sources for published and unpublished trials. The date of the most recent search was 11 September 2009.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Prospective randomised controlled trials recruiting adults with persistent, distressing, subjective tinnitus of any aetiology in which the management strategy included maskers, noise-generating device and/or hearing aids, used either as the sole management tool or in combination with other strategies, including counselling.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors independently examined the 362 search results to identify studies for inclusion in the review, of which 33 were potentially relevant. Both authors extracted data independently.
MAIN RESULTS
Six trials (553 participants) are included in this review. Studies were varied in design, with significant heterogeneity in the evaluation of subjective tinnitus perception, with different scores, scales, tests and questionnaires as well as variance in the outcome measures used to assess the improvement in tinnitus sensation/quality of life. This precluded meta-analysis of the data. There was no long-term follow up. We assessed the risk of bias as medium in three and high in three studies. No side effects or significant morbidity were reported from the use of sound-creating devices.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The limited data from the included studies failed to show strong evidence of the efficacy of sound therapy in tinnitus management. The absence of conclusive evidence should not be interpreted as evidence of lack of effectiveness. The lack of quality research in this area, in addition to the common use of combined approaches (hearing therapy plus counselling) in the management of tinnitus are, in part, responsible for the lack of conclusive evidence. Other combined forms of management, such as Tinnitus Retraining Therapy, have been subject to a Cochrane Review. Optimal management may involve multiple strategies.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Hearing Aids; Humans; Perceptual Masking; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Sound; Tinnitus
PubMed: 21154366
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006371.pub2