The Effect of Sound Stimulation on Hearing Ability
In the late 1990s, researchers discovered that acoustic stimuli slow progressive sensorineural hearing loss and exposure to a moderately augmented acoustic environment can delay the loss of auditory function. In addition, prolonged exposure to an augmented acoustic environment could improve age-related auditory changes. These ameliorative effects were shown in several types of mouse strains, as long as the acoustic environment was provided prior to the occurrence of severe hearing loss.
In addition to delaying progressive hearing loss, acoustic stimuli could also protect hearing ability against damage by traumatic noise. In particular, a method called forward sound conditioning (i.e., prior exposure to moderate levels of sound) has been shown to reduce noise-induced hearing impairment in a number of mammalian species, including humans.
Interestingly, recent report has suggested that low-level sound conditioning also reduces free radical-induced damage to hair cells, increases antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduces Cox-2 expression in cochlea, and can enhance cochlear sensitivity. Specifically, increased cochlear sensitivity was observed when distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and compound action potentials (CAPs) were measured.
In addition to forward sound conditioning, backward sound conditioning (i.e., the use of acoustic stimuli after exposure to a traumatic noise) has been shown to protect hearing ability against acoustic trauma and to prevent the cortical map reorganization induced by traumatic noise.
In this study, the investigators examine the effect of sound stimulation on hearing ability in human subjects.
Study Overview
Status
Status
Conditions
Conditions
Intervention / Treatment
Intervention / Treatment
Study Type
Study Type
Enrollment (Actual)
Enrollment
Phase
Phase
- Not Applicable
Contacts and Locations
Study Locations
-
-
-
Seoul, Korea, Republic of, 121-270
- Earlogic Auditory Research Institute
-
-
Participation Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Eligibility Criteria
Ages Eligible for Study
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Genders Eligible for Study
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male and female
- Age between 20 and 70 years
- Subjects should be able to use an mp3 player
Exclusion Criteria:
- Hearing loss more than 70 dB HL at any frequency
- More than 10 dB of air-bone gaps at more than 3 frequencies in pure-tone audiometry
- Ear infections, chronic middle ear disease or any abnormality of the ear canal or ear drum
- Temporary hearing loss
- Hearing aid user
- Pregnant females
Study Plan
How is the study designed?
Design Details
- Primary Purpose: Treatment
- Allocation: Non-Randomized
- Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Changes of pure-tone hearing thresholds after sound stimulation
Time Frame: 2~6 months
|
Pure-tone hearing thresholds of the baseline and the final point (after 2~6 months)will be compared.
|
2~6 months
|
Collaborators and Investigators
Sponsor
Sponsor
Investigators
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Eunyee Kwak, Ph.D., Earlogic Auditory Research Institute
Study record dates
Study Major Dates
Study Start
Study Start
Primary Completion (Actual)
Primary Completion
Study Completion (Actual)
Study Completion
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
First Submitted
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
First Posted (Estimate)
First Posted
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Estimate)
Last Update Posted
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
Last Verified
Last Verified
More Information
Terms related to this study
Additional Relevant MeSH Terms
Other Study ID Numbers
Other Study ID Numbers
- IEK 08252011
This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.