Age-related Hearing Loss and Lexical Disorders (LOOP)

Pilot Study of the Links Between Presbyacusis and Lexical Disorders in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease or Related Disease

In France, Alzheimer's disease accounts for 70 to 80% of the causes of neurocognitive disorders, i.e. 600,000 to 800,000 patients. It is a neurodegenerative pathology that causes evolutionary cognitive dysfunction, mainly affecting memory functions. The inability to name familiar objects (lack of the word) is one of the most commonly noted symptoms at an early stage of the disease.

Presbyacusis, or age-related hearing loss, is the most common sensory deficit in the elderly which is manifested socially by a progressive discomfort of verbal communication. Presbyacusis remains underdiagnosed and undertreated: 2/3 of the patients are not using hearing aid.

In recent years, a link between neurocognitive disorders and hearing loss has been shown by investigating general cognition. In this study, the investigators are investigating lexical disorders.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Alzheimer Disease; Presbycusis; Lexical Syntactic Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Speech therapy

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 46

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • La Rochelle, France
    • Groupe Hospitalier de la Rochelle Ré Aunis

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 61 years and older (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Series of patients from the Care Center for the Elderly (geriatric day hospital, long-term care units, follow-up care units and rehabilitation)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• > 65 years old
• French mother tongue
• Good vision with or without correction
• Alzheimer's or related disease (15 <Mini-Mental State Examination<25)
• Affiliate or beneficiary of a social security
• Informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cognitive disorders related to another pathology (cerebrovascular accident, head trauma, epilepsy ...)
• Protected patient (under guardianship) or person deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Only
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
LOOP group; Speech therapy consultation for patients with Alzheimer's disease	Other: Speech therapy; During a 1-hour speech-language consultation, a lack of word evaluation will be conducted and patient will answer a Hearing Difficulty Questionnaire

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Link Between Lack of Word and Presbycusis	The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items, score range from 0 to 42) and of verbs (28 items, score range from 0 to 28). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. A global score of less than 40 indicates a lack of words. The score range is between 0 and 70. The hearing questionnaire consists in 14 questions about concrete situations and a direct question about what the patient thinks of his hearing. Answers are quoted 0, 2 or 4 points. An overall score greater than 14 indicates presbycusis.	at inclusion

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Association Between Age and Lack of Word	Age of patients and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion
Association Between Gender and Lack of Word	Male or female and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion
Association Between Study Level and Lack of Word	Primary (certificate study), secondary and tertiary study (baccalaureat and more) level and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion
Association Between Accommodation Type and Lack of Word	Patient living at home or in an institution and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion
Association Between Laterality and Lack of Word	Right or left handed patients and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion
Association Between Main Diagnosis and Lack of Word	Alzheimer's disease or related disease and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion
Association Between Hearing Aid and Lack of Word	Patients with or without hearing aid and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion
Association Between Speech Therapy and Lack of Word	Patients with or without ongoing speech therapy and score at the lack of word questionnaire (BIMM) The Batterie Informatisée du Manque du Mot (BIMM) is a computerized assessment instrument for denominational disorders. It provides information on level of lexical impairment, type of error (phonological, semantic, visual perceptual) and response time. It comprises two tests: denomination of nouns (42 items) and of verbs (28 items). The results are presented in a report including scores, description of qualitative errors, and results per item. An score less than 40 indicates lack of word.	at inclusion

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Groupe Hospitalier de la Rochelle Ré Aunis
• Investigators: Study Director: Marie-Laure Vignaud, Ph.D., Groupe Hospitalier de la Rochelle Ré Aunis

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Camille Roche, Aude Bournazel, Caroline Allix-Béguec, Marie-Laure Pinon-Vignaud. Étude pilote des liens entre la presbyacousie et les troubles lexicaux chez les patients atteints de maladie d'Alzheimer ou maladie apparentée. Audiology Direct. September 2020. DOI: 10.1051/audiodir/202004002

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 27, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 31, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): January 31, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 14, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 17, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): August 20, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 19, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Dementia; Tauopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Sensation Disorders; Ear Diseases; Hearing Loss; Hearing Disorders; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Alzheimer Disease; Presbycusis; Therapeutics; Patient Care; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Rehabilitation of Speech and Language Disorders; Speech Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2018/P08/256

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No