shohreh jalaie

Trauma Brain Injury (TBI) is nerve damage caused by mechanical forces such as linear forces with acceleration and deceleration, rotational forces (force created by the winds resulting from the explosion), and penetration of the object thrown to the head can cause impaired in various aspects of communication, cognitive, and language skills including the grammar and morphology. The present study aims to investigate and compare grammar production skills (morphology) in patients with TBI and healthy non-TBI people.
This study is of cross-sectional type and morphological skills (morphological derivations and tenses of verbs) of 20 patients with moderate severity (GCS=8-13) in the sub-acute phase (one to three weeks after the trauma) with healthy non-TBI people compared. The age range of people was 18-45 years old, and they were classified into four educational subgroups. The morphological derivations section of the bilingual aphasia test (BAT), the verb tense test and the Mann-Whitney statistical test were used.
The results showed that there is a significant difference in the morphological derivations and the correct production of verb tenses in all three tenses (past, present, and future) between patients with TBI and healthy non-TBI people (p<0.05). In such a way, the skills required to produce correct verb tenses and morphological derivations are significantly lower in patients with TBI.
The correct production of verb tenses and morphological derivation skills are significantly impaired in patients with TBI compared to non-TBI people. Most problems with verb tenses in patients with moderate TBI were seen in the past tense and then the future tense, with a slight difference in the present tense of verbs. Impairing to these items can cause problems in the production of their daily speech and, as a result, reduce the communication skills of these patients.

The Persian Staggered Spondaic Word (P-SSW) test has been developed as a tool for identifying auditory processing disorders in Persian speakers. Utilizing the concept of perceptual simultaneity, the test was rigorously examined for psychometric reliability. Normative data were established, confirming its validity and suitability for clinical use in Persian-speaking populations.

The test was developed by optimizing the materials and using perceptual simultaneity. The test psychometric properties were also assessed and the test-retest reliability was evaluated after four weeks. This study recruited 380 participants. 24 experts evaluated the content validity. 42 individuals provided comments for the face validity verification. 213 healthy individuals were recruited to evaluate the psychometric properties.

The content and face validity were confirmed. Insignificant differences were observed between the two genders. Significant differences were found in the total score and different conditions among specific age groups. Significant and positive correlations were observed between the test and retest scores (r>0.8).

Auditory processing can be assessed in Persian speakers using the P-SSW test as a valid and reliable instrument. Perceptual simultaneity might be the most appropriate technique to develop this test given the potential effects of other methods on the results.

This preliminary study investigates the effects of adding exergame (EG) training to conventional exercises on the functional activities of newly fitted patients with unilateral transtibial amputation.

A total of 22 newly fitted patients with unilateral transtibial amputation were equally and randomly divided into two groups as follows: the EG group who performed exercises and EG training and the control group who performed exercise only. The 2-min walk test, timed up and go test, amputee mobility predictor with prosthesis test, and physiological cost index were assessed at baseline and after 2 and 4 weeks of the intervention.

Both interventions effectively improved the 2-min walk test distance, timed up-and-go test, and the amputee mobility predictor with prosthesis test scores in patients with newly fitted transtibial amputation (P<0.001). Additionally, a significant improvement was observed in the timed up-and-go test time in the EG group versus the control group after the 4-week intervention (P=0.04, effect size=0.53).

The findings of this preliminary study further support that adding EG to exercises significantly increases movement speed among amputee patients.

Tinnitus, characterized by the perception of sound without the presence of an external auditory stimulus, can profoundly affect the quality of life. This review study aims to assess the role of attention modulation in tinnitus management and investigate the neurophysiological mechanism of attention and its interaction with emotional processing in patients with tinnitus.

The studies revealed differences in the function of attentional networks among individuals with tinnitus. The studies showed the positive impact of various techniques for attention modulation through direct attention training or indirect mechanisms influencing attention. These techniques could modify attentional biases, enhance attention control, and alleviate tinnitus-related distress.

The results of studies suggest the potential role of attention modulation in tinnitus management. By targeting attentional processes, researchers and clinicians can provide more effective interventions for individuals with tinnitus. However, there is a need for further investigation to optimize the intervention protocols by collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and individuals with tinnitus to achieve success in tinnitus management.

The utilization of speech materials in audiological assessments has faced challenges due to a lack of standardization and insufficient consideration of acoustic factors. This study aimed to develop a set of psychometrically validated monosyllabic and disyllabic words in Persian for use in auditory tests.

This cross-sectional study involved collecting the most frequently used one- and two-syllable words from Persian dictionaries. A panel of experts evaluated the selected words using a 4-point Likert scale. Based on their recommendations, 382 monosyllabic words and 150 disyllabic words met the established criteria. Male and female talkers recorded these words, which were then presented in a random order to 30 young adults with normal hearing (aged 18–30 years). The presentation intensity levels ranged from 0 to 48 dB HL with 8 dB increments. Logistic regression was used to determine the psychometric properties of the words.

As the intensity level increased, the percentage of word recognition scores also increased, reaching 100% at an intensity level of 48 dB HL. For Persian monosyllabic words, the mean psychometric slope was 0.29 %/dB for male talkers and 0.25 %/dB for female talkers. The corresponding slopes for Persian disyllabic words were 0.23 %/dB and 0.21 %/dB, respectively.

This study successfully developed 382 monosyllabic words and 150 disyllabic words in Persian with comparable psychometric properties. These words can be utilized in auditory tests for Iranian adults.

Speech is a vital stimulus and the ultimate goal of hearing aid fitting to make the speech an audible signal. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether it is possible to track the threshold with speech phonemes and which of the two fitting methods of Desired Sensation Level version 5.0 (DSL v5.0) and National Acoustic Laboratories-Nonlinear 2 (NAL-NL2) provide better audibility for the phonemes.

In this cross-sectional study, the unaided thresholds of 18 normal-hearing children and the aided thresholds of 15 hearing-impaired children aged 5-8 years were evaluated with two types of stimuli. DSL v5.0 and NAL-NL2 methods were used for hearing aid fitting in hearing-impaired children.

There was a significant relationship between the unaided and aided thresholds of each phoneme and the warble tone threshold at the corresponding frequency (p<0.01), except for the phoneme /s/. The results showed a significant difference between the aided thresholds of each phoneme and the upper limit of the speech banana in the corresponding frequency for each method (Z=–4.99, p≤0.001).

The results showed that phonemes could be used to assess unaided and aided thresholds. In the first fit, both methods estimated the amount of amplification that caused the average aided thresholds for these six phonemes for moderate to severe hearing loss to be positioned within the speech banana range, except for the average aided thresholds for the /s/ phoneme in the NAL-NL2 method that was placed outside the range.

Fluent speech requires executive functions for identification, inhibition, and modification of speech interruptions to continuously regulate the speech process. The current study examined the executive functions in adults who stutter (AWS) and adults who do not stutter (AWNS). We also examined the relationship between executive functions and stuttering severity.

This research is a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study. The participants included 32 AWS (mean age = 28 years; SD = 6.79 years) who were divided into three groups of mild, moderate, and severe severity and 32 AWNS (mean age = 28.57 years; SD = 6.53 years; 28). Selected tests from Delis-Kaplan executive function system (D-KEFS) were used to assess executive function domains.

The results of this study showed that AWS performed significantly lower than AWNS in working memory (p = 0.009), problem solving and planning (p < 0.001), verbal cognitive flexibility (shifting) (p < 0.001), and verbal inhibitory control (p < 0.001). The results also showed no difference between AWS and AWNS in non-verbal inhibition, shifting, and reasoning. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between stuttering severity and executive function domains.

Together, this study showed that executive function skills are affected in AWS and should be considered in the rehabilitation programs of AWS.

Identifying sound localization defects in children and using appropriate rehabilitation methods lead to improve their problem to use binaural processing skills to successfully suppress background noise and selectively attend to a particular auditory source. This pilot study aims to design a game for auditory training of children with Spatial Processing Disorder (SPD) in Iran and compare their performance in engagement time and speech recognition in noise with those of normal peers.

The game application was designed based on the spatial separation of target and competing stimuli by applying head-related transfer functions. The child’s task was to identify the picture of the target word from among the displayed options. Participants were 24 children with SPD and 27 normal peers aged 7–9 years, who performed the speech recognition tasks using the designed game.

The game was fascinating and easy to use for most participants. There was no significant difference in mean engagement time between the two groups. The mean engagement time of participants was significantly different between the two groups in terms of age. The children with SPD obtained lower scores in speech recognition in noise tasks. There was no significant difference in speech recognition scores between girls and boys.

The designed game application has the potential for speech recognition innoise training of children with SPD in Iran. It is a fascinating and user-friendly tool for simulating the real-life auditory situations for these children.

Hearing handicap, as one of the common health problems among older people, affects life activities. The Hearing Handicap Questionnaire (HHQ) is one of the scales that provide criteria for social withdrawal, participation restriction, and emotional distress. The present study aims to translate the HHQ into Persian and determine its psychometric properties.

After translation into Persian, the content validity of the questionnaire was determined based on the Lawashe’s method. Then, the Persian HHQ (P-HHQ) and the Persian Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly-Screening version (P-HHIE-S) were completed by 110 hearing-impaired seniors (49 females) over 60 years. The concurrent validity was determined by Spearman correlation test, and the discriminant validity was analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and independent t-test. The test-retest reliability was assessed in 47 subjects after two weeks by Spearman correlation test and paired t-test.

The P-HHQ had high face validity. The mean total score of P-HHQ was 1.89±1.05. It had a significant positive correlation with the score of P-HHIE-S (r=0.87) and pure tone average of the better ear (r=0.72). There was a significant difference between three groups of elderly with different degrees of hearing impairment (p<0.001). Cronbach’s α values were in the range of 0.94–0.97. There was a strong correlation between test and retest scores of P-HHQ (r=0.97) which indicates a high test-retest reliability.

The P-HHQ has acceptable validity and reliability and can be used as a suitable instrument to evaluate hearing handicap of the elderly in research studies and clinical settings.

Evidence-based practice improves the quality of clinical performance. Attitude affects the implementation of research findings into practice. The Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS-36) evaluates the attitude of therapists toward evidence-based practice. The present study aimed to provide a validated Persian translation of the EBPAS-36 for audiologists.

The original EBPAS-36 was translated by using the international quality of life assessment protocol. The validity of translated version was surveyed by an expert panel and the Persian version with 35 questions was yielded. A demographic questionnaire and EBPAS P-35 were given to 182 audiologists to evaluate the psychometric properties. The reliability was evaluated by completing the EBPAS P-35 after 2 weeks by 30 of the participants and Cronbach’s alpha and Intra-Class Correlation (ICC) were calculated. Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) were also conducted.

The content validity ratio was above 0.33 for all except item 10 which was removed from the Persian version. The mean(SD) total score was 2.38(0.46). A significant relationship was observed between the total score and all subscales (p<0.05). The original factor structure showed an acceptable model fit (CMIN/DF=1.39, GFI=0.84, CFI=0.94, IFI=0.94, RMSEA=0.04) confirming the 12-factor structure of the EBPAS-36. The internal consistency was very good for the total score (α=0.88) and adequate to very good for the subscales (0.65–0.84), indicating high reliability. The ICC showed good agreement in the score of test-retest (total ICC=0.65).

This study confirms good psychometric properties and validity of the EBPAS P-35 in a sample of audiologists.

Real-Ear Measurement (REM) enables proper fitting of the hearing aids to achieve the required level of amplification. This study aims to investigate the relationship between aural/oral performance and fit-to-target gain of hearing aids in children with moderate-to-profound hearing loss.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 30 children with moderate-to-profound hearing loss aged 5–10 years. First, the parents’ evaluation of aural/oral performance of children (PEACH) questioanire was completed. Then, REM was performed using digital speech at 50, 65, 80, and 90 dB SPL at 250–8000 Hz to obtain the fit to the desired sensation level, version 5 (DSL v5) target gain.

A significant negative correlation was found between the total score of the PEACH (51.66) and the fit-to-target gain at high frequencies (r=–0.482, p=0.01). The maximum fit-to-target gain was 77.5 dB for 65 dB SPL at 6000 Hz. Most of the cases (75%) failed to come within ±5 dB of the target gain. There was a significant difference in the fit-to-target gain between low and high frequencies and between high frequencies with similar input levels.

A negative correlation between aural/oral performance of children with moderate-to-profound hearing loss and fit-to-target gain of their hearing aids may indicate that a low fit-to-target gain can improve their aural/oral performance. Regular use of REM is recommended in prescribing hearing aids to these children.

Vestibular Rehabilitation (VR) is a well-accepted treatment for Unilateral Vestibulopathy (UVP). Since noisy Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (nGVS) improves the processing of vestibular inputs, we assessed the synergistic effects of adding nGVS to vestibular rehabilitation for the treatment of UVP.

Patients with UVP were randomly assigned into two groups receiving either VR for four weeks (VR group, n=12) or VR for four weeks combined with nGVS for three sessions (VR+nGVS group; n=12). Outcome measurements were postural control parameters measured with eyes open/closed conditions on hard/soft surfaces, Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) gain, and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) scores that were assessed at baseline and after four weeks.

All postural control parameters, mean total and subscale scores of DHI, and mean VOR gain in directions of affected canals significantly improved in both groups after interventions (p<0.05) except mean mediolateral displacement in conditions with eyes closed on hard surface and with eyes open on soft surface, mean mediolateral velocity in conditions with eyes closed on hard surface, ability to stance with eye closed condition on soft surface and mean emotional subscale of DHI in VR group. Improvements were significantly higher in postural control outcomes measured in stances with eyes closed on hard surface and with eyes open and closed on soft surface, mean VOR gains in directions of affected horizontal and anterior canals, and mean total, physical, and functional scores of DHI in VR+nGVS group (p<0.05).

When combined with VR, nGVS shows additional therapeutic effects in UVP patients.

Considering the critical input of the vestibular system to the hippocampus as an area involved in cognition, and vestibular disorders reported in patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), we aimed to investigate the effects of Vestibular Rehabilitation (VR) with and without noisy Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (nGVS) on cognitive function in patients with aMCI.

In a randomized controlled trial, twenty-two patients with aMCI were randomly assigned to two groups receiving: 1) VR for four weeks (VR group); 2) VR for four weeks with nGVS for three sessions (GVS+VR group). Outcome measures were Rey's Auditory-Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Corsi blocks, Visual Search (VS), and match to sample tests.

Mean immediate and delayed recalls of RAVLT, all of the outcomes of Corsi blocks and VS tests, and the error rate of the match to sample tests improved significantly after intervention in VR and GVS+VR groups. Between-group differences were observed for learning and delayed recalls of RAVLT (p=0.001, d=0.444 and p<0.001, d=0.512 respectively), reaction times 1 and 2 in VS (p=0.007, d=0.325 and p=0.001, d=0.446 respectively), the total correct trial of Corsi blocks (p=0.026, d=0.235), and error rate of the match to sample (p=0.017, d=0.266) tests.

The synergistic effect of VR and GVS suggested that simultaneous use of both stimulations improves verbal and visuospatial memory in aMCI patients. Study protocol location: https://irct.ir/trial/47249 Trial registration number: IRCT20160131026279N3

The use of subliminal stimulation for unconscious effects on the target population is of great importance. while several studies have generated proper visual and auditory stimuli for subliminal stimulation, no study was found on the long-term effects of it. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the long-term effects of auditory subliminal presentation on the central nervous system structures using fMRI and Auditory Late Responses (ALRs).

Participants were 26 students with a mean age of 24.03±2.32 years. There was four group in study. First, fMRI was done and ALRs were recorded for all of them. Then, music files containing words embedded in them was presented subliminally to participants in groups A and B for 10 days, group C received music file without any subliminal stimuli and group D was control group. It was repeated after 10 days.

The subliminal stimuli had significant effects on the amplitudes of P1, N1, P2, and P3 waves (F3=25.03, 25.41, 39.11, and 14.60; p<0.001). Between-group comparison showed significant changes in groups A and B compared to groups C and D (p<0.05). The difference in the recorded potential mean values showed the highest change for recording electrodes in the prefrontal, frontal, and central regions and the lowest change in parietal and occipital regions. There was no significant change for a latency component.

Subliminal stimuli, presented appropriately and continuously, can leave longterm effects on the central nervous system structure causing extensive changes in the people’sattitude to a certain subject.

One of the most voice-related complaints in teachers is vocal tract discomfort (VTD) which can increase the voice handicap index (VHI) to different degrees. In teachers Muscle Tension Dysphonia (MTD), increases voice complaints and decreases the voice-related quality of life. The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare the frequency and severity subscales of the VTD score and total score of VHI and determine the relation between them in primary school teachers with and without MTD.

This study was cross-sectional and was performed on 80 primary female teachers with and without MTD. The participants in both groups were randomly selected after checking the inclusion criteria. Voice history, auditory-perceptual assessment of voice, palpation, and laryngeal video-stroboscopy were assessed on the teachers in two groups. Then, asked the participants to complete the Persian versions of the VTD and VHI scales. After determining the normal distribution of the data using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the results of VTD, VHI, and their subscales were compared between two groups with an independent t-test. Also, the relationship between them was assessed with the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis.

The mean score of the frequency subscale of VTD in teachers with MTD was more than in teachers without MTD (30.17±5.11, 8.22±2.26), respectively. The score of severity subscales of VTD in teachers with MTD was 39.12±4.94 and in teachers without MTD was 7.89±2.13. Also, the total score of the VHI questionnaire in teachers with MTD was significantly higher than teachers without MTD (P<0.05). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the frequency and severity subscales of VTD and the total score of VHI in the two groups (P<0.05).

This study showed the frequency and severity scores of the VTD and the degree of VHI experienced by MTD are remarkably higher than teachers without MTD. The authors emphasize on the use of VTD and VHI scales in screening teachers who are at risk of voice problems, and the researchers pointed out the importance of paying attention to the reduction of discomfort feelings in the vocal tract and voice handicap in the voice therapy sessions of teachers with MTD.

Buffalo model consists of four Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) categories: decoding, tolerance-fading memory, organization, and integration. Integration is considered as the most complex category. The Dichotic Offset Measure (DOM) provides valuable information about the organization and integration problems. The present study aimed to develop the Persian version of the DOM (P-DOM) and evaluate its psychometric properties in normal-hearing children.

In this study, 25 normal-hearing children (13 girls) aged 7–12 years participated and were divided into six age groups. The face validity was determined based on the opinions of 15 experts, five children with CAPD, and five normal-hearing children. All children were tested with the Persian staggered spondaic word test, Persian phonemic synthesis test, and the Persian randomized dichotic digit test.

The results showed the high face validity of the P-DOM. No significant differences were observed between the scores of girls and boys (p=0.394 for the right non-competing, p=0.623 for the right competing, p=0.155 for the left competing, p=0.066 for the left noncompeting, p=0.174 for the total score, and p=0.701 for the reversals). Significant differences were observed in the main scores of P-DOM test among the age groups. The Spearman test showed a high test-retest reliability (r>0.69).

As a preliminary study it seems that the P-DOM has good validity and reliability to be used in normal-hearing children, but it needs further research with larger sample size.

People with spatial hearing impairment have difficulty perception of speech in the presence of noise, sound localization, and estimating the distance from the sound source. In this study, the comparison between amplitude and latency of the Binaural Interaction Component of the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR-BIC) with the total score of the Persian version of the Spatial Hearing Questionnaire (SHQ) in adults with normal hearing and moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) was evaluated.

In this cross-sectional comparative study 55, 18–45-year-old individuals including 35 of normal hearing and 20 moderate SNHL participated. All participants underwent the assessments of medical history, otoscopy, conventional audiometry, tympanometry, SHQ questionnaire, and auditory brainstem response (ABR).

There was no significant correlation between the amplitude and latency of the ABRBIC and the Persian version of the SHQ in normal groups (r=–0.085, r=0.116) and in moderate SNHL groups (r=0.030, r=0.119). The mean value of ABR-BIC range of people with normal hearing and SNHL is statistically significant (p=0.001).

The results showed that the amplitude and latency of ABR-BIC were not correlated with the Persian version of the SHQ in people with normal hearing and with moderate SNHL but statistically significant between the mean amplitude and latency of ABRBIC in people with normal hearing and people with hearing loss.

The face-to-face education was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. In such situations, online education method was used. In this study, we aim to assess the quality of online education for theoretical courses of audiology from the perspective of audiology students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 77 audiology students of the School of Rehabilitation at TUMS. Data collection were a demographic form and two quality and satisfaction assessment questionnaires. Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS version 17.

There was a significant difference in all subscales of Shourcheh questionnaire among students with different educational stages (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between age (except for social solidarity component) and gender (p>0.05) groups. The results of Kruskal-Wallis test showed a statistically significant difference in the quality scores among students with different educational stages (p=0.033), but there was no significant difference between age (p=0.300) and gender (p=0.630) groups.

The quality of online education for theoretical courses of audiology at TUMS is high from the perspective of PhD students, while it is low according to BSc and MSc students.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in treating active trigger points to relieve pain and increase range of motion (ROM) and improve the function of the cervical region in fewer sessions.

In this single-group, pretest-posttest study, 15 participants with active myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius muscle took part. Before and after each treatment, visual analog scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), neck disability index (NDI) questionnaire, and range of active contra lateral flexion (CLF) were assessed. Participants were given three treatments over a week, with at least a two-day break between them, and then all outcomes were evaluated.

The general results of this study demonstrate a significant reduction in pain perception in terms of VAS (P=0.0001), increased pressure pain threshold (P=0.0001), increased CLF of ROM (P=0.0001), and improved neck function by reduction of NDI (P=0.0001), after the third session of ESWT intervention in participants with MTrP in the upper trapezius muscle.

It reveals that ESWT has positive effects on pain reduction, cervical range of motion, and cervical function in participants treated with MTrPs in the upper trapezius muscle.

We investigated the combined effect of Radial Shockwave Therapy (RSWT) and muscle energy technique (MET) on pain, range of motion (ROM), and neck function in people with active trigger points (ATrPs) of the upper trapezius muscle.

Fifty-four participants with ATrPs of the upper trapezius muscle were randomly divided into three groups. Group A (n=18) received only MET, group B (n=18) received only RSWT, and group C (n=18) received both RSWT and RSWT. Pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), neck function using the Neck Disability Index (NDI) questionnaire, and lateral-flexion range of movement (LF ROM) were measured before and after the intervention. The participants were treated for three sessions in one week with at least two days of rest between sessions.

All three intervention groups showed pain reduction (p<0.001), an increase in PPT (p<0.001), counter-lateral flexion (CLF) (p<0.001), and also improvement in neck function (p<0.001). The combined group showed a more obvious improvement than the other two groups in PPT (p<0.001). There was no difference between the three groups in terms of VAS and NDI scores and CLF (p>0.05).

The results of this study showed that all three interventions used in the upper trapezius trigger points therapy were effective; however, the combined group showed a significant difference in PPT. Therefore, combined therapy is superior to MET and RSWT alone in improving pressure pain relief in individuals with upper trapezius trigger points.

Generally, in noisy environments more informational masking occurs. Older adults benefit less than younger adults from spatial hearing and they have more problems of understanding speech in the presence of distracting speeches. This study was conducted to examine the effect of auditory spatial training on informational masking release in the elderly.

Thirty-two 60-75-year-olds with normal hearing, who complain about difficulty in speech perception in noise, participated in control and intervention groups (16 people in each group). The intervention included fifteen sessions of auditory spatial training. The informational masking measurement test scores were compared before the intervention, one session after the intervention, and one month after between the two groups.

There was a significant improvement in informational masking measurement scores in the intervention group compared to the control (p<0.02). The results showed no significant differences between the informational masking measurement scores before and after the intervention in the control group (p>0.05) and a significant difference in most signal to noise ratio i.e. 0, -5 and -10, in the intervention group (p≤0.006). No significant difference was found between the results of the two assessments one session and one month after the intervention in any of the positions (p>0.05), which suggests that both groups’ scores remained highly stable one month after the intervention

This study introduced a spatial training program to improve speech perception in noise in normal-hearing elderly listeners. It was recommended that this kind of training be included in geriatric population auditory rehabilitation programs.

Behcet’s disease (BD) is a multisystemic, chronic and progressive disorder with a relatively high prevalence in Iran. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the vestibular function between Iranian BD patients and normal subjects using cervical vestibular- evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) and video head impulse test (vHIT).

In this cross-sectional study, 44 patients with definitive BD in the inactive stage of disease and 30 age and sex matched normal subjects were evaluated via cVEMP and vHIT tests and dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Then the parameters of the tests were compared between the two groups by statistical methods. Moreover, the effects of DHI scores and other contextual variables on the test results were examined.

In terms of the cVEMP test, the response rate and mean latency of p13 in the left ear were significantly lower, the amplitude of the cVEMP wave in the left ear and the amplitude asymmetry ratio were significantly higher in BD patients compared to normal subjects (p<0.05). Fifteen BD patients had abnormal amplitude and nine patients had abnormal latency of cVEMP responses. In terms of the vHIT test, the mean vestibule-ocular reflex gain of the left posterior semicircular canal and the mean gain asymmetry ratio of lateral canals were significantly higher in BD patients than in the controls (p<0.05).

the vestibular system of some patients with BD is disturbed and the results of this study indicate the presence of unilateral vestibular weakness in BD. So vestibular assessment can be helpful for these patients.

The present study evaluating the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Phoneme Recognition Test (P-PRT) in normal subjects and cochlear implant (CI) users.

This study includes developing the Persian phoneme recognition test (PRT), determining its validity and reliability, and comparing the results of a control group versus CI users. The test reliability was examined through a test-retest with an approximately five-week interval. In the present survey, 363 subjects were investigated in three stages. The face validity evaluation stage was conducted on 40 subjects. The psychometric properties of the P-PRT were evaluated in 323 individuals (225 normal subjects and 98 CI users). The test-retest reliability was examined in all the 225 subjects in the control group and 40 CI users.

The results confirmed the face validity of the P-PRT. No significant differences were observed between the two genders in terms of performance in the P-PRT. Significant differences were observed between the control and CI groups. Evaluating the test-retest reliability suggested perfect reliability (r>0.9) in both groups. Significant differences were observed in the P-PRT between the adults and the 7-year-old subjects compared to other age groups.

The P-PRT can be used as a valid and reliable test for clinically evaluating phoneme recognition abilities and monitoring the rehabilitation progress

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is neurological disease of the central nervous system. Central auditory nervous system can also be affected by MS. The present study aimed to evaluate monaural and binaural auditory processing in patients with MS.

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 45 patients with MS and 45 normal peers as controls aged 25–45 years. They underwent a central auditory processing test battery including the Persian versions of Buffalo model questionnaire (BMQ), staggered spondee word (SSW) test, quick speech in noise test (QSIN), phonemic synthesis test (PST), and twopair dichotic digit test (DDT).

The results of SSW test, QSIN test, PST, DDT and BMQ in the MS group were significantly different than in the control group (p≤0.001). The results showed the poor performance of patients compared to controls in some monaural and binaural auditory processing skills.

Central auditory processing disorder is common among patients with MS. The BMQ is a suitable screening tool for identifying affected people. Dichotic listening skills, phonemic processing and speech perception in noise are impaired in MS patients which can have significant impacts on their quality of life.

The deficit in cognitive functions and central executive function is one of the popular hypotheses on the underlying cause of tinnitus. These factors are not only the complications of tinnitus but are also involved in the generation of it. In this study, bifrontal transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and conflict processing will be used in the form of auditory Stroop training to improve cognitive performance and inhibition control for tinnitus management.

This study will be carried out on 34 chronic tinnitus patients. The initial evaluations include the tinnitus psychoacoustic evaluations, determination of the tinnitus handicap through tinnitus handicap inventory, and examining the annoyance and loudness of tinnitus through the visual analog scale after which the participants will be investigated in two groups. The first group will receive sessions of tDCS followed by six sessions of conflict processing training. The second group will first receive tDCS in the form of sham, to be followed by six sessions of auditory Stroop. The evaluations will be repeated after each intervention.

Studies have shown that successive sessions of conflict processing training can enhance cognitive plasticity and inhibition function. As conflict processing training has not been addressed as rehabilitation training in the people suffering from tinnitus, these processes will be designed in four tasks as rehabilitation exercises in Farsi language and applied along with tDCS to the people with chronic tinnitus to decrease and control tinnitus by improving cognitive and inhibition control.
Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20120215009014N366) on Sep 17th, 2020.