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Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception in Noise in Middle-Age

Award Number: F31DC020085
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2025

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Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception in Noise in Middle-Age - ABSTRACT Normal aging is associated with difficulty understanding speech in adverse listening conditions. A large literature demonstrates that pure tone hearing thresholds alone do not provide an adequate profile of an individual’s speech perception in noise (SPIN) abilities, and even individuals with normal sensitivity tend to complain of speech perception difficulties. Studies of SPIN in aging often compare older adults against younger adults. In contrast, fewer studies investigate SPIN difficulties in middle-aged adults, leaving a large gap in our knowledge of SPIN mechanisms in aging. In older adults, pervasive changes throughout the nervous system, including subcortical temporal processing, cognitive effort, and compensatory frontal activity are related to reduced SPIN performance. The overall goal of this proposal is to investigate the neural mechanisms of SPIN in younger and middle-aged adults with normal hearing sensitivity using a multimodal neuroimaging and computational cognitive neuroscience approach. To achieve this overall goal, this proposal is composed of two study aims: 1) examine the extent to which temporal processing and cognitive effort during SPIN are affected by middle-age, and 2) quantify compensatory neural recruitment during SPIN. In service of the first aim, we will compare temporal processing abilities and cognitive effort during SPIN in younger and middle-aged adults with and without self- reported SPIN difficulties. In service of the second aim, we will investigate the presence of frontal motor cortex recruitment during SPIN among the same individuals from the first aim using functional magnetic resonance imaging and simultaneous pupillometry to assess cognitive effort. Upon completion of the project outlined in this proposal, we will gain a better understanding of neural mechanisms associated with SPIN in aging, SPIN abilities in middle-age, and mechanisms driving SPIN difficulties in individuals with normal hearing sensitivity. The findings from this study also have the potential to inform whether individuals may be responsive to auditory or cognitive rehabilitation to mitigate SPIN difficulties.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = -$1,198 )
2024	2022	UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	4200 FIFTH AVENUE	PITTSBURGH	PA	15260	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	3/22/2024	NEW	-$1,198
														Subtotal = -$1,198

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	4200 FIFTH AVENUE	PITTSBURGH	PA	15260	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	2	6/16/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$50,194
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION	4200 FIFTH AVENUE	PITTSBURGH	PA	15260	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	2	4/21/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$50,194
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $49,252 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, THE	4200 5TH AVE	PITTSBURGH	PA	15260	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	003	1	5/18/2022	NEW	-$1
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, THE	4200 5TH AVE	PITTSBURGH	PA	15260	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	001	1	12/14/2021	NEW	$0
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, THE	4200 5TH AVE	PITTSBURGH	PA	15260	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	002	1	4/25/2022	NEW	$717
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, THE	4200 5TH AVE	PITTSBURGH	PA	15260	ALLEGHENY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	12/14/2021	NEW	$48,536
														Subtotal = $49,252

Grand Total All Awards = $48,054

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Neural Mechanisms of Speech Perception in Noise in Middle-Age

Award Number: F31DC020085

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2025

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