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Active, not recruitingNCT06893432EEG/ARHLUpdated Mar 25, 2025

Cognitive Function and EEG Brain Network Remodeling Among Users of Hearing Aids With ARHL

An observational study in Age-related Hearing Loss, Age-related Cognitive Decline and Depression, sponsored by Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 50 Years to 90 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-03-25.

Sponsored by Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · Observational

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Mar 2025, 1 year 7 months ago, but the record still lists the study as active, not recruiting.
Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Retrospective
Enrollment
60
Ages
50 Years to 90 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study intends to retrospectively collect and analyze the case data of patients with age-related hearing loss who were admitted to the Otolaryngology Department of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024. Participants were divided into an Aided Group and a Control Group based on whether they had regularly used hearing aids in the past six months.

Audiological, cognitive, emotional, and sleep assessments, as well as resting state electroencephalogram (EEG) features, are supposed to be compared between the two groups.

Read the detailed description

This study intends to retrospectively collect and analyze the case data of patients with age-related hearing loss who were admitted to the Otolaryngology Department of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024. Participants were divided into an Aided Group and a Control Group based on whether they had regularly used hearing aids in the past six months.

The audiological assessment comprises pure tone audiometry, speech recognition audiometry, and sound field audiometry. The cognitive assessment includes the Mandarin version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The emotional assessment consists of the 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Sleep assessment is conducted using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

02

Conditions studied

  • Age-related Hearing Loss
  • Age-related Cognitive Decline
  • Depression
  • Sleep Disturbance

Keywords

  • age-related hearing loss
  • cognition
  • electroencephalogram
03

In context

Presbycusis

66 studies on the registry are indexed under Presbycusis; 21 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 60 is below the median of 123 across 20 observational studies indexed under Presbycusis.

Browse Presbycusis studies →

Lead sponsor

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University is the lead sponsor of 483 studies on the registry; 283 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
50 Years to 90 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

In this study, we retrospectively collect clinical data of patients with ARHL who have attended the Otolaryngology Department of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital from January 2020 to June 2024. All participants are native speakers of Mandarin Chinese or Cantonese (Guangdong, China). Candidates will be excluded for outer/middle ear abnormalities or any other central nervous system disorders. Thereafter, all participants were grouped depending on whether they have regularly used hearing aid(s) to improve hearing during the past six-month period.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosed with ARHL
  • Aged between 50 and 90
  • Complete measuring data; including pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, cognitive screening scales and resting-state electroencephalography
  • Right-handed
  • Regular daily use of hearing aid(s) for six-month period prior to the test date, or no hearing aid experience

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Outer/middle ear abnormalities or any other central nervous system disorders
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Retrospective
Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Aided

    Participants who have regularly used hearing aid(s) to improve hearing during the past six-month period.

    Device: hearing aids

  • Control

    Participants without any experience of using hearing aids.

Interventions

  • Devicehearing aids

    Hearing aids are a common intervention method used to address age-related hearing loss, providing amplified sound to improve hearing clarity and communication abilities for elderly individuals.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. better-ear pure-tone averages (BEPTA)

    The pure-tone thresholds were tested using a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer (Inventis, Italy), following the standard Hughson-Westlake method (i.e., up 5 and down 10 dB HL). Subsequently, the pure tone average (PTA) of air conduction thresholds between 500 and 4000 Hz was calculated ear by ear. Better-ear PTA of each participant will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  2. binaural averaged pure-tone averages (BAPTA)

    The pure-tone thresholds were tested using a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer (Inventis, Italy), following the standard Hughson-Westlake method (i.e., up 5 and down 10 dB HL). Subsequently, the pure tone average (PTA) of air conduction thresholds between 500 and 4000 Hz was calculated ear by ear. binaural averaged PTA of each participant will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  3. better-ear speech recognition thresholds (BESRT)

    Speech recognition audiometry was tested using a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer and a Chinese disyllabic version of speech material. The correct recognition rate at each 10 dB step of test intensity was recorded, covering the full range from 0% to 100% as much as possible. However, the intensity would cease increasing when it reached the maximum tolerable limit for the participant or the maximum output of the equipment. Specifically, speech recognition threshold (SRT) was defined as the signal intensity required for the test ear to achieve a 50% correct recognition rate. Better-ear SRT of each participant will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  4. binaural averaged speech recognition thresholds (BASRT)

    Speech recognition audiometry was tested using a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer and a Chinese disyllabic version of speech material. The correct recognition rate at each 10 dB step of test intensity was recorded, covering the full range from 0% to 100% as much as possible. However, the intensity would cease increasing when it reached the maximum tolerable limit for the participant or the maximum output of the equipment. Specifically, speech recognition threshold (SRT) was defined as the signal intensity required for the test ear to achieve a 50% correct recognition rate. binaural averaged SRT of each participant will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  5. The global and subscores of the Mandarin version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

    MoCA consists of seven subcomponents, namely visual-spatial function, naming, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall, and orientation. It scores based on whether participants answer each item correctly, with a total score of 30. A higher score indicates better cognitive function.

    Time frame: Day1

  6. The global and subscores of the Mandarin version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)

    MMSE comprises six components: temporal orientation, spatial orientation, immediate memory, attention and calculation abilities, delayed memory, and language ability. Depending on participants' accuracy in answering each test item, MMSE is scored out of 30 points. A higher score indicates better cognitive function.

    Time frame: Day1

Secondary outcomes

  1. better-ear PTA in the aided condition (BEPTA-A)

    For the aided group, participants additionally underwent a sound field audiometry (hearing thresholds ) with their hearing aid(s) on. The stimuli were presented through two binaural speakers placed one meter from the participants at 45° azimuth via a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer. During the test session, participants were seated in an upright position to ensure the height of the microphone(s) on their hearing aid(s) was consistent with the height of the geometric center of the speaker(s). Similarly, their better-ear PTA (BEPTA-A) in the aided condition will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  2. binaural averaged PTA in the aided condition (BAPTA-A)

    For the aided group, participants additionally underwent a sound field audiometry (hearing thresholds ) with their hearing aid(s) on. The stimuli were presented through two binaural speakers placed one meter from the participants at 45° azimuth via a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer. During the test session, participants were seated in an upright position to ensure the height of the microphone(s) on their hearing aid(s) was consistent with the height of the geometric center of the speaker(s). Similarly, their binaural averaged PTA (BAPTA-A) in the aided condition will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  3. better-ear SRT in the aided condition (BESRT-A)

    For the aided group, participants additionally underwent a sound field audiometry (hearing thresholds ) with their hearing aid(s) on. The stimuli were presented through two binaural speakers placed one meter from the participants at 45° azimuth via a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer. During the test session, participants were seated in an upright position to ensure the height of the microphone(s) on their hearing aid(s) was consistent with the height of the geometric center of the speaker(s). Similarly, their better-ear SRT (BESRT-A) in the aided condition will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  4. binaural averaged SRT in the aided condition (BASRT-A)

    For the aided group, participants additionally underwent a sound field audiometry (hearing thresholds ) with their hearing aid(s) on. The stimuli were presented through two binaural speakers placed one meter from the participants at 45° azimuth via a Piano Plus diagnostic audiometer. During the test session, participants were seated in an upright position to ensure the height of the microphone(s) on their hearing aid(s) was consistent with the height of the geometric center of the speaker(s). Similarly, their binaural averaged SRT (BASRT-A) in the aided condition will be collected for further analysis.

    Time frame: Day1

  5. the global score of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI)

    PSQI scale was compiled by Buysse et al in 1989 to assess the sleep quality of individuals in the last 1 month. The total score ranges from 0 to 21. A higher score indicates worse sleep quality in the past month.

    Time frame: Day1

  6. the global score of Hamilton Depression Scale -24 items (HAMD-24)

    The HAMD-24 was used to assess the degree of depression and emotional state in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus. The assessment included the emotional state and symptoms of autonomic nervous system disorders in the past week, and each question was scored according to the presence and severity of symptoms. The total score ranges from 0 to 76. A higher score indicates worse emotion state in the past week.

    Time frame: Day1

  7. the global score of 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)

    GDS-15 is a self-rated depression questionnaire, with higher scores indicating a worse depressive state. The total score ranges from 0 to 15. A higher score indicates worse emotion state in the past week.

    Time frame: Day1

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510000
    Guangzhou, Guangdong 510000, China
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Mar 25, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06893432
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 25, 2025
Start date
Dec 1, 2024
Primary completion
Mar 31, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Mar 31, 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Mar 25, 2025

Study contacts

Haidi Yang, Prof.
study director · SunYatSunU2H

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Nov 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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