View clinical trials related to Hearing Loss.
Filter by:The purpose of this study is to determine if folic acid supplementation can slow down atherosclerotic progression, age-related cognitive decline and age-related hearing loss.
This study will explore clinical and genetic aspects of Usher syndrome, an inherited disease causing deafness or impaired hearing, visual problems, and, in some cases, unsteadiness or balance problems. Patients with type 1 Usher syndrome usually are deaf from birth and have speech and balance problems. Patients with type 2 disease generally are hearing impaired but have no balance problems. Patients with type 3 disease have progressive hearing loss and balance problems. All patients develop retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that causes poor night vision and eventually, blindness. Patients of any age with Usher syndrome may be eligible for this study. Patients who have had eye and hearing evaluations are asked to send their medical records to the research team at the National Eye Institute (NEI) for review. They are also asked to have a blood sample drawn by a medical professional and sent to NEI for genetic analysis. Finally, they are interviewed about their family histories, particularly about other relative with eye disease. Patients who have not been evaluated previously have the following tests and procedures at NIH: - Family medical history, especially regarding eye disease. A family tree is drawn. - Blood draw for genetic studies of Usher syndrome. - Eye examination to assess visual acuity and eye pressure, and to examine pupils, lens, retina, and eye movements. - Electroretinogram (ERG) to test the function of visual cells. Wearing eye patches, the patient sits in a dark room for 30 minutes. Electrodes are taped to the forehead and the eye patches are removed. The surface of the eye is numbed with eye drops and contact lenses are placed on the eyes. The patient looks inside a hollow, dark globe and sees a series of light flashes. Then a light is turned on inside the globe and more flashes appear. The contact lenses sense small electrical signals generated by the retina when the light flashes. - Fluorescein angiography to evaluate the eye's blood vessels. A yellow dye is injected into an arm vein and travels to the blood vessels in the eyes. Pictures of the retina are taken using a camera that flashes a blue light into the eye. The pictures show if any dye has leaked from the vessels into the retina, indicating possible blood vessel abnormality. - Hearing tests to help determine the patient's type of Usher syndrome. Tests to evaluate hearing include examination of both ears with an otoscope, evaluation of the middle ear and inner ear, and hearing tests using earphones that deliver tones and words the subject listens and responds to. - Vestibular testing for balance function. Balance testing involves three procedures: Videonystagmography: This test records eye movements with little cameras. First the patient follows the movements of some small lights. Next, while wearing goggles, the patient lies on an exam table and turns to the right and left. Lastly, a soft stream of air is blown into the patient's ears four times, once in each ear with cool air and once in each ear with warm air. Rotary chair test: With electrodes placed on the forehead, the patient sits in a rotary chair in a dark room. Several red lights appear on the wall of the room and the patient follows the lights as they move back and forth. Then the chair turns at several speeds, all slower than a merry-go-round. Vestibular evoked potential: Electrodes are placed behind the patient's ear and at the base of the neck. Seated in a reclining chair and wearing earphones, the patient hears a brief series of loud clicking sounds. When the sounds are on, the patient is asked to lift his or her head up a few inches from the chair. The electrodes record information from the muscles in the neck as the sounds enter the ear.
Hearing impairment is one of the most common disabilities in veterans. The decreased ability to communicate is troubling in itself, but the strong association of hearing loss with functional decline and depression adds further to the burden on the hearing-impaired. Although hearing amplification improves quality of life, hearing evaluations are offered infrequently to older patients. Only 25 percent of patients with aidable hearing loss receive treatment. Up to 30 percent of patients who receive hearing aids do not use them. We contend that an effective formal screening program should identify hearing-impaired patients who are motivated to seek evaluation and who derive benefit from treatment.
This trial aims to compare the efficacy of oral prednisone vs. methylprednisolone injected into the middle ear for the treatment of moderate-to-severe, sudden sensorineural hearing loss (inner ear hearing loss affecting one ear that occurs over less than 72 hours).
The short-term research objectives of the proposed study are as follows: 1. To measure the effects of audiological intervention on selected domain specific (i.e., Communicative, Interpersonal, and Social roles) and overall functioning using the WHO-DASII, a generic health measure conceptually grounded in the ICIDH-2 model of disablement and functioning. 2. To measure the effects of audiological intervention on selected domain specific (i.e., Role Functioning-Emotional; and, Social Functioning) and overall functioning using the MOS-SF36V, a generic health measure currently utilized in the Veteran's Health Administration. 3. To determine the accuracy with which measures of audibility (SII), hearing handicap (HHIE), and, hearing disability (APHAB) predict domain specific and overall functioning, and life-satisfaction as measured by the WHO-DASII and the MOS-SF36V will be evaluated. 4. To compare hearing aid treatment effects as measured by changes in WHO-DASII domain specific and overall functioning scores to those measured by changes in disease specific instruments examining similar constructs. 5. To compare hearing aid treatment effects as measured by changes in MOS-SF36V domain specific and overall functioning scores to those measured by changes in disease specific instruments examining similar constructs. 6. To determine and compare cost-effectiveness of hearing aid intervention as calculated using WHO-DASII and MOS SF-36V outcome data. The long-term research objective is to compare the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of audiologic intervention with those of other health care interventions commonly associated with the veteran population (e.g. mental health, cardiology, pulmonary, orthopedic, etc.).
This study will try to identify the genetic causes of hereditary hearing loss or balance disorders. People with a hearing or balance disorder that affects more than one family member may be eligible for this study. They and their immediate family members may undergo some or all of the following procedures: - Medical and family history, including questions about hearing, balance and other ear-related issues, and review of medical records. - Routine physical examination. - Blood draw or buccal swab (brushing inside the cheek to collect cells) - Tissue is collected for DNA analysis to look for changes in genes that may be related to hearing loss. - Hearing tests - The subject listens for tones emitted through a small earphone. - Balance tests to see if balance functions of the inner ear are associated with the hearing loss In one test the subject wears goggles and watches moving lights while cold or warm air is blown into the ears. A second test involves sitting in a spinning chair in a quiet, dark room. - Photograph - A photograph may be taken as a record of eye shape and color, distance between the eyes, and hair color. - Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans - These tests show the structure of the inner ear. For CT, the subject lies still for a short time while X-ray images are obtained. For MRI, the patient lies on a stretcher that is moved into a cylindrical machine with a strong magnetic field. The magnetic field and radio waves produce images of the inner ear. The radio waves cause loud thumping noises that can be muffled by the use of earplugs.
This study will try to identify and understand the genetic factors that lead to an inner ear malformation called "enlarged vestibular aqueducts", that can be associated with hearing loss. Patients with sensorineural hearing loss with or without inner ear malformations and their parents and siblings may be eligible for this study. Participants and their immediate family members, may undergo some or all of the following tests and procedures: - Medical and family history, including questions about hearing, balance and other ear-related issues, and review of medical records. - Routine physical examination. - Blood draw or buccal swab (brushing inside the cheek to collect cells) - Tissue is collected for DNA analysis to look for changes in genes that may be related to hearing loss. - Hearing tests - The subject listens for tones emitted through a small earphone. - Balance test (VEMP) to see if balance functions of the inner ear are associated with the hearing loss Electrodes will be placed behind your ear and at the base of your neck. From a reclining position, you will be asked to raise your head while clicking sounds are played into your ears. - Ultrasound tests - An inner ear malformation called EVA (enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct) indicates that a genetic disorder called Pendred syndrome may be the cause. Because thyroid abnormalities are also associated with Pendred syndrome, an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland may be done. - Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans - These tests show the structure of the inner ear. For CT, the subject lies still for a short time while X-ray images are obtained. For MRI, the patient lies on a stretcher that is moved into a cylindrical machine with a strong magnetic field. The magnetic field and radio waves produce images of the inner ear. The radio waves cause loud thumping noises that can be muffled by the use of earplugs.
The purpose of this study is to determine if individuals with diabetes are at increased risk of hearing impairment or tinnitus (the perception of ringing or noises in the ears or head). An important goal of this research is also to obtain a better understanding of possible interactions between hearing disorders and other chronic conditions, such as diabetes. Participation in this research will be for a few hours only, to be scheduled at the participant's convenience and according to the testing schedules of the different clinics involved.
Hearing loss and loss of vision can be very harmful to the well-being and life of people who suffer from them. Usher syndrome is the name of a disease where people have both hearing loss and visual loss. In fact more than half of people who are deaf and blind have Usher syndrome. In this study we are trying to find the causes of all types of Usher syndrome and to learn more about how the eyes and ears work. Usher syndrome is caused by changes in our genes that lead to mistakes in the functioning of our eyes and ears. We may conduct hearing tests called audiograms to test hearing and a vision test called an electroretinogram (ERG) to test how well the retina (the part of your eye that senses light) is working on participants in the study. From these tests we can tell what kind of Usher syndrome a participant may have. We will then get DNA from participants by drawing blood. The DNA will be studied, along with DNA from members of the participant's family and other families, to try to find the gene that is causing Usher syndrome in the participant. Once the gene is found we will be able to study it to learn more about how the eyes and ears work. If a subject has already been diagnosed we may just need copies of their medical records and blood can be drawn locally. In order to increase the power of the study and the likelihood of detecting relevant genes participants will be taken from the Ashkenazi Jewish population group only. This will make it much easier to find the genes.
Tinnitus is a prevalent issue for veterans who are proportionally more hearing-impaired than the civilian population. This study will be conducted as three concurrent projects designed to develop an efficient clinical technique to quantify tinnitus perception: (1)Laboratory development of the automated technique for comprehensive tinnitus quantification;(2)Development of a technique to test for tinnitus "malingering"; and (3)Evaluation of the automated technique in the clinical environment.