The neurophysiological effects of auditory rehabilitation focused on acoustic characteristics

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K17672
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Nakagawa Kei 広島大学, 医系科学研究科(保), 助教 (10711070)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 聴覚リハビリテーション / 難聴 / 脳磁図 / 高音質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In recent years, it has been reported that the combined use of intensive acoustic therapy for the affected side of the ear is effective in recovering from deafness. Auditory rehabilitation is expected one of the novel approaches for the recovery. In the present study, we examined the effect of one-hour daily music listening intervention on the auditory evoked magnetic field (AEF) for patients with mild deafness using a sound collector which makes easy to hear and can present sound with little distortion.
As a result, we demonstrated that AEF in the primary auditory cortex tended to increase compared to before the intervention. It may suggest that auditory rehabilitation with continuous listening to high-quality sound is useful for improving the auditory function.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

難聴の支援機器の一つとして，話者側から聞き手側への聞き取りやすく歪みの少ない音を提供するスピーカーが開発され，それらを使用することにより，語音弁別に対しての有用性が報告されている．本研究では，同様の機構を持つ集音器を用いて，聴覚リハビリテーションに対する有用性を検討した．結果，毎日1時間，1か月間の音楽聴取をすることにより，聴覚関連脳磁界が増大する傾向が認められた．聴覚リハビリテーションは，難聴者の機能回復において，今後ますます重要となると思われる．