Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Improved Speech in Noise Perception
University of Florida
Summary
Traumatic brain injury, a common injury in military service personnel, often leads to poor processing of speech in noisy environments. The goal of the current study is to better understand the brain basis for this difficulty and evaluate a new approach to improving speech in noise perception.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 25–55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * 25-55 years old * Proficiency in English * TBI group: history of traumatic brain injury by blast or physical trauma * Normal hearing group: no history of traumatic brain injury Exclusion Criteria: * Other neurological diseases or related conditions will be excluded (e.g., large vessel stroke, seizures). We will exclude patients with severe medical diseases that may be associated with impaired cognition (e.g., heart failure, dialysis dependent kidney disease, brain cancer). Further, psychiatric diseases that are unlikely to be related to trauma will be excluded (e.g., s…
Interventions
- DeviceCymba Conchae stimulation
Electrical stimulation applied to the cymba conchae region of the outer ear
- DeviceEarlobe stimulation
Electrical stimulation applied to the earlobe region of the outer ear
Location
- UF Health at the University of FloridaGainesville, Florida