Data_Sheet_1_The Effect of Lifetime Noise Exposure and Aging on Speech-Perception-in-Noise Ability and Self-Reported Hearing Symptoms: An Online Study.pdf

Animal research shows that aging and excessive noise exposure damage cochlear outer hair cells, inner hair cells, and the synapses connecting inner hair cells with the auditory nerve. This may translate into auditory symptoms such as difficulty understanding speech in noise, tinnitus, and hyperacusis. The current study, using a novel online approach, assessed and quantified the effects of lifetime noise exposure and aging on (i) speech-perception-in-noise (SPiN) thresholds, (ii) self-reported hearing ability, and (iii) the presence of tinnitus. Secondary aims involved documenting the effects of lifetime noise exposure and aging on tinnitus handicap and the severity of hyperacusis. Two hundred and ninety-four adults with no past diagnosis of hearing or memory impairments were recruited online. Participants were assigned into two groups: 217 “young” (age range: 18–35 years, females: 151) and 77 “older” (age range: 50–70 years, females: 50). Participants completed a set of online instruments including an otologic health and demographic questionnaire, a dementia screening tool, forward and backward digit span tests, a noise exposure questionnaire, the Khalfa hyperacusis questionnaire, the short-form of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing scale, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, a digits-in-noise test, and a Coordinate Response Measure speech-perception test. Analyses controlled for sex and cognitive function as reflected by the digit span. A detailed protocol was pre-registered, to guard against “p-hacking” of this extensive dataset. Lifetime noise exposure did not predict SPiN thresholds, self-reported hearing ability, or the presence of tinnitus in either age group. Exploratory analyses showed that worse hyperacusis scores, and a greater prevalence of tinnitus, were associated significantly with high lifetime noise exposure in the young, but not in the older group. Age was a significant predictor of SPiN thresholds and the presence of tinnitus, but not of self-reported hearing ability, tinnitus handicap, or severity of hyperacusis. Consistent with several lab studies, our online-derived data suggest that older adults with no diagnosis of hearing impairment have a poorer SPiN ability and a higher risk of tinnitus than their younger counterparts. Moreover, lifetime noise exposure may increase the risk of tinnitus and the severity of hyperacusis in young adults with no diagnosis of hearing impairment.

动物研究表明，衰老及过度噪声暴露会对耳蜗外毛细胞、内毛细胞以及连接内毛细胞与听神经的突触造成损伤。此现象可能导致听力症状，如噪声中理解言语困难、耳鸣及重听。本研究采用新颖的在线方法，评估并量化了终身噪声暴露和衰老对以下方面的影响：（i）噪声中言语感知（SPiN）阈值；（ii）自我报告的听力；（iii）耳鸣的发生。次要目标包括记录终身噪声暴露和衰老对耳鸣障碍及重听严重程度的影响。招募了294名未诊断出听力或记忆障碍的成年人，通过网络进行分组：217名“年轻”组（年龄范围：18-35岁，女性151人）和77名“老年”组（年龄范围：50-70岁，女性50人）。参与者完成了一系列在线工具，包括耳科健康和人口统计学问卷、痴呆筛查工具、正向和反向数字广度测试、噪声暴露问卷、Khalfa重听问卷、短式听力空间与质量量表、耳鸣障碍量表、数字在噪声测试以及坐标响应测量言语感知测试。分析考虑了性别和认知功能，后者通过数字广度测试反映。一项详细的方案已预先注册，以防止对这一庞大数据集的“p-hacking”行为。终身噪声暴露不能预测任何年龄组的SPiN阈值、自我报告的听力或耳鸣的发生。探索性分析显示，在年轻人中，更严重的重听评分和耳鸣的更高发生率与终身高噪声暴露显著相关，而在老年人中则不然。年龄是SPiN阈值和耳鸣发生的显著预测因素，但不是自我报告的听力、耳鸣障碍或重听严重程度的预测因素。与多项实验室研究一致，我们通过网络获取的数据表明，未诊断出听力障碍的老年人在SPiN能力上较年轻人群更差，且耳鸣风险更高。此外，终身噪声暴露可能增加未诊断出听力障碍的年轻人的耳鸣风险和重听严重程度。