Title: “Strengthening Auditory Selective Attention for Better Speech Perception in Noise”
Speaker: Jusung Ham, M.S., PhD Candidate, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Iowa
Understanding speech in noise is a major cognitive challenge for individuals with hearing loss, as it relies on the central auditory processing skill of selective attention, which filters noise and emphasizes the target sound. This presentation details our research on a new auditory training designed to train this skill using EEG-based neurofeedback. We first confirmed feasibility by decoding attention from single-trial EEG, validating a method for providing real-time feedback. Next, we demonstrated the training's effectiveness in normal-hearing listeners. Participants showed strengthened neural markers of attention and achieved better sentence-in-noise perception. These improvements appeared across different languages and in realistic listening situations where competing sounds come from the same direction. Overall, these findings suggest a new brain-based method for auditory rehabilitation, opening the door for evidence-based strategies to enhance real-world communication for those with hearing loss.
The seminars take place every Friday from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom.
Zoom link for online seminars (used throughout the semester): https://uiowa.zoom.us/j/97359327852?pwd=0HDya18oxt4Yg8FiBr4WAn0F5jnzMw.1
Meeting ID: 973 5932 7852 Passcode: 219629