Cochlear implants: how listening effort and thinking skills affect understanding in everyday conversations
Cochlear implants and listening effort: the interaction of cognitive and sensory constraints
['FUNDING_R01'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11257351
This project looks at how adults with cochlear implants use language context and mental effort to understand real-world speech.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11257351 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would take part in listening tasks that go beyond repeating words to measure real comprehension of everyday sentences and conversations. Tests will vary how much contextual, syntactic, and semantic information is available to see how you use language knowledge to fill in degraded sound. The research team will measure listening effort and how that effort changes when the task is made harder. The goal is to identify when relying on context helps or harms understanding and which situations cause the most strain.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) who use cochlear implants and are able to attend testing visits are the ideal candidates for participation.
Not a fit: Children, people without cochlear implants, or those unable to complete in-person listening and cognitive tasks are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could inform better rehabilitation, device programming, and communication strategies to help cochlear implant users understand speech in daily life.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has improved word-recognition measures for cochlear implant users, but applying detailed tests of comprehension and listening effort is a newer approach with promising early evidence.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SVIRSKY, MARIO A — NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- Study coordinator: SVIRSKY, MARIO A
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.