How listening and brain sound processing relate to school, mental health, and life quality in teens with HIV

How sound processing in the ear and brain relates to educational outcomes, mental health, and quality of life in adolescents living with HIV

NIH-funded research Dartmouth College · NIH-11159795

This project looks at whether how teenagers with HIV hear and process sounds is linked to their reading, behavior, and overall wellbeing.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionDartmouth College NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Hanover, United States)
Project IDNIH-11159795 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You and other adolescents with HIV would take listening tests that measure how your brain processes sounds, including how well you understand speech in noisy places. The team will also give reading, thinking, and behavior tests and questionnaires and will follow you over time. They compare results to peers without HIV to see if early listening problems predict later struggles at school or with mental health.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adolescents and teens living with HIV (roughly ages 12–20) who can complete hearing, reading, and cognitive tests and are willing to be followed over time are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Children outside the adolescent age range, adults, or people unable to complete auditory or literacy testing are unlikely to be eligible or directly helped by this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, simple hearing-based tests could help spot teens with HIV who need extra educational or mental-health support earlier.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work, including data from this cohort, has found links between central auditory performance and reading and cognitive outcomes, but using these tests to guide interventions remains relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Hanover, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.