How mild cognitive impairment affects understanding speech in noisy environments
Official title: Effect of mild cognitive impairment and listening effort demands on cortical processing of narrative speech
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-10936958 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how mild cognitive impairment and the effort it takes to listen can affect how older adults and those with Alzheimer's understand speech, especially in noisy situations, to help find ways to diagnose and track the disease earlier.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $189,577 |
| NIH project number | 3R21DC020788-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10936958 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include adults aged 21 and older who have mild cognitive impairment or are at risk for Alzheimer's Disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's Disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and the effort required to listen affect the brain's processing of speech, especially in challenging listening situations. It focuses on understanding the neural mechanisms behind speech perception difficulties in older adults and those with Alzheimer's Disease. By analyzing how the brain processes continuous speech, the study aims to identify potential biomarkers that could help in the early diagnosis and tracking of Alzheimer's progression. Participants will undergo assessments that measure their speech understanding abilities in various auditory environments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved diagnostic tools for early detection of Alzheimer's Disease and better strategies for managing communication difficulties in affected individuals.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been some research on cognitive effort and speech perception, this study's focus on continuous speech processing in MCI is relatively novel and has not been extensively explored.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mesik, Juraj — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Mesik, Juraj
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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.