Understanding hearing loss through non-invasive tests
Official title: Individualized Profiles of Sensorineural Hearing Loss from Non-Invasive Biomarkers of Peripheral Pathology
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-10916292 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how different kinds of hearing loss impact your ability to understand speech, especially when there's background noise, and it aims to find new ways to help people with hearing loss by using special tests that go beyond regular hearing checks.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $99,932 |
| NIH project number | 5F32DC021345-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10916292 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals experiencing difficulties with speech perception in noisy settings, particularly those diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with purely conductive hearing loss or those without any hearing difficulties may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how different types of hearing loss affect speech understanding, particularly in noisy environments. It uses non-invasive biomarkers to identify specific cochlear pathologies that may not be detected by standard hearing tests. By analyzing these biomarkers, the study aims to create individualized profiles that link cochlear anatomy to speech perception difficulties. This approach could help tailor treatments and interventions for those with sensorineural hearing loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment plans for individuals with hearing loss.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using non-invasive biomarkers to assess hidden cochlear pathologies, indicating that this approach may yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hauser, Samantha Nicole — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Hauser, Samantha Nicole
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding why phantom sounds and intolerance to sounds happen after hearing loss
This grant investigates why some adults with hearing loss experience tinnitus, hyperacusis, and trouble ignoring background noise, and how brain changes relate to these symptoms.
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Biomarkers linked to cochlear nerve damage in adults with sensorineural hearing loss
A project to find biological markers of cochlear nerve damage and see how they relate to hearing problems like difficulty hearing in noise and tinnitus in adults with hearing loss.
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A large, patient-facing research effort analyzes how nerve connections in the inner ear deteriorate in people with sensorineural hearing loss by studying post-mortem human temporal bones.
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Cochlear nerve disease and how it affects hearing in models of hearing loss
This grant studies how damage to the nerves of the ear happens and how it affects hearing in noisy places, using animal models to inform future human therapies.
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Sensorineural hearing loss and how it affects understanding speech
This project explores why people with similar hearing loss have different abilities to understand speech, especially in noisy places, and aims to uncover the brain and ear mechanisms behind these differences.
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Understanding why some people with hearing loss can’t understand speech in noise
This grant studies why some people with hearing loss can’t understand speech in noisy environments, even when they can hear it, to identify new ways to help them hear and understand better.
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.