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Clinical trial Recruiting at 2 sites Interventional Ages 65 to 85

Improving speech understanding in older adults through cognitive training

Official title: Auditory-cognitive Training Paradigm (NIH P01 Project - Speech Perception With High Cognitive Demand)

Run by University of Maryland, College Park · NCT04997577 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing a new training program to help older adults aged 65 to 85 understand speech better in noisy places.

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages65 Years to 85 Years
SexAll
Enrollment100 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity of Maryland, College Park
Academic / other
Locations2 sites (College Park, Maryland and 1 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedSeptember 27, 2021
Main results expectedMay 30, 2026
Study endsDecember 31, 2027
Registry record updatedApril 8, 2025
Trial IDNCT04997577 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are older adults aged 65 to 85 with normal hearing and a high school diploma or higher education.

Probably not a fit

Patients with middle-ear or inner-ear pathology, learning disorders, or those who cannot complete the training sessions may not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This project aims to enhance speech perception in older adults aged 65 to 85 who experience difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments. It evaluates a new auditory-cognitive training paradigm that focuses on improving speech-in-noise perception through targeted training sessions. Participants will be assigned to either an active control group or an auditory training group, where they will engage in tasks that require them to focus on one speaker while ignoring another. The study will measure neural and behavioral changes using advanced techniques like pupillometry and magnetoencephalography. The goal is to provide a tailored training experience that adapts to each individual's needs.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this training could significantly improve communication abilities and quality of life for older adults facing speech understanding challenges.

How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that auditory-cognitive training can provide benefits for adults with hearing loss, suggesting potential success for this novel approach in normal-hearing older adults.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
Inclusion Criteria:

* Aged between 65 - 85 years
* Normal hearing (pure tone thresholds ≤ 25 dB HL from 250 - 8000 Hz)
* Self-reported normal or corrected-to-normal vision
* Dominant language: American English
* Education: a high school diploma or higher education level

Exclusion Criteria:

* Middle-ear or inner-ear pathology
* Non-native speaker of English
* Inability to complete all training sessions within a pre-specified time window (e.g., due to unexpected schedule restrictions)
* Learning disorders
* Metal in body that induces a data artifact for MEG recording (e.g., excessive metal dental work) or that poses a safety issue in the MRI portion (e.g., pacemakers, neural implants, metal plates or joints, shrapnel, and surgical staples)
* Claustrophobia or any condition that would be exacerbated by the scanning environment's lighting, sounds, etc. (e.g., migraines)
* A non-removable hairstyle or hair accessory that would prevent the participant from fitting comfortably in the MEG or MRI head coil
* Currently under a medical provider's care for a closed head injury
* Currently taking psychoactive stimulant (e.g., amphetamines), depressant (e.g., benzodiazepines), mood stabilizing (e.g., lithium), anti-psychotic, or anti-seizure medications or drugs of abuse
* Currently pregnant (only for MRI)

Where it's running

  • Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences
    College Park, Maryland, United States     Recruiting
  • Maryland Neuroimaging Center
    College Park, Maryland, United States     Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Samira B Anderson, PhD — University of Maryland, College Park
  • Study coordinator: Jonathan Z Simon, PhD
  • Email: jzsimon@umd.edu
  • Phone: 301-405-3645

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
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Speech Intelligibility 4Aging 2413University of Maryland, College Park 8
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.