Spatial Cues, Task Demands, and Auditory Attention in Hearing Loss and Cochlear Implants
Official title: How Spatial Cues Support Communication: Interactions Between Auditory Spatial Features and Task Demands Across Cortical Networks
Run by University of South Florida · NCT07765186 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests how spatial hearing cues and task demands affect listening and attention in people with normal hearing and those with bilateral cochlear implants.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 90 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 80 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of South Florida Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Tampa, Florida) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 22, 2025 |
| Main results expected | April 2030 |
| Study ends | July 2030 |
| Registry record updated | August 14, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07765186 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with normal hearing or adults with bilateral cochlear implants who have used their implants for at least one year.
✕Probably not a fit
CI users who cannot tolerate the testing procedures or who do not meet MRI safety criteria for NH participants may see limited benefits from the study findings.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will compare how interaural time and level differences influence spatial selective attention using a mix of brain and body measures in normal-hearing adults and bilateral cochlear implant users. The study collects EEG, fNIRS, pupillometry, and behavioral data while participants perform listening tasks that require maintaining information in working memory and focusing on a target sound. For NH participants, fMRI will be recorded to further explore neural mechanisms; CI users will not undergo MRI due to safety concerns. The paradigm emphasizes the impact of spatial cues and task demands on cognitive and sensory processing, aiming to improve understanding of listening effort in complex environments. Findings could guide future strategies to enhance speech perception in noise for individuals with hearing impairment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform new approaches to improve real-world speech understanding in noisy settings for people with hearing loss or using cochlear implants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that spatial cues and cognitive load influence auditory attention; this study extends that knowledge with multimodal measurements in both NH and CI populations.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults with normal hearing, confirmed by audiometric assessment (thresholds within 20 dB HL of normal through 8 kHz), OR adults with bilateral cochlear implants who have used their implants for at least one year * Native speakers of American English * Normal or corrected-to-normal vision Exclusion Criteria: * Known neurological disorders * For fMRI sessions (normal-hearing participants only): contraindications to MRI scanning; cochlear implant users do not complete MRI sessions
Where it's running
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University of South Florida, PCD Building, Room 3008A
Tampa, Florida, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Christopher A Brown, PhD — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Christopher A Brown, PhD
- Email: cb43@usf.edu
- Phone: 412-670-2772
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.