Abstract
Abstract
Background and Purpose
Use of unilateral cochlear implant (UCI) is associated with limited spatial hearing skills. Evidence that training these abilities in UCI user is possible remains limited. In this study, we assessed whether a Spatial training based on hand-reaching to sounds performed in virtual reality improves spatial hearing abilities in UCI users
Methods
Using a crossover randomized clinical trial, we compared the effects of a Spatial training protocol with those of a Non-Spatial control training. We tested 17 UCI users in a head-pointing to sound task and in an audio-visual attention orienting task, before and after each training. <br>Study is recorded in clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04183348).
Results
During the Spatial VR training, sound localization errors in azimuth decreased. Moreover, when comparing head-pointing to sounds before vs. after training, localization errors decreased after the Spatial more than the control training. No training effects emerged in the audio-visual attention orienting task.
Conclusions
Our results showed that sound localization in UCI users improves during a Spatial training, with benefits that extend also to a non-trained sound localization task (generalization). These findings have potentials for novel rehabilitation procedures in clinical contexts.
Funder
Università Italo Francese
Fondazione Zegna
Associazione Amici di Claudio Demattè
Agence Nationale de la Recherche
Foundation Medisite
Fondation Neurodis
Italian Ministry for Research and University
Università degli Studi di Trento
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
General Medicine,Otorhinolaryngology
Cited by
4 articles.
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