Profiles and predictors of onset based differences in vocal characteristics of adults with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD)

PurposeOnset-based differences are understudied in Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD) in dimensions such as voice, which is addressed in the study. The study aimed to profile and predict the best metrics of onset-related differences in acoustic vocal characteristics of early and late-onset ANSD patients.Methods31 participants (15 early and 16 late-onset) aged 15–30 years diagnosed with ANSD were included in the study. The sustained phonation of vowel /i/ recorded by the participants using android based smartphones of selected configuration was sent over email to the experimenter. Acoustic parameters (fundamental frequency, harmonic frequencies, jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio, cepstral peak prominence -CPP, and pitch sigma) were analysed using Praat software.ResultsResults revealed significantly increased (p < 0.05) fundamental frequency along with decreased F2 and F3 of /i/ in the early-onset ANSD compared to the late-onset group, which can be explained based on differences in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Although not statistically significant, mean perturbations (jitter and shimmer), harmonic-to-noise ratio, cepstral peak prominence, and pitch sigma were more affected in the early-onset group, reflective of lowered auditory feedback and periodicity in their voice samples. Results of discriminant analysis marked the emergence of F2, F3, and CPP as the most sensitive metrics for onset-based group differences in voice characteristics.ConclusionsThe findings from the study highlight the role of acoustical voice evaluation (especially CPP, F2 & F3) in verifying the onset of ANSD disorder. The insights from the onset-based differences seen in vocal characteristics can indirectly help audiologists in deciding the management options for ANSD.     

Impact of the presence of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) on outcomes of children at three years of age

Abstract

Objective: To determine the influence of the presence of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) on speech, language, and psycho-social development of children at three years of age. Design: A population-based, longitudinal study was performed on outcomes of children with hearing impairment (LOCHI) in Australia. The demographic characteristics of the children were described, and their developmental outcomes were evaluated at three years of age. Performance of children with ANSD was compared with that of children without ANSD in the LOCHI study. Study sample: There were 47 children with ANSD in the study sample. Results: Sixty-four percent of children with ANSD have hearing sensitivity loss ranging from mild to severe degree, and the remaining have profound hearing loss. At three years, 27 children used hearing aids, 19 used cochlear implants, and one child did not use any hearing device. Thirty percent of children have disabilities in addition to hearing loss. On average, there were no significant differences in performance level between children with and without ANSD. Also, the variability of scores was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in performance levels or variability between children with and without ANSD, both for children who use hearing aids, and children who use cochlear implants.