Analysis of Musical and Voice Skills in Children and Adult Cochlear Implant Users

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

evaluation with Meludia music software: Measurement instruments: 1. \- MuMu Questionnaire 2. MuRQoL Questionnaire 3. Questionnaire for subjects aged 6-17 years 4. Music tool Meludia (www.meludia.com) 5. Acoustic analysis of the voice: the Praat programme 6. Audiological tests

Study summary

Aims: To evaluate the perception and enjoyment of music in cochlear implant (CI) users using specific questionnaires, and comparing their results with a control group of subjects with normal hearing (NH). To analyze the musical abilities of implantees using the musical tool Meludia, and compare the results with the control group. To perfom a voice analysis in implanted patients, compare it with their NH peers, and check if an association with musical perception is observed.

Design: Cross-sectional study, both the CI recipients and NH control subjects were assessed once.

Setting and subjects: Pre-or perilingual patients aged 6 to 17 years old, and postlingual adults who underwent cochlear implantation from 2000 to January 2023 at La Paz University Hospital. Control group is set up with their NH peers.

Study Variables: Socio-demographic and clinical (current age, age at implantation, sex, educational level) variables will be collected, as well as hearing loss (aetiology, duration of deafness), and surgical (type of implant, complete or partial insertion of the electrodes, date of surgery) data. Data from CI fitting (number of active electrodes, type of audio processor) and hearing outcomes with the CI will also be reviewed.

Outcome variables: Specific musical skills questionnaires for adults: Munich Music Questionnaire (MuMu) and Music Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (MuRQoL), which will be validated. Musical questionnaire developed specifically for subjects between 6-17 years old. Musical tool (Meludia) to assess musical perception. Praat software for voice analysis. Analysis of the impact of the different audiological, sociodemographic and clinical variables on hearing outcomes, and on musical perception after cochlear implantation, and comparison with the NH control group.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Scoring on a specific musical questionnaire for adults: MuMu — 3 years
  Change in the musical experience and degree of enjoyment of music before and after CI in adult (≥18 years) post-lingual patients with the Munich Music Questionnaire (MuMu).
• Scoring on a specific musical questionnaire for adults: MuRQoL — 3 years
  Change in music perception with the Music Related Quality of Life (MuRQoL) questionnaire in postlingually hearing adults (≥18 years) with CI and compare it with the results in subjects with normal hearing.
• Translation and validation the MuRQoL questionnaire in Spanish. — 3 years
  Translation of the MuRQoL questionnaire: Initially, the questionnaire will be translated from English to Spanish by a suitably qualified person. This will be followed by translation from Spanish to English (back-translation) by another qualified person from outside the clinical study. This will ensure that the Spanish version faithfully reproduces the original English version.
• Score on a questionnaire created specifically for individuals aged between 6-17 years that encompasses aspects of musical interests, musical profile, role of music and music-related activities. — 3 years
  The newly created questionnaire will be in an easily understandable language. The responses of implanted patients will be compared with those of their normal hearing peers.
• Score obtained in the "discovery" level with the Meludia music tool — 3 years
  To analyse the musical abilities of implanted patients over 6 years of age using the musical tool "Meludia" with its 5 musical categories: rhythm, melody, density, stability and spatialisation, and to compare their results with those obtained in subjects with normal hearing.
• Change in voice quality of CI users compared with their normal hearing control peers. — 3 years
  Voice analysis: In implanted patients over 6 years, study various parameters to evaluate voice quality, e.g. vocal incapacity index, maximum phonation time, fundamental voice frequency, pitch... and compare them with the results in their normal hearing control peers. Parameters to assess voice quality: Spoken voice: Vocal inability index, Maximum phonation time, Fundamental voice frequency, Jitter, Shimmer, Harmonics to noise ratio (HNR), Smoothed cepstral peak (CPPS) and Spectrogram according to Yanagihara's classification. Sung voice: Pitch (relative to the note emitted by a keyboard), CPPS and Singing power ratio (SPR).

Trial sites (1)

More Fundacion para la Investigacion Biomedica del Hospital Universitario la Paz trials in Spain

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