# Listening effort under auditory masking conditions in persons with acquired aphasia

> **NIH NIH K99** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) · 2020 · $89,577

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Aphasia is a common consequence of stroke, affecting approximately 1 million individuals in the United
States and often persisting as a chronic condition. A growing body of work suggests that persons with chronic
aphasia (PWA) are poorer than age- and hearing-matched controls at understanding speech when background
sounds, or auditory maskers, are present. However, little is currently known about how auditory masking
affects listening effort in PWA. Listening effort—that is, the cognitive resources directed towards decoding an
auditory signal—is a key construct in the study of receptive speech processing. The presence of auditory
maskers can often result in substantial increases in listening effort, which in turn can have significant negative
ramifications for listeners, such as increased stress and fatigue, as well as the availability of fewer remaining
resources to direct towards concurrent cognitive-linguistic operations. Because auditory masking is ubiquitous
in real-world social and community environments (e.g. restaurants, stores, family/social gatherings), gaining a
better understanding of this topic is crucial in understanding everyday communication in PWA.
 This proposal therefore consists of a close investigation into listening effort in aphasia under auditory
masking conditions. This investigation is part of a comprehensive training plan that will allow the candidate to
gain proficiency in specific tools—including pupillometry, electroencephalography (EEG), and structural
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)—and apply them to address several research aims, under the advisement
of a mentoring team of experienced scientists. During the mentored phase, the project will aim to examine
whether listening effort is higher in PWA than in age- and hearing-matched controls, as well as to identify
possible relationships between brain lesion location and listening effort in PWA. During this initial phase, the
candidate will receive training in pupillometry and EEG as measures of listening effort, as well as in structural
MRI to collect data on lesion location, in order to compare listening effort in PWA vs controls. During the
independent phase, the project will aim to assess the effects of several specific types of auditory masker
manipulations, including masker type and location, on listening effort in PWA and controls. Finally, the effect of
increased listening effort on verbal working memory in PWA will be directly examined. Throughout the project,
careful consideration will be given to differentiating between the effects of aphasia, age, and hearing loss on
listening effort. Results will provide critical information about how auditory masking affects PWA, and may have
implications for social engagement, community participation, and quality of life in this population. Completion of
the project will also allow the candidate to launch an independent research career investigating clinically
relevant questions in aphasia and ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10038905
- **Project number:** 1K99DC018829-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS)
- **Principal Investigator:** Sarah Noelle Villard
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $89,577
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-03 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10038905

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10038905, Listening effort under auditory masking conditions in persons with acquired aphasia (1K99DC018829-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10038905. Licensed CC0.

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