# Auditory and cognitive processing in older cochlear-implant users with possible cognitive impairment

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK · 2020 · $325,735

## Abstract

The proposed supplement is relevant to the “Alzheimer's-focused administrative supplements for
NIH grants that are not focused on Alzheimer's disease” because it will enhance our
understanding of how to evaluate for Alzheimer's Disease and other related dementias in people
with cochlear implants (CIs) – bionic devices that partially restore hearing to people with
moderate-to-profound hearing loss. Previous studies provide limited value in the general area of
cognition in older CI users because of methodological limitations: (1) using cognitive measures
with some degree of auditory demand; (2) using limited measurements and screeners in the clinic
that are prone to inaccuracy; and (3) excluding participants with possible Alzheimer’s Disease
(i.e., possible selection bias). This poor methodology has generated a clear gap in knowledge,
where the mechanisms underlying poor cognitive performance in older CI users are unknown.
The long-term goals of this supplement will move the current line of research to: 1) better
understanding of the prevalence of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's Disease in older CI
users, 2) better understanding of the potential for CIs to diminish cognitive impairment and
Alzheimer's Disease, and 3) development of appropriate evaluation tools for cognitive impairment
and Alzheimer's Disease in older CI listeners by addressing potential sensory (hearing and vision)
deficits. The short-term goals of this supplement are to create a team of hearing scientists (from
the PI’s lab; experts in CIs, hearing, and aging) and medical professionals (experts in diagnosing
Alzheimer's Disease and clinical audiology) to learn how neuropsychological evaluations are best
performed in CI users, how our current hearing tests can be performed in CI users with cognitive
impairment, and produce data that will be used for future grant applications on the topic. Our
central hypothesis is aging and degradation of auditory input from the CI causes effortful speech
understanding, which limit cognitive reserves and diminish cognitive abilities. We plan to test our
central hypothesis via one specific aim: Determine how poor cognitive scores in older CI listeners
are a result of clinically diagnosed age-related cognitive impairment, listening effort, and/or testing
modality. Our expected outcome is that we will better understand the impacts of CI use on
cognitive processing, cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease. This outcome is
expected to have a significant positive impact as it will help uncover the mechanisms causing
relatively poor cognitive and speech understanding performance in older CI users. Our successful
results will provide guidance to clinicians to prevent, assess, and treat cognitive decline and
Alzheimer’s Disease in CI users.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10123586
- **Project number:** 3R01AG051603-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
- **Principal Investigator:** Matthew J. Goupell
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $325,735
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-09-30 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10123586

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10123586, Auditory and cognitive processing in older cochlear-implant users with possible cognitive impairment (3R01AG051603-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10123586. Licensed CC0.

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