For more than a year and a half, several members of our team have been dedicated to a research project we call NeuroSPiN—an ambitious study funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The project team currently includes Pascale, David, Mélissa, Évelyne, Sarah-Ève, Sophie-Anne, Hélène, and Marc-Antoine, along with our collaborator Carol Hudon from the School of Psychology. Several other people have also contributed to the project over the past eighteen months, including Jessica, Kellyane, Natália, and Marilyne, as well as fellow researchers Joël Macoir, Robert Laforce, and Andréanne Sharp.

Data collection for the project began in the winter of 2023. The study involves three in-person visits for each participant, in addition to a telephone interview. In this post, we would like to share the progress of this large-scale project, which is bringing us one step closer every day to new discoveries that may help support healthy aging.

The Project

Why NeuroSPiN? The name reflects two central aspects of the study: “Neuro” for the neurological mechanisms being investigated and “SPiN” for Speech Perception in Noise, the focus of the project.

The primary objective of this study is to better understand the neurological mechanisms underlying difficulties in speech perception in noisy environments. Although these difficulties are particularly common among older adults, they can also affect younger adults and are not solely determined by peripheral hearing ability. In other words, even individuals with clinically normal hearing, regardless of age, may experience significant challenges understanding speech in noise, which can interfere with everyday functioning.

Because most daily conversations take place in noisy environments—such as restaurants or at home with background sounds from a dishwasher, the radio, or even a barking dog—the risk of encountering speech perception difficulties in noise is ever-present. These challenges can have important consequences for self-esteem, social participation, well-being, and overall quality of life.

Difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments affect not only healthy older adults, but also individuals with hearing loss or cognitive impairments, further amplifying their impact on daily functioning. For this reason, we recruit participants with a wide range of auditory and cognitive profiles. For example, individuals who wear hearing aids may be eligible to participate, provided that their hearing loss is age-related. Similarly, individuals experiencing memory difficulties or who suspect a decline in their cognitive abilities may also be included in the study.

More specifically, we are seeking 160 participants who meet the following basic criteria:

  • Be 30 years of age or older;
  • Be right-handed;
  • Have Quebec French as their primary language.

When an individual expresses interest in participating, a member of the team (David or Évelyne) conducts a telephone interview lasting approximately 20 to 30 minutes to assess eligibility. During this interview, we verify that the individual meets the study’s inclusion criteria and has no contraindications for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session scheduled during the third visit.

Following the telephone interview, the interview form is reviewed by Pascale and often Mélissa to determine eligibility. Based on the selection criteria, participants may be deemed eligible or ineligible. However, this status may be reassessed following the neuropsychological evaluation conducted during the first study visit.

All three visits take place at the CERVO Research Centre and include:

Visit 1: Neuropsychological assessment, including memory and verbal fluency tests, among others (approximately 3 hours).

Visit 2: Communication assessment (hearing, speech perception in quiet and in noise, and selected language functions), an electroencephalography (EEG) session, and an attention test (approximately 3 hours).

Visit 3: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session (approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes).

Participation Progress and Recruitment

Visit 1

To date, 187 individuals (107 women and 80 men) have completed the first study visit, administered by Mélissa or Sarah-Ève. Of these participants, 115 progressed to the second stage of the study (Visit 2). However, 69 participants were unable to continue after Visit 1, either because they withdrew from the study or because their cognitive profile did not match one of the participant groups being recruited.

Visit 2

A total of 105 participants (62 women and 43 men) have completed the second study visit. This stage generally does not involve exclusion based on participants’ performance or results. David is responsible for administering this visit. However, unexpected findings prevented some individuals from proceeding to the third phase of the study. For example, audiological assessments revealed significant hearing asymmetry in two participants—that is, substantially greater hearing loss in one ear than the other—which made certain tasks excessively difficult or impossible to complete.

Visit 3

The third visit consists of an MRI session at the CERVO Research Centre conducted by Pascale. To date, 89 participants (54 women and 35 men) have successfully completed all three study visits.

It is worth noting that two participants who reached Visit 3 were unable to complete the MRI session and therefore did not complete the study in its entirety.

Figure 1. . Participant progression across study visits (October 2024)

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has expressed interest in our research and to those who are actively contributing through their participation. Thanks to you, we are moving closer to discoveries that we hope will have a lasting impact on quality of life and cognitive health. Stay tuned as we continue this exciting journey!

In sum, we have already completed nearly 55% of the tremendous data collection effort required for this exciting study! Our recruitment and outreach efforts are continuing as we welcome new participants and carry out the three planned testing sessions.

Figure 2. Recruitment process and administration of study assessments

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