{"id":14343,"date":"2026-06-21T19:55:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T19:55:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/speechneurolab.ca\/?p=14343"},"modified":"2026-06-21T19:55:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T19:55:42","slug":"an-update-on-the-neurospin-project-advancing-our-understanding-of-speech-perception-in-noise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/speechneurolab.ca\/en\/an-update-on-the-neurospin-project-advancing-our-understanding-of-speech-perception-in-noise\/","title":{"rendered":"An Update on the NeuroSPiN Project: Advancing Our Understanding of Speech Perception in Noise"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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For more than a year and a half, several members of our team have been dedicated to a research project we call NeuroSPiN<\/strong>\u2014an ambitious study funded by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)<\/strong>. The project team currently includes Pascale, David, M\u00e9lissa, \u00c9velyne, Sarah-\u00c8ve, Sophie-Anne, H\u00e9l\u00e8ne, 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, Nat\u00e1lia, and Marilyne, as well as fellow researchers Jo\u00ebl Macoir, Robert Laforce, and Andr\u00e9anne Sharp.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Project<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why NeuroSPiN<\/strong>? The name reflects two central aspects of the study: \u201cNeuro\u201d<\/strong> for the neurological mechanisms being investigated and \u201cSPiN\u201d<\/strong> for Speech Perception in Noise, <\/em>the focus of the project.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Because most daily conversations take place in noisy environments\u2014such as restaurants or at home with background sounds from a dishwasher, the radio, or even a barking dog\u2014the 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

More specifically, we are seeking 160 participants who meet the following basic criteria:<\/p>\n