Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) awarded a $596,678 Project Grant to the Regents of the University of Minnesota on March 13, 2026, under the Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders program (CFDA 93.173). This five-year research initiative, extending through February 28, 2031, investigates the spectro-temporal mechanisms underlying auditory and speech perception deficits in noise across the adult lifespan. The research addresses critical gaps in understanding how individuals with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), cochlear implant users, and older adults with typical hearing process and perceive speech under challenging acoustic conditions—a health priority given the documented association between hearing impairment and cognitive decline.

The research deliverables encompass three coordinated investigative aims focused on auditory signal encoding. Aim 1 examines fundamental detection and identification mechanisms for speech and non-speech sounds in noise, comparing hypotheses regarding amplitude fluctuation processing versus energy change processing across frequency bands, with empirical validation against computational models of the auditory periphery and midbrain. Aim 2 employs novel intervention methodologies to isolate peripheral versus central contributions to age-related and hearing loss-related speech perception deficits through systematic manipulation of spectral resolution and temporal fine structure cues. Aim 3 continues investigation of auditory and speech perception across these populations. Conducted at the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus, these research activities are expected to yield scientific insights that inform development of improved hearing aids and cochlear implant strategies for enhanced communication outcomes.