Current Studies

​Characterizing the Impact of Hearing Loss on Cognitive and Neural Function in Children and Adolescents

This project, which is a collaboration between the CASI Lab, the Audibility, Perception and Cognition Lab at Boys Town National Research Hospital and the Pediatric Audiology Lab at the University of Iowa, seeks to provide new data on the impact of hearing loss and hearing aid measures on cognitive, language and neural function in children ages 7-15.

We are currently enrolling children with hearing loss (7-15 years old) to undergo functional and structural brain imaging, as well as tests of auditory, cognitive and language function. We hope that data from this study will shed light on what combination of factors puts some children with hearing loss at risk for learning delays and what we can do to modify those factors.

• Who: children with bilateral hearing loss
• Age: between 7 and 15 years old
• Time: 3-4 visits of 1​-3 hours each
• Compensation: $50 per visit at the lab, $20 at the audiology visit, $170 total
• Additional information: for participants traveling from over 50 miles away from Boys Town, we will compensate for your mileage and other potential expenses, please reach out to us for more information

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Language Processing in School-Age Children with Mild-to-Severe Hearing Loss

This project is an extension of our study 1 and aims to further characterize the associations between auditory access, language processing, and neural development in a large cohort of children with hearing loss and demographically matched normal hearing children.

We are currently enrolling children with hearing loss and normal hearing (7-15 years old) to undergo functional and structural brain imaging, as well as tests of auditory, cognitive and language function. We hope that data from this study will provide precise, quantitative markers supporting key facets of language development, identify the individual and additive contributions of malleable auditory factors such as hearing aid fit and use, and eventually inform future therapeutic intervention strategies.

• Who: children with bilateral hearing loss and children with normal hearing
• Age: between 7 and 15 years old
• Time: 3-4 visits of 1​-3 hours each
• Compensation: $50 per visit at the lab, $20 for the audiology visit (if needed), up to $170 total​
  

Investigating the Neural Dynamics Serving Working Memory in Children with ADHD

This project is an extension of study 1 and aims to further characterize the age-related changes seen in healthy and clinical populations of youth, particularly in those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

We are currently enrolling children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (7-15 years old) to undergo functional and structural brain imaging, as well as completing neuropsychological assessments of cognitive and sensory function. We hope that data from this study will provide precise, quantitative markers of working memory function and dysfunction. This pilot data will also serve as an initial foundation for Augusto's graduate research work and help in his plans for fellowship and grant funding.

• Who: children with ADHD and are currently medicated
• Age: between 7 and 15 years old
• Time: 2 visits of 2.5 hours each
• Compensation: $50 per visit at the lab, $100 total

Contact Us Participate in Research

For more information, call or text (402) 249-9503 (cell), call (531) 355-8937 (landline), or email casi.lab@boystown.org.