Auditory PerceptionETERNELNCT06691087
Sound Perception Study of Hearing-impaired People With Hearing Aids
A study testing Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound, Complex sound scene comprehension test and Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aids in people with Auditory Perception, run by Institut Pasteur at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
The aim of the ETERNEL project will be to study the influence of the perception of a single sound timbre on the understanding of a complex sound scene in hearing-impaired people with hearing aids. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 to 75 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Auditory Perception
- What is being tested?
- Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound, Complex sound scene comprehension test and Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aids
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 75 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- 22 Apr 2025to Nov 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 to 75 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- For all participants:
- Age between 60 and 75
- Native French speaker
- Have given their consent to take part in the study.
- Declare that they have an active social life or hobbies that stimulate their cognitive abilities
- Have a MOCA score above 26
Show all 13Show fewer
- No tympano-ossicular dysfunction.
- Voice in noise audiometry results showing normal results.
- For participants with impaired hearing :
- Pure tone audiometry showing audiograms of type N3 or N4 and symmetrical between the two ears.
- Report having experienced problems with abnormally prominent sound.
- For participants with normal hearing:
- Pure tone audiometry showing audiograms with losses of less than 30 dBHl.
Who cannot join
- Be under guardianship or curatorship,
- Be deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision, or be under legal protection.
- Bear the consequences of an ear infection and/or have a history of an ENT disease that permanently affects hearing or balance (vestibular schwannoma, Ménière's disease, sudden or fluctuating deafness, congenital hypoacusis).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Armand Schwarz contact
About this study
Official title: ÉTude de la pERception soNorE de Personnes maLentendantes équipées d'Aides Auditives
The aim of the ETERNEL project will be to study the influence of the perception of a single sound timbre on the understanding of a complex sound scene in hearing-impaired people with hearing aids. This will be done by quantifying the inability to manage a complex sound scene as a function of the timbre of the sounds making it up. The more a sound interferes with understanding the complex sound scene, the more salient that sound is considered to be. In this way, the investigators can determine which timbre dimensions make sounds particularly salient for the hearing impaired.
- Conditions
- Auditory Perception
- Being tested
- Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound, Complex sound scene comprehension test, Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aids
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a soundBehavioural
The experiment consists of evaluating the sound level of n complex stimuli, then equalising them in loudness, in order to measure a loudness curve in function of timbre descriptors.
The stimuli will then be listened to again in pairs. The task is there to compare the stimuli using a VAS to indicate how different the two sounds are.
Complex sound scene comprehension testBehavioural
The experiment consists in identifying the parameters of the sound timbre that most disturb the understanding of complex sound scenes, by asking the participants to identify sounds whose timbre has been modified.
Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aidsBehavioural
The experiment will be identical to intervention 2. This time, the modification of the stimulus timbres will focus on the most problematic dimensional modifications, i.e. those where the difference between normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners is greatest. We will then modify the signal processing parameters of the hearing aid simulator (for example, the size of the averaging window or the gain balance of the filters), to observe their impact on the salience of certain stimuli.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Normal Hearing participants | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound; Behavioral: Complex sound scene comprehension test |
| Hearing-impaired with hearing aids | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound; Behavioral: Complex sound scene comprehension test; Behavioral: Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aids |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Percentage of correct answers in melody comparison tasks in the hearing-impaired group compared with the normal-hearing group,
Measured: 3-hours
Secondary outcomes (3)
Characterisation of the dissimilarity between pairs of stimuli measured by a continuous perceptual scale
Continuous perceptual scale ranging from very dissimilar to very similar
Measured: 3-hours
Evaluation of the perceived loudness level of a set of stimuli, measured using scales of magnitude.
11-point Likert scale
Measured: 3-hours
Comparison between the results of speech audiometry in noise, i.e number of words correctly repeated, with native settings versus settings minimising the discomfort of salient sounds for each participant with hearing loss.
the comparison will focus on the number of words correctly repeated on the 1st visit (with native settings) versus the last visit (with settings minimising the discomfort)
Measured: up to 24 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Nov 2024
- Study start22 Apr 2025
- Primary completionNov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Auditory PerceptionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Institut PasteurThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 75 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Institut Pasteur
- Sponsor type
- Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Collaborators
- Institut de l'Audition
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Paul Avan, Principal investigator, CERIAH
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06691087
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2024-040
- Other IDs
- 2024-A01112-45
- Acronym
- ETERNEL
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 14 Oct 2024
- Last updated
- 31 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 31 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- ÉTude de la pERception soNorE de Personnes maLentendantes équipées d'Aides Auditives
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06691087
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ETERNEL / 2024-040
- Conditions
- Auditory Perception
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 75 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Institut PasteurIndustry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Collaborators
- Institut de l'Audition
- Study start
- 22 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Nov 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The aim of the ETERNEL project will be to study the influence of the perception of a single sound timbre on the understanding of a complex sound scene in hearing-impaired people with hearing aids. This will be done by quantifying the inability to manage a complex sound scene as a function of the timbre of the sounds making it up. The more a sound interferes with understanding the complex sound scene, the more salient that sound is considered to be. In this way, the investigators can determine which timbre dimensions make sounds particularly salient for the hearing impaired.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Normal Hearing participants | Active comparator | Behavioral: Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound, Behavioral: Complex sound scene comprehension test |
| Hearing-impaired with hearing aids | Experimental | Behavioral: Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound, Behavioral: Complex sound scene comprehension test, Behavioral: Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aids |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (13 listed)
- Age between 60 and 75
- Native French speaker
- Have given their consent to take part in the study.
- Declare that they have an active social life or hobbies that stimulate their cognitive abilities
- Have a MOCA score above 26
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Be under guardianship or curatorship,
- Be deprived of liberty by judicial or administrative decision, or be under legal protection.
- Bear the consequences of an ear infection and/or have a history of an ENT disease that permanently affects hearing or balance (vestibular schwannoma, Ménière's disease, sudden or fluctuating deafness, congenital hypoacusis).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a soundThe experiment consists of evaluating the sound level of n complex stimuli, then equalising them in loudness, in order to measure a loudness curve in function of timbre descriptors. The stimuli will then be listened to again in pairs. The task is there to compare the stimuli using a VAS to indicate how different the two sounds are. | Behavioural | Hearing-impaired with hearing aids, Normal Hearing participants |
| Complex sound scene comprehension testThe experiment consists in identifying the parameters of the sound timbre that most disturb the understanding of complex sound scenes, by asking the participants to identify sounds whose timbre has been modified. | Behavioural | Hearing-impaired with hearing aids, Normal Hearing participants |
| Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aidsThe experiment will be identical to intervention 2. This time, the modification of the stimulus timbres will focus on the most problematic dimensional modifications, i.e. those where the difference between normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners is greatest. We will then modify the signal processing parameters of the hearing aid simulator (for example, the size of the averaging window or the gain balance of the filters), to observe their impact on the salience of certain stimuli. | Behavioural | Hearing-impaired with hearing aids |
Primary outcome
Percentage of correct answers in melody comparison tasks in the hearing-impaired group compared with the normal-hearing group,
Time frame: 3-hours
3 secondary outcomes
Characterisation of the dissimilarity between pairs of stimuli measured by a continuous perceptual scale
Time frame: 3-hours
Evaluation of the perceived loudness level of a set of stimuli, measured using scales of magnitude.
Time frame: 3-hours
Comparison between the results of speech audiometry in noise, i.e number of words correctly repeated, with native settings versus settings minimising the discomfort of salient sounds for each participant with hearing loss.
Time frame: up to 24 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 31 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Armand Schwarz contact
Paul Avan principal investigator
CERIAH
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Influence of the parameters of the sound timbre on the perception of a sound, Complex sound scene comprehension test and Complex sound scene comprehension test with hearing aids in people with Auditory Perception, run by Institut Pasteur at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 13 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 31 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Céline Quinsac (0176535029 ext. +33, celine.quinsac@pasteur.fr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Percentage of correct answers in melody comparison tasks in the hearing-impaired group compared with the normal-hearing group, (time frame: 3-hours). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 31 Mar 2026.