Participation page

Explanation of Study Activities

EEG

EEG stands for electroencephalography, which means reading what is happening in the brain using electrodes or sensors. An EEG is recorded using a cap, like a swim cap, covered in little sensors. Using gel or water as a conductor, these sensors can record the tiny electrical signals of the neural pathways that tell us important information like the speed of brain processing and when we make decisions. EEGs are used in all different kinds of brain research, but at BHSL, we use them to measure how auditory system maturation (Individuals with Down syndrome) and hearing modalities (Cochlear implants) impact our ability to localize sound.

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a tool that uses powerful magnets to take detailed images of the brain. We use it to compare the brains of typical hearing and developing individuals with those of individuals with Down syndrome. Unlike X-Rays or PET scans, an MRI does not use radiation or injectable tracers. Instead, the participant will lie in a narrow tube with earplugs for around 1 hr. During the scan, the MRI technician and the participant are able to communicate through an intercom.

Listening and Thinking Tasks

The listening tasks we use focus on measuring how people localize sounds. The listening tasks we use study our ‘what’ and ‘where’ hearing pathways. One test looks at a person’s ability to attend to speech in noise, while another looks at how well a person is able to localize or find sounds. Our thinking games assess abilities like memory, attention, and language. We compare these findings to results from the listening games.

Eye-Tracking

BHSL uses eye-tracking software, which uses a monitor to track pupil motion and dilation. It requires pupil calibration, but is a non-invasive measure that we use to determine cognitive effort. It examines pupil dilation, determines eye-gaze location, and infers certainty behind decision-making processes.