Graeme Clark Collection

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    The effects of electrode position and stimulus period on the hearing sensations in a multiple-channel cochlear implant patient [Abstract]
    Tong, Y. C. ; Blamey, P. J. ; Dowell, R. C. ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 1981)
    Abstract not available due to copyright.
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    Perceptual dissimilarity and discrimination studies using two-electrode stimulation with a multiple-channel cochlear implant patient [Abstract]
    Dowell, R. C. ; Tong, Y. C. ; Blamey, P. J. ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 1981)
    Abstract not available due to copyright.
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    A multiple-channel cochlear implant: an evaluation using nonsense syllables
    Clark, Graeme M. ; Tong, Yit Chow ; Martin, Lois F. ; Busby, Peter A. ; Dowell, Richard C. ; Seligman, Peter M. ; Patrick, James F. ( 1981)
    A study using nonsense syllables has shown that a multiple-channel cochlear implant with speech processor is effective in providing information about, voicing and manner and to a lesser extent place distinctions. These distinctions supplement lipreading cues. Furthermore, the average percentage improvements in overall identification scores for multiple-channel electrical stimulation and lipreading compared to lipreading alone were 71% for a laboratory-based speech processor and 122 % for a wearable unit.
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    Pitch and loudness studies on a multiple-channel cochlear implant patient [Abstract]
    Blamey, P. J. ; Tong, Y. C. ; Dowell, R. C. ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 1981)
    Abstract not available due to copyright.
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    Hearing restoration with the multichannel auditory brainstem implant
    Briggs, R. J. S. ; Kaye, A. H. ; Dowell, R. C. ; Hollow, R. D. ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 1997)
    Restoration of useful hearing is now possible in patients with bilateral acoustic neuromas by direct electrical stimulation of the cochlear nucleus. Our first experience with the Multichannel Auditory Brainstem Implant is reported. A forty four year old female with bilateral acoustic neuromas and a strong family history of Neurofibromatosis Type II presented with profound bilateral hearing impairment. Translabyrinthine removal of the right tumour was performed with placement of the Nucleus eight electrode Auditory Brainstem Implant. Intraoperative electrically evoked auditory brainstem response monitoring successfully confirmed placement over the cochlear nucleus. Postoperatively, auditory responses were obtained on stimulation of all electrodes with minimal non-auditory sensations. The patient now receives useful auditory sensations using the "SPEAK" speech processing strategy. Auditory brainstem Implantation should be considered for patients with Neurofibromatosis Type II in whom hearing preservation tumour removal is not possible.
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    The effect of language ability and residual hearing on speech perception outcomes for older children using multichannel cochlear implants [Abstract]
    Dowell, Richard C. ; Dettman, Shani J. ; Hill, Katie ; Winton, Elizabeth ; Hollow, Rod ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 2002)
    Early-deafened teenagers or young adults have shown somewhat disappointing performance with cochlear implants in the past, however, in recent years a proportion of older children have demonstrated excellent speech perception performance. There is a great deal of variability in speech perception performance within this group. It is important to investigate the factors influencing performance so that adolescents and their families can make informed decisions regarding cochlear implant surgery. This study considered a number of possible predictive factors in a group of 25 children implanted in Melbourne between the ages of 8 and 18 years. Subjects completed open set speech perception testing using BKB sentences both pre-and postoperatively, and pre-operative language testing using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Data were collected regarding the type of hearing loss, age at implant, age at hearing aid fitting, audiometric details, and the pre-and post-operative communication mode. Multivariate analysis suggested that three factors were associated with postoperative speech perception performance. Results were improved for subjects with better pre-operative speech perception, better pre-operative language ability, and when the duration of profound hearing loss was shorter. These three factors accounted for 66% of the variance in this group. The results of this study suggest that children who have useful pre-implant speech perception, and higher age-equivalent scores on language measures, would be expected to do well with a cochlear implant. A shorter duration of profound hearing loss is also advantageous. Mean speech perception scores for the older group were not significantly different from younger children.
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    The effects of post-implant habilitation on long-term outcomes for children using multichannel cochlear implants [Abstract]
    Dowell, Richard C. ; Dettman, Shani J. ; WILLIAMS, SARAH ; TOMOV, ALEXANDRA ; Hollow, Rod ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 2002)
    Those working in the cochlear implant field advocate a regular habilitation program for young children receiving implants. Developing auditory skills and the incorporating these into general language development are considered to be key areas for such programs. Investigations of speech perception and language outcomes have demonstrated that the emphasis of spoken language development appears to enhance the results for implanted children. It remains difficult, however, to demonstrate the effect of habilitation as a separate factor and to determine how much individual attention is desirable for each child. This preliminary study considered the long term speech perception and language outcomes for two groups of children who received Nucleus cochlear implants in Melbourne. The first group (n = 17) was identified as receiving regular habilitation from the Melbourne Cochlear Implant Clinic over a four year post-operative period. A second group (n = 11) was identified as receiving very little regular habilitation over the post-operative period. Language and speech perception results for these two groups showed significant differences in performance on a wide range of measures. The group who received regular, formal habilitation demonstrated better performance on all measures. These groups included only congenitally, profoundly hearing- impaired children and did not differ significantly on mean age at implant or experience at the time of assessment. A more comprehensive study is needed to clarify these results on a larger group of children, and to control for additional confounding variables. Nonetheless, these results provide support for the incorporation of regular long-term habilitation into cochlear implant programs for children.
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    Predicting speech perception results for children using multichannel cochlear implants [Abstract]
    Dowell, Richard C. ; Dettman, Shani J. ; WILLIAMS, SARAH ; Hill, Katie ; TOMOV, ALEXANDRA ; Clark, Graeme M. ( 2002)
    It is most helpful in counselling families considering cochlear implantation to have some ability to predict outcomes for individual hearing-impaired children. Speech perception results for open-set words and sentences have been collected for all children implanted with the Nucleus device in Melbourne. Assessments are available at approximately six month intervals following implantation, Data was collected for each child regarding type of hearing loss, duration and age at onset of profound hearing loss, age at implantation, pre and post-implant communication mode, developmental delay, speech coding scheme and implant experience. These data were used as predictor variables in step-wise multiple linear regression analyses with the speech perception scores as the dependent variables. Shorter duration of profound hearing loss, later onset of profound hearing loss, exclusively oral communication mode following implantation, and longer implant experience were associated with significantly (p < 0.00 I) improved open-set speech perception. The use of the SPEAK signal coding scheme was shown to provide significantly better speech perception performance for children (p < 0.00 I). Developmental delay was associated with poorer speech perception outcomes (p < 0.0 I). Over 50% of the variance in speech perception scores was accounted for by these variables. The study suggests that younger implantation for congenitally deaf children leads to improved speech perception results. On the other hand, the development of auditory language skills in implanted children may be as important as age at implantation in enhancing long term outcomes. Regression equations derived from these results can be used to predict outcomes for cochlear implant candidates with a reasonable accuracy.
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    Speech perception outcomes in older children who use multichannel cochlear implants: Older is not always poorer
    Dowell, RC ; Dettman, SJ ; Hill, K ; Winton, E ; Barker, EJ ; Clark, GM (ANNALS PUBL CO, 2002-05)
    Speech perception outcomes for early-deafened children who undergo implantation as teenagers or young adults are generally reported to be poorer than results for young children. It is important to provide appropriate expectations when counseling adolescents and their families to help them make an informed choice regarding cochlear implant surgery. The considerable variation of results in this group makes this process more difficult. This study considered a number of factors in a group of 25 children who underwent implantation in Melbourne between the ages of 8 and 18 years. Each subject completed open-set speech perception testing with Bamford-Kowal-Bench sentences before and after implantation and preoperative language testing with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Data were collected regarding the type of hearing loss, age at implantation, age at hearing aid fitting, audiometric details, and preoperative and postoperative communication mode. Results were submitted to a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with postoperative open-set sentence scores as the dependent variables. The analysis suggested that 3 factors have a significant predictive value for speech perception after implantation: preoperative open-set sentence score, duration of profound hearing loss, and equivalent language age. These 3 factors accounted for 66% of the variance in this group. The results of this study suggest that children who have useful speech perception before implantation, and higher age-equivalent scores on language measures, would be expected to do well with a cochlear implant. Consistent with other studies, a shorter duration of profound hearing loss is also advantageous. The mean sentence score for this group, 47%, was not significantly different from the mean result across all children in the Melbourne program.
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    Speech perception in children using cochlear implants: prediction of long-term outcomes.
    Dowell, RC ; Dettman, SJ ; Blamey, PJ ; Barker, EJ ; Clark, GM (Informa UK Limited, 2002-03)
    A group of 102 children using the Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant were assessed for open-set speech perception abilities at six-monthly intervals following implant surgery. The group included a wide range of ages, types of hearing loss, ages at onset of hearing loss, experience with implant use and communication modes. Multivariate analysis indicated that a shorter duration of profound hearing loss, later onset of profound hearing loss, exclusively oral/aural communication and greater experience with the implant were associated with better open-set speech perception. Developmental delay was associated with poorer speech perception and the SPEAK signal coding scheme was shown to provide better speech perception performance than previous signal processors. Results indicated that postoperative speech perception outcomes could be predicted with an accuracy that is clinically useful.