This study analyzes the effect of an equalizer-modulated auditory intervention on the asymmetry of interaural auditory perception in groups with different emotional states such as well-being, anxiety, depression and mixed anxiety-depression.
The present study follows a randomized, double-blind (investigator and outcome assessor), parallel and controlled design. The auditory intervention consisted of listening to classical music modulated by an equalizer for 30 minutes, 2 sessions a day separated by at least 3 hours, for 10 days (Monday to Friday for 2 weeks). Participants assigned to the control group are cited to the Health centre, but they do not received any intervention. These subjects follow the same evaluation and data collection process. Once randomized, all participants will make a first control visit in which a pure-tone audiometry was carry out and completed the various psychiatric evaluation tests to classify into different groups: Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and Sociodemographic variables (age, gender, nationality, education, working status, noise exposure, use of ear protection, and present or past use of any analgesic, anxiolytic or antidepressant for longer than a week). The study variables collected at 3 months were pure-tone audiometry (air conduction).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
233
Intervention consisted of listening to classical music modulated by an equalizer for 30 minutes, 2 sessions a day separated by at least 3 hours, for 10 days (Monday to Friday for 2 weeks). The musical intervention was always performed with the same songs and in the same order using original CDs, heard through headphones (Beyerdynamic, DT 250 / 80 ohm. GMBH \& Co. KG, Theresienstr. 8 D-74072 Heilbronn, Germany). The music was played with a sound system (Panasonic MASH, No. SA-PM24. Hamburg, Germany). and filtered through an equalizer called Earducator (Hollagen Designs, PÍO. Box 43 7864 Bergvliet W.Cape - South Africa) that modulates music by alternating low and high tones with an unpredictable cadence, preventing habituation. It also allows very narrow band complementary filters to attenuate (by about 40 dB) abnormally perceived frequencies (hyper-hearing peaks): filters in: 1 kHz - 1,5 kHz - 2kHz - 3 kHz - 4 kHz - 8kHz.
University of Alcalá
Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 125 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 125 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 250 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 250 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 500 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 500 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 750 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 750 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 1000 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 1000 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 1500 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 1500 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
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Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 2000 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 2000 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 3000 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 3000 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 4000 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 4000 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 6000 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 6000 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Change from Baseline hearing threshold at a frequency of 8000 Hz in an air conduction pure tone audiometry at three months
Minimum number of decibels needed to hear a sound at a frequency of 8000 Hz measured in an air conduction pure tone audiometry
Time frame: Change from Baseline hearing threshold at 3 months
Anxiety and depression level on the Goldberg scale
To discriminate between these two entities. The following cut-off points were used: a total Anxiety score \> 4 detects 73% of all cases of anxiety; a total Depression score \>3 detects 82% of all cases of depression
Time frame: One month
Anxiety level on the Hamilton scale
It is a clinician-administered scale on which each item is rated from 0 to 4. It yields a score in the range of 0 to 56. The following cut-off points were used: 0-5 points (No anxiety), \>5 points (Anxiety).
Time frame: One month
Depression level on the Hamilton scale
Each item is rated on a three- or five-point scale, with a score from 0 to 2 or 0 to 4, respectively. It yields a total score in the range of 0 to 52. The following cut-off points were used to assess depression: No depression: 0-7; Depression: \>7
Time frame: One month
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 125 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 250 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 500 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 750 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 1000 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 1500 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 2000 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 3000 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 4000 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 6000 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure
Relationship between the auditory threshold of the right and left ear at the frequency of 8000 Hz
Ratio of the threshold of one ear to that of the other. If both have the same threshold, the result is zero.
Time frame: Three months between the first and second measure