Ongoing research at the research group Experimental Oto-rhino-laryngology (Dept. Neurosciences, KU Leuven) aims at investigating the processing of temporal envelope cues at different neural stages of the auditory pathway (periphery to cortex) by varying the modulation frequency of the stimuli. Electrophysiological (EEG) and behavioral measures in the same persons should enable us to disentangle peripheral and central auditory processes and enhance our understanding of how speech perception varies with age. Depending on the current research question and the interest of the student a project can be defined, including both literature review and empirical measurements.

• The project is available in the Fall and Spring semester and is also open for recently graduated undergraduate students and for graduate students.
• Number of places available: 1 per semester

Prerequisites

• Relevant academic background.

Faculty Department

Faculty of Medicine / Department of Neurosciences.

Research Topic 1: Speech, language and swallowing disorders.

• Key word signing in adults with intellectual disabilities
• Neurogenic stuttering
• The neuroanatomic and neurofunctional substrate of language problems in epilepsy
• Language and auditory development in children with cochlear implants
• Auditory processing in dyslexia.

Research Topic 2: Human auditory processing and prostheses.

• Neural mechanisms of the electrically stimulated auditory nerve
• Combined cochlear implant and hearing aid stimulation
• Measurement of ASSR in acoustic implants
• Language and auditory development in children with cochlear implants
• Model-based signal processing for bilateral cochlear implants and hearing aids
• Effect of stimulus parameters and presentation modes on cortical ASSRs
• Hearing screening for noise-induced hearing loss
• Envelope enhancement in cochlear implants
• Auditory processing in dyslexia
• Electrically evoked ASSRs in CI patients
• Adapting cochlear implants and hearing aids to individual brains.