Participant Information

The BACIC research team is now recruiting adults ages 19 to 80 across Nebraska and the surrounding states to be part of this exciting research opportunity! Read below to find out if you are eligible to participate.

What to expect as a BACIC Project study participant

Eligibility

To participate the CI candidate group, you must:

  • Be between the ages of 19-85 with sensorineural hearing loss.
  • Be a current pre-surgical candidate for cochlear implantation surgery.
  • Have no history of any neurological or psychological disorders.
  • Have no known language, cognitive, or psycho-motor impairments, and any MRI contraindications (e.g., pacemaker, insulin pump, etc.).
  • Have no history of central nerve system abnormalities, any neurological disease or traumatic brain injury as the cause of hearing loss, or active external or middle ear disease.
  • Not be pregnant or seeking to become pregnant.

To participate in the control group, you must:

  • Be between the ages of 19-85 with normal hearing.
  • Have no history of any neurological or psychological disorders.
  • Have no known language, cognitive, or psycho-motor impairments, and any MRI contraindications (e.g., pacemaker, insulin pump, etc.).
  • Have no history of central nerve system abnormalities, any neurological disease or traumatic brain injury as the cause of hearing loss, or active external or middle ear disease.
  • Not be pregnant or seeking to become pregnant.

If you meet these criteria and would like to know more about the study:
send us a message
Compensation

Compensation

Participants may be paid up to $180 cash for their time, $60 per visit.

Travel reimbursement up to $120 may also be paid if participants live beyond Lincoln city limits.

What to Expect

Visits

Three in-person visits are required at the CB3 lab.

CI candidate group:

  • The first visit (2 hours) will include brain scans and questionnaires.
  • The second and third visits (2 hours each) will not include brain scans, only questionnaires.
    • The second visit will be 3 months after the activation of the cochlear implant.
    • The third visit will be 6 months after the activation of the cochlear implant.

Control group:

  • The first visit (2 hours) will include brain scans and questionnaires.
  • The second and third visits (2 hours each) will not include brain scans, only questionnaires.
    • The second visit will be 3 months after the first visit.
    • The third visit will be 6 months after the after the first visit.

Brain Scans

Non-invasive brain scans will be conducted on participants in both the CI candidate group and the control group:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
  • Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)
  • Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)
For additional questions on these procedures, as well as the potential risks:
Contact us