The Speech and Hearing Center of The University of Memphis isnearing completion of the first phase on a study of how childrenprocess as they mature and are seeking volunteers.
"We're doing brain mapping," said Monique Pousson, anaudiologist. "We're basically finding development in thebrain."
For the study, the center is seeking volunteers as experimentsubjects. Participants sought should be between the ages of 5 and15 and have normal hearing and language development. Those whoparticipate will be compensated for completing the study.
"We have about 200 children in the study," said Herbert Gould,associate professor in the School of Audiology and Speech LanguagePathology. "The study has been going on for several years and willcontinue by the coming year. We hope to end it by December of2004."
The Speech and Hearing Center is studying the areas of the brainthat are activated by sound and the sequence in which they areactivated. The goal of the research is to develop tests that willidentify and treat children with learning disabilities and problemsin sound processing.
"Right now, all we are doing is laying out normal brainpatterns," said Gould. "When we end this phase, we shall starttesting on children with abnormal hearing."
Pousson said the research involves using electroencephalograms(EEGs) to look at brain wave patterns.
"We use EEG amplifiers," said Gould. "The amplifiers are hookedup to the patient. They go to a computer system, and we can dovarious things to extract the signal we desire. We then map thatonto skull surfaces and make projections on where it occurs in thebrain."
Though the study is not complete, the researchers have alreadyfound patterns.
"Studies have shown that not everyone processes in the samemanner," said Gould. "A 5-year-old isn't processing the same way asa 15-year-old or an adult is."
Pousson added that there is a major developmental factor withinthe ages.
"All children develop at different rates," she said. "Forexample, as they progress, some children will develop to higherreading levels than others."
Gould said good hearing is critical for children to learn.
"We all learn to talk by listening to those around us," he said."When we learn to read, we associate sounds we have heard with thegraphic symbols on the page. It's estimated that even after welearn to read, 90 percent of what is communicated to us is throughhearing."
For participation in the study, contact Monique Pousson at678-5832.
