Page 17 - Abacoa Community News - April '22

Abacoa, Page 17

FAU Features from page 16 a decrease of the FAU High School – Jupiter
impact of tinnitus
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University, the that counteracted Campus, In Partnership
Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust in the United any effect of With Max Planck Academy,
Kingdom, and the University of Cambridge conducted increased anxiety
a study that focused on the potential indirect effects of and decreased Senior Research Reflection:
COVID-19 on the experience of tinnitus. They assessed well-being.”
whether the severity of tinnitus, as measured using Se veral Aman Shaan
ratings of tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and effect on studies on
life, was influenced by the lockdown related to pandemic. tinnitus reported sleep-related problems, poor mental Aman Shaan is a junior at
Although COVID-19 upended so many aspects of society, health, and suicidal ideations as consequences of the FAU High School – Jupiter
there is some good news – at least as it relates to tinnitus. COVID-19 pandemic and its associated social isolation Campus, in Partnership with
For the study, researchers compared two independent and economic uncertainties. Max Planck Academy. His
groups of new patients; one group assessed during three “It is questionable whether people are able to judge research journey started
months of lockdown in the United Kingdom and one group reliably whether their tinnitus itself has changed or whether in ninth grade when he
assessed during the same period in the preceding year. They their tinnitus-related symptoms such as sleep disturbances took the research classes
examined patients’ pure-tone audiometry, and their score on or anxiety have changed,” said Hashir Aazh, Ph.D., affiliate offered at FAU Boca with
visual analog scale (VAS) of tinnitus loudness, annoyance, associate professor at FAU and Honorary Hearing Research Amy Tift, Ph.D., FAU High
and effect on life, which were imported from their records. Consultant, Department of Audiology, Royal Surrey County School. Through those
Researchers compared VAS ratings from both groups. All Hospital. “Prior studies of the indirect effects of COVID-19 on course offerings, he gained
patients were seeking help for their tinnitus for the first time. the experience of tinnitus have used different methodologies, exposure and took part in
Results of the study, published in the Journal of the which may have led to biases.” conducting his first research project titled, “Investigation of
American Academy of Audiology, do not support the idea The current study avoided potential biases by comparing Valuables Left in Vehicles on FAU’s Boca Campus.” As a
that the pandemic led to a worsening of tinnitus loudness, self-reported tinnitus severity between new patients seen result, his research group presented the project at the FAU
annoyance, or impact on life and the mean scores did not during lockdown and another group of patients seen during Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry’s (OURI)
differ significantly for the groups seen prior to and during the same time frame, preceding lockdown. Undergraduate Research Symposium 2020.
lockdown. Any changes in psychological well-being or “If a given respondent felt that their tinnitus was worse Soon after, Shaan joined his current lab specializing in
stress produced by the lockdown did not significantly during the pandemic than before the pandemic, how could they cryptocurrency and blockchain security before transferring
affect ratings of the severity of tinnitus. determine whether this was due to lifestyle changes, health to the FAU Jupiter campus. This lab taught him a lot about
“People experienced various types of adversities during concerns, or social distancing?” said Danesh. “Visual analog research and published some of his work, according to Shaan.
the pandemic, including loss of income, difficulty in obtaining scale scores for tinnitus loudness, annoyance, and impact on Currently, he has a manuscript that has been published in
services, experience of the virus itself, and the impact of life did not differ significantly between new patients seen prior the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
constant bad news and social distancing,” said Ali Danesh, to and during lockdown. This may indicate that tinnitus can Advancing Technology for Humanity’s journal and is in the
Ph.D., co-author, professor, Department of Communication influence anxiety and well-being, but there is not an effect in process of completing another manuscript. In April, he is set
Sciences and Disorders/Communication Disorders Clinic the opposite direction.” to present his published work for the National Conference on
within FAU’s College of Education, a member of FAU’s The retrospective study examined data for 105 consecutive Undergraduate Research (NCUR) Conference. Additionally,
Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute and FAU’s Institute for Human patients who were seen at a tinnitus clinic in an audiology Shaan is a recipient of a grant through FAU OURI’s
Health and Disease Intervention, professor of biomedical department in the United Kingdom during lockdown and Undergraduate Research Grant Program to be applied to
sciences, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine, and an affiliate 123 patients seen in the same period of the previous year. The research for his current lab.
faculty, Department of Psychology, FAU Charles E. Schmidt average age of the patients seen during the lockdown was 50 Outside of formal lab research, Shaan participated in
College of Science. “It’s possible that pandemic related factors years, while the average age of the patients seen in 2019 was the FAU Wave Competition, an undergraduate and graduate
exacerbate the experience of tinnitus, as tinnitus is linked to 56 years. The two groups were reasonably well matched in applied research and entrepreneurial competition challenging
general anxiety and psychological well-being. On the other age, gender, and severity of hearing loss. students to submit and develop innovative ideas that target
hand, perhaps the effect of COVID-19 on everyday life made Study co-author is Brian C. Moore, Ph.D., emeritus societal problems. Shaan is working towards completing his
individuals with tinnitus realize that there are more important professor of auditory perception, Department of Experimental competition project that focuses on testing sobriety through
things than tinnitus, putting it into perspective and leading to Psychology, University of Cambridge. examining eyes.

YOUR LOCAL EXPERTS!

REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE

NOW, MORE THAN EVER, ACHIEVE THE DREAM OF
WHO YOU WORK WITH MATTERS. HOME OWNERSHIP

TRACY M. WARD, PA MARK WHITAKER
Broker Associate | BK3209930 Producing Branch Manager | Retail | NMLS # 136993
M 561.909.7100 Cardinal Financial Company, Limited Partnership | NMLS 66247
Phone: (561) 225-4440
Tracy.Ward@Elliman.com mark.whitaker@cardinafinancial.com

MORTGAGE LENDING REIMAGINED

eklundgomes new york
california
the eklund gomes team at douglas elliman real estate florida