I will explore how auditory cognitive measures, particularly memory for basic sound features, can enhance our understanding of speech-in-noise (SIN) perception and its relationship with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). I will discuss how non-verbal auditory tasks provide a valuable alternative to traditional verbal SIN tests, reducing linguistic and cultural biases. My work also examines the reproducibility of these auditory metrics in both in-person and online research settings.

I will present findings from studies involving cognitively healthy individuals, those with mild cognitive impairment, and those with AD dementia, where participants completed SIN tasks alongside auditory memory tests for sound features. Cognitive assessments, audiometry and neuroimaging were also incorporated to study associations between auditory abilities, cognitive function, and brain structure. By analysing multiple predictive models, I will demonstrate that auditory memory for non-verbal sound features is a significant predictor of SIN performance and cognitive status. These findings suggest that auditory cognition could serve as a unique marker for cognitive decline and reflect underlying neurodegenerative changes.

Additionally, I will discuss the implications of remote research methods for auditory testing. By comparing in-person and online approaches, I found that online testing is a reliable and accessible alternative, with reproducible results that align closely with in-person data. Importantly, I will highlight how online methods enable broader participation, though certain demographic factors influence engagement.

Overall, I will aim to provide evidence that auditory cognitive measures are tools that can be used for early detection and monitoring of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease dementia.