Introduction to Audiology at Universite Laval by Francois Bergeron Université Laval, located in Québec City, stands as one of the most historically significant institutions of higher education in North America. Its origins date back to 1663, when François de Montmorency‑Laval founded the Séminaire de Québec, the first formal educational institution in New France. In 1852,...

Abstract: Noise induced hearing loss remains a major public health issue despite current prevention strategies. This article presents our research conducted at University Laval and CIRRIS aimed at improving the early detection of hearing disorders, better characterizing individual noise exposure, and reducing the functional consequences of hearing loss.

While hearing devices significantly improve audibility, they do not fully address challenges such as speech understanding in noisy environments or music perception. These unmet needs reflect a combination of technological limitations, peripheral alterations, and changes in central auditory processing linked to auditory deprivation. Audiology is a rapidly evolving field, shaped by continuous technological innovation. Keeping pace with these advances is essential to deliver optimal care and improve patient outcomes. This research aims to bridge the gap between fundamental research and clinical practice by advancing knowledge of auditory and multisensory perception, while developing practical tools and supporting clinicians in the integration of new technologies. Although this is the beginning of a long journey, our goal is clear: to create tangible benefits for hearing health professionals and for people with hearing loss, in Canada and beyond

The Laboratory for Experimental Audiology (LEXA Lab) is a clinician driven research laboratory dedicated to advancing audiological knowledge through experimental approaches grounded in clinical realities. Based at Université Laval and embedded within the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (CIRRIS), the lab focuses on auditory mechanisms that inform the assessment and management of complex auditory complaints—particularly tinnitus and decreased sound tolerance.

Despite the clinical availability of audiological services to senior citizens relatively few seniors with hearing loss receive hearing healthcare services. The situation appears particularly concerning among seniors living in residential care settings, where it is estimated that 60-80% of residents have hearing loss, often without it even being identified. In addition, the adoption and use of hearing aids remain suboptimal. Indeed, between 25% and 32% of these individuals own hearing aids in Canada; among them, only 5% to 40% use them rarely or not at all. The work carried out in our laboratory is part of this ongoing effort to advance hearing healthcare, through the development of tools, knowledge, and interventions aimed at supporting clinical practice and facilitating system-level improvements. We hope to contribute, alongside the broader audiology community, to building more accessible, equitable, and effective services for Canadian seniors.

Cochlear implants (CIs) provide access to auditory information for individuals with significant hearing loss for whom conventional hearing aids provide insufficient benefit. Although substantial hearing benefit is associated with CI use, speech perception and speech production outcomes remain variable across CI users. One key component of my research program is to better understand speech perception abilities and their relationship with speech production. My work on speech perception in CI users combines behavioral assessments with objective neurophysiological measures

Over more than four decades, cochlear implant research has profoundly transformed the management of individuals with severe-to-profound hearing loss. Established early as one of the first structured cochlear implant programs in Canada, the Québec Cochlear Implant Program played a pioneering role in clinical innovation, research integration, and professional training. Research conducted within this program led to major advances in understanding auditory performance, neural plasticity, and functional benefits of cochlear implants (Bergeron, 1997; Blamey et al., 2013). Importantly, it also consistently revealed the limitations of audiological assessments conducted exclusively in controlled environments. This article outlines a research trajectory demonstrating how more than forty years of cochlear implant research led to the development of an ecological audiology approach, in which realistic listening environments, spatial hearing, and social participation are central targets of audiological assessment and intervention.