International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology (Mar 2010)
Temporal auditory processing in elders
Abstract
Introduction: In the trial of aging all the structures of the organism are modified, generating intercurrences in the quality of the hearing and of the comprehension. The hearing loss that occurs in consequence of this trial occasion a reduction of the communicative function, causing, also, a distance of the social relationship. Objective: Comparing the performance of the temporal auditory processing between elderly individuals with and without hearing loss. Method: The present study is characterized for to be a prospective, transversal and of diagnosis character field work. They were analyzed 21 elders (16 women and 5 men, with ages between 60 to 81 years) divided in two groups, a group "without hearing loss"; (n = 13) with normal auditive thresholds or restricted hearing loss to the isolated frequencies and a group "with hearing loss" (n = 8) with neurosensory hearing loss of variable degree between light to moderately severe. Both the groups performed the tests of frequency (PPS) and duration (DPS), for evaluate the ability of temporal sequencing, and the test Randon Gap Detection Test (RGDT), for evaluate the temporal resolution ability. Results: It had not difference statistically significant between the groups, evaluated by the tests DPS and RGDT. The ability of temporal sequencing was significantly major in the group without hearing loss, when evaluated by the test PPS in the condition "muttering". This result presented a growing one significant in parallel with the increase of the age group. Conclusion: It had not difference in the temporal auditory processing in the comparison between the groups.
