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Behavioral and electrophysiologic evidence of auditory processing disorder: a twin study
James Jerger1, Linda Thibodeau, Jeffrey Martin
1Program in Cognition and Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Dallas, USA.
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|October 10, 2002
Summary
Electrophysiologic measures revealed auditory processing differences in one twin, suggesting inefficient interhemispheric transfer. Behavioral tests showed no significant auditory processing disorder distinctions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) can present subtle symptoms.
- Fraternal twins provide a unique model for studying genetic and environmental influences on auditory processing.
- Standardized cognitive and language tests may not always detect APD.
Observation:
- Behavioral auditory tests, including masking and gap detection, showed minimal differences between fraternal twins.
- Electrophysiologic measures, specifically event-related potentials (ERPs), revealed significant differences in auditory processing.
- Differences in ERPs were observed during gap detection and dichotic listening tasks.
Findings:
- Event-related potentials (ERPs) highlighted deficits in auditory processing not detected by behavioral measures.
- The pattern of electrophysiologic results suggests a specific impairment in the efficiency of interhemispheric transfer of auditory information.
- Auditory processing disorder symptoms were linked to electrophysiologic markers rather than behavioral performance.
Implications:
- Electrophysiologic measures, particularly ERPs, are more sensitive than behavioral tests for identifying subtle auditory processing deficits.
- This case highlights the importance of considering electrophysiologic assessments in diagnosing auditory processing disorders.
- Findings contribute to understanding the neural basis of auditory information processing and interhemispheric communication.