Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
06:04
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
An update on professional education and clinical practices in central auditory processing
Gail D Chermak1, Mary E Silva, Jeffrey Nye
1Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2420, USA. chermak@wsu.edu
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|August 25, 2007
Summary
Audiologists show limited knowledge of central auditory processing test efficiency but use more efficient methods. While academic preparation has increased, clinical practice and views on auditory training remain largely unchanged.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Speech and Hearing Sciences
Background:
- Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) diagnosis and management are complex.
- Understanding current audiologist practices and knowledge gaps is crucial for improving patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess audiologists' professional education and clinical practices regarding central auditory processing and its disorders.
- To identify trends in CAPD testing and treatment responsibilities compared to previous research.
Main Methods:
- An online questionnaire was distributed to audiologists.
- Data collected on knowledge of test efficiency, test usage, and perceived treatment responsibilities.
- Results compared with a similar study from 1998.
Main Results:
- Respondents showed limited knowledge of central auditory test efficiency but favored using tests they deemed efficient.
- Frequently used tests, including electrophysiologic measures, align with literature citing good sensitivity and specificity.
- Academic preparation in CAPD has increased, but clinical preparation and views on auditory training's role remain largely unchanged.
Conclusions:
- Despite increased academic knowledge, practical application of efficient central auditory tests requires further attention.
- Audiologists' scope of practice perception for auditory training needs clarification and potential expansion.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Auditory Pathway
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
01:17Auditory Perception
The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
01:16Anatomy of the Ear
Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...
01:11The Auditory Ossicles
The auditory ossicles of the middle ear transmit sounds from the air as vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea. The auditory ossicles consist of two malleus (hammer) bones, two incus (anvil) bones, and two stapes (stirrups), one on each side. These bones develop during the fetal stage and are the ones to ossify first. They are fully mature at birth and do not grow afterward.
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...