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Published on: September 18, 2021
Central auditory dysfunction in older persons with memory impairment or Alzheimer dementia
George A Gates1, Melissa L Anderson, M Patrick Feeney
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. ggates@u.washington.edu
Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery
|July 23, 2008
Summary
Memory impairment, even mild, negatively impacts central auditory function. The Dichotic Sentence Identification test is sensitive for detecting memory issues in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neurology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Central auditory function is crucial for communication and cognitive processing.
- Memory impairment, ranging from mild to dementia, can affect various cognitive domains.
- The relationship between memory deficits and auditory processing requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of memory impairment on central auditory function.
- To compare auditory performance across different levels of memory impairment.
- To identify sensitive tests for detecting memory-related auditory changes.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 313 volunteers was conducted.
- Participants were categorized into three groups: controls, mild memory impairment, and dementia.
- Central auditory function was assessed using the Synthetic Sentence Identification, Dichotic Sentence Identification, and Dichotic Digits tests.
Main Results:
- Central auditory test scores significantly declined with increasing memory impairment.
- The dementia group exhibited the poorest auditory function, followed by the mild memory impairment group.
- The Dichotic Sentence Identification test demonstrated the highest sensitivity in identifying memory impairment.
Conclusions:
- Mild memory impairment demonstrably affects central auditory function.
- Central auditory testing, particularly the Dichotic Sentence Identification test, is valuable in evaluating older adults with hearing complaints.
- Integrating auditory and cognitive assessments can enhance aural rehabilitation and cognitive support programs.
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