Examining speech perception in noise and cognitive functions in the elderly

Area of Science:

• Auditory neuroscience
• Cognitive psychology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Age-related decline in auditory processing is common.
• Cognitive functions, such as working memory (WM), may influence speech recognition in noisy environments.
• Understanding these relationships is crucial for effective audiological interventions in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between working memory (WM) and speech recognition in older adults under various background masking conditions.
• To compare the performance of normal-hearing older adults and young adults in speech recognition tasks with different maskers.

Main Methods:

• Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were measured using a matrix-sentence test with unmodulated noise, International Collegium for Rehabilitative Audiology (ICRA) noise, and International Speech Test Signal (ISTS) maskers.
• Verbal working memory (WM) was assessed using the Verbal Learning and Memory Test (VLMT).
• Participants included 14 normal-hearing older adults and 12 normal-hearing young adults.

Main Results:

• Younger listeners demonstrated superior speech recognition compared to older adults across all masker types, with the most significant differences observed with modulated maskers.
• Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were significantly correlated with Verbal Learning and Memory Test (VLMT) scores.
• Working memory (WM) emerged as the sole significant predictor variable in a linear regression model.

Conclusions:

• Working memory (WM) plays a critical role in speech understanding, influencing outcomes in speech audiometry.
• Individual WM capacity should be a consideration in audiological diagnosis and rehabilitation strategies.
• The Verbal Learning and Memory Test (VLMT) is a clinically viable tool for assessing WM.