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Exploring the Link Between Cognitive Abilities and Speech Recognition in the Elderly Under Different Listening
Theresa Nuesse1,2, Rike Steenken1,2, Tobias Neher2,3,4
1Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences, Oldenburg, Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|June 6, 2018
Summary
Cognitive abilities significantly impact speech understanding in noise for older adults, especially those with normal hearing. Lexical, semantic, and attention skills are key factors influencing speech recognition.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Elderly listeners exhibit significant variability in speech-in-noise understanding.
- Factors contributing to this variability include audibility, auditory processing changes, and cognitive abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between cognitive task performance and speech recognition in older adults.
- To examine these associations in individuals with age-appropriate hearing and those with hearing impairment.
Main Methods:
- Speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) were measured under various masking conditions (dip listening, spatial separation, informational masking).
- A neuropsychological test battery assessed verbal memory, executive functions, attention, and lexical/semantic abilities.
- Repeated linear regression analyses predicted SRTs using composite cognitive scores in age-matched groups: elderly normal hearing (ENH) and elderly hearing impaired (EHI).
Main Results:
- Cognitive factors significantly predicted SRTs in the ENH group when hearing thresholds were controlled.
- Better lexical and semantic abilities correlated with improved SRTs in ENH listeners.
- Attentional abilities showed a negative association with speech recognition in the presence of spatially separated maskers for ENH listeners.
- Pure-tone hearing thresholds, not cognitive factors, significantly predicted SRTs in the EHI group, despite signal amplification.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive abilities, particularly lexical, semantic, and attentional skills, play a crucial role in speech recognition for older adults with normal hearing.
- For older adults with hearing impairment, residual hearing sensitivity remains the primary predictor of speech recognition, even with amplification.
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