Effect of Age and Hearing Loss on Auditory Processing Skills
Geetha Chinnaraj1, Chandni Jain1, Keerthi Sringari Parameshwara2
1Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, Karnataka India.
Summary
Auditory processing declines with age, impacting speech in noise, gap detection, and memory. Hearing loss further exacerbates these age-related auditory processing deficits.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Speech and Hearing Sciences
Background:
- Age and hearing loss are significant factors influencing auditory perception.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of age and hearing loss on auditory processing abilities.
- To compare auditory processing in young adults, older adults with normal hearing, and older adults with hearing impairment.
Main Methods:
- Sixty participants were divided into three groups: young normal-hearing adults, older normal-hearing adults, and older adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.
- Participants completed tests including gap detection (GDT), dichotic consonant-vowel (DCV) testing, speech in noise (SPIN), duration pattern (DPT), and working memory assessments.
- Testing was conducted in a sound-treated room to ensure controlled acoustic conditions.
Main Results:
- Young normal-hearing adults outperformed normal-hearing older adults on most auditory processing tasks, including SPIN, GDT, DCV, and working memory.
- Older adults with normal hearing demonstrated better performance than those with hearing impairment on most tests, with exceptions in forward span and DPT.
- Both age and hearing loss were found to significantly affect auditory processing capabilities.
Conclusions:
- Auditory processing abilities show a decline with advancing age.
- Hearing impairment significantly exacerbates age-related deficits in auditory processing.
- These findings highlight the combined detrimental effects of aging and hearing loss on auditory function.
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