Auditory factors in obscure auditory dysfunction

Abstract

Obscure auditory dysfunction (OAD), defined as a self-reported difficulty in understanding speech in noise by persons with normal audiograms and no other obvious causes, is commonly seen in clinical settings [G. H. Saunders and M. P. Haggard, Ear Hear. 10, 200–208]. In an attempt to characterize the hearing difficulties experienced by this population, measures of frequency selectivity, complex and pure-tone discrimination and gap detection were obtained, as well as speech, audiometric, and case history data. Results indicated impaired frequency selectivity at low frequencies, especially at 100 Hz and higher than normal thresholds for complex- and pure-tone pitch and gap detection also at the lower frequencies. Speech reception thresholds in noise were not consistently higher than for normal listeners. [Research supported by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation, NC Regional Chapter of the Acoustical Society of America, and the Andrus Foundation.]