Comparative study of simple auditory reaction time between congenitally total blind people and normally sighted controls

Abstract

Background: Time interval between the application of a stimulus and the appearance of appropriate voluntary response by a subject is known as reaction time. Three responses are involving in this. They are stimulus processing, decision-making, and response programming. Recently, sports physiology is the main field which uses reaction time. A practical implication of reaction time has great implication and may be of great consequence, for example, a slower reaction time in driving might have grave results. Aims and Objectives: The aims and objectives of this were to compare the speed of the central nervous system and coordination between motor and sensory systems in congenitally total blind people and visually normal subjects using simple auditory reaction time. Materials and Methods: A total of 25 cases of congenitally total blind people and 25 normal sighted individual were compared for the simple auditory reaction time at Andhajan Mandal, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, and B J Medical College, Ahmedabad. Results: Mean auditory reaction time and shortest auditory reaction time are decreased in congenitally total blind people as compared to same-aged normal-sighted controls. Conclusion: Simple auditory reaction time is decreased in congenitally total blind people as compared to normal-sighted people. Training with auditory cues plays an important role in this condition.