Abstract
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is defined as a specific deficit in the processing of auditory information along the central auditory nervous system, including bottom-up and top-down neural connectivity. Even though music comprises a big part of audition, testing music perception in APD population has not yet gained wide attention in research. This work tests the hypothesis that deficits in rhythm perception occur in a group of subjects with APD. The primary focus of this study is to measure perception of a simple auditory rhythm, i.e., short isochronous sequences of beats, in APD children and to compare their performance to age-matched normal controls. The secondary question is to study the relationship between cognition and auditory processing of rhythm perception. We tested 39 APD children and 25 control children aged between 6 and 12 years via (a) clinical APD tests, including a monaural speech in noise test, (b) isochrony task, a test measuring the detection of small deviations from perfect isochrony in a isochronous beats sequence, and (c) two cognitive tests (auditory memory and auditory attention). APD children scored worse in isochrony task compared to the age-matched control group. In the APD group, neither measure of cognition (attention nor memory) correlated with performance in isochrony task. Left (but not right) speech in noise performance correlated with performance in isochrony task. In the control group a large correlation (r = −0.701, p = 0.001) was observed between isochrony task and attention, but not with memory. The results demonstrate a deficit in the perception of regularly timed sequences in APD that is relevant to the perception of speech in noise, a ubiquitous complaint in this condition. Our results suggest (a) the existence of a non-attention related rhythm perception deficit in APD children and (b) differential effects of attention on task performance in normal vs. APD children. The potential beneficial use of music/rhythm training for rehabilitation purposes in APD children would need to be explored.
Highlights
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is defined as a specific deficit in the processing of auditory information along the central auditory nervous system, including bottom-up and topdown neural connectivity (Iliadou et al, 2017b) and is currently classified in the international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, 10th edition (ICD-10) as H93.25
Diagnosis was made via a standardized clinic psychoacoustic test battery and based on their performance deficit of 2 SDs from the mean of age-matched children on at least two tests on at least one ear
In the present study deficits in rhythm perception, compared to normal children were found in children with APD
Summary
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is defined as a specific deficit in the processing of auditory information along the central auditory nervous system, including bottom-up and topdown neural connectivity (Iliadou et al, 2017b) and is currently classified in the international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, 10th edition (ICD-10) as H93.25. Children with APD present a wide range of auditory symptoms, and most commonly problems with speech recognition in noise (American Speech-LanguageHearing Association [ASHA], 2005; American Academy of Audiology [AAA], 2010; British Society of Audiology [BSA], 2011). Evidence exists that music perception may be compromised in APD. Poor musical ability and/or appreciation of music is a common selfreported symptom by children with APD (American Academy of Audiology [AAA], 2010). Olakunbi et al (2010) reported poorer meter perception and Scheffner et al (2017) reported poorer rhythm reproduction in children with APD compared to neurotypical ones. Dyslexic children show compromised non-musical auditory processing and auditory rhythm perception (Goswami et al, 2013; Colling et al, 2017) while Huss et al (2011) found these measures to be correlated. Dyslexia may be present in a subgroup (25%) of children with APD (Iliadou et al, 2009)
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