Central Auditory Processing Assessment Research Articles

Evaluation protocol for amusia - portuguese sample

Amusia is a disorder that affects the processing of music. Part of this processing happens in the primary auditory cortex. The study of this condition allows us to evaluate the central auditory pathways. ObjectiveTo explore the diagnostic evaluation tests of amusia. MethodThe authors propose an evaluation protocol for patients with suspected amusia (after brain injury or complaints of poor musical perception), in parallel with the assessment of central auditory processing, already implemented in the department. The Montreal Evaluation of Battery of amusia was the basis for the selection of the tests. From this comprehensive battery of tests we selected some of the musical examples to evaluate different musical aspects, including memory and perception of music, ability concerning musical recognition and discrimination. In terms of memory there is a test for assessing delayed memory, adapted to the Portuguese culture. Prospective study. Results and ConclusionsAlthough still experimental, with the possibility of adjustments in the assessment, we believe that this assessment, combined with the study of central auditory processing, will allow us to understand some central lesions, congenital or acquired hearing perception limitations.

Central auditory processing in elderly with mild cognitive impairment

The aim of the present study was to assess if central auditory processing affected patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or not and to assess sensitivity and specificity of central auditory processing tests in detection of MCI. This was a case-control study conducted at the Geriatrics Department and Audiology Unit, Ain Shams University Hospital. Participants were 150 elderly diagnosed as MCI compared with 150 normal subjects, based on a neuropsychological diagnostic test battery, the Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG), and who were matched for age, sex and average threshold of hearing. Both cases and control groups were subjected to otological examination, immittancemetry, pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry and central auditory processing assessment by the use of a selective auditory attention test, dichotic digits test, auditory fusion test, pitch pattern sequences test and auditory memory battery of Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock. The MCI group scored significantly lower than the control group in central auditory processing tests (P < 0.05). Sensitivity of dichotic digit test, pitch pattern sequence test and recognition memory test were 76.6%, 71.7% and 70.4%, respectively, while specificity were 56.2%, 81.2% and 92.2%, respectively. When the previous three tests were used together the sensitivity and specificity were 82.8% and 93.2%, respectively. Central auditory processing was affected in MCI patients. The dichotic digit test, pitch pattern sequence test and recognition memory test can be used in detection of MCI with high sensitivity and specificity.

Electrophysiologic Assessment of Central Auditory Processing by Auditory Brainstem Responses in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

In addition to aberrant features in the speech, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may present unusual responses to sensory stimuli, especially to auditory stimuli. We investigated the auditory ability of children with ASD by using Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) as they can directly judge both hearing status and the integrity of auditory brainstem pathways. One hundred twenty-one children (71: ASD; M 58/F 13, mean age; 41.8 months, 50: control group; M 41/F 9, mean age; 38 months) were induded in the study. As compared with the values in the control group, the latency of wave V, wave I-V, and wave III-V inter-peak latencies were significantly prolonged (p<0.05) in the ASD group. The findings indicate that children with ASD have a dysfunction or immaturity of the central auditory nervous system. We suggest any children with prolonged III-V inter-peak latencies, especially high functioning children should be further evaluated for central auditory processing to set up a more appropriate treatment plan.

Assessment of central auditory processing in a group of workers exposed to solvents

Conclusion. Despite having normal hearing thresholds and speech recognition thresholds, results for central auditory tests were abnormal in a group of workers exposed to solvents. Workers exposed to solvents may have difficulties in everyday listening situations that are not related to a decrement in hearing thresholds. A central auditory processing disorder may underlie these difficulties. Objective. To study central auditory processing abilities in a group of workers occupationally exposed to a mix of organic solvents. Materials and methods. Ten workers exposed to a mix of organic solvents and 10 matched non-exposed workers were studied. The test battery comprised pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, acoustic reflex measurement, acoustic reflex decay, dichotic digit, pitch pattern sequence, masking level difference, filtered speech, random gap detection and hearing-in-noise tests. Results. All the workers presented normal hearing thresholds and no signs of middle ear abnormalities. Workers exposed to solvents had lower results in comparison with the control group and previously reported normative data, in the majority of the tests.

Auditory processing tests for Spanish-speaking adults: An initial study

There is no standardized material to assess auditory processing (AP) in Spanish-speaking adults. The purpose of this research was to develop and obtain initial normative data for AP tests for Spanish-speaking adults. The AP tests comprised the Hong Kong CAPA (Hong Kong central auditory processing assessment) including speech-in-noise, binaural fusion, filtered speech, and dichotic digit tests. In addition five tests already developed by other authors, but with no normative data reported for the target population, were included in the study. These tests were staggered spondaic words, random gap detection, pitch pattern sequence, duration pattern sequence, and masking level difference. Forty normal hearing Chilean adults were assessed to obtain the initial normative data. Several correlations were found between tests and between subtests within the same test category. 90th percentiles are suggested as initial normative data.SumarioNo existe material estandarizado para evaluar el procesamiento auditivo (AP) en los adultos hablantes del español. El propósito de esta investigación fue desarrollar y obtener datos normativos iniciales para las pruebas de AP en adultos hablantes del español. Las pruebas de AP comprendieron la evaluación del procesamiento auditivo central de Hong Kong (CAPA) que incluye lenguaje en ruido, fusión binaural, lenguaje filtrado y la prueba de dígitos dicóticos. Adicionalmente se incluyeron otras cinco pruebas desarrolladas para esta población por otros autores que carecen de datos normativos. Estas pruebas incluyen palabras espondaicas imbricadas, detección aleatoria de intervalos, secuencia de patrones de tono, secuencia de patrones de duración y diferencia en el nivel de enmascaramiento. Se evaluaron cuarenta adultos chilenos para obtener los datos normativos iniciales. Se encontraron varias correlaciones entre pruebas y entre sub-pruebas dentro de la misma categoría. Se sugieren los percentiles 90 como datos normativos iniciales.

Three Case Studies of Children With Suspected Auditory Processing Disorder

Case studies are detailed for three children referred for central auditory processing assessment. All performed more than 5 standard deviations below the mean normative data score for their age group on both the Random Gap Detection Test, and the spatial advantage measure of the newly developed Listening in Spatialized Noise test (LISN ). The LISN spatial advantage measure assesses the listener's ability to use binaural cues to comprehend a target story in the presence of spatially separated distracter sentences, without being affected by differences between participants in variables such as linguistic skills. The children were also greater than 2 standard deviations below the mean on the LISN high-cue SNR, which assess the actual signal-to-noise ratio required to understand the story when all cues are present. Similarities and differences in presenting profiles, and teacher reports, are discussed, and results on a range of other central assessment tools are also detailed. The results suggest that these children would benefit from an improved signal-to-noise ratio in the classroom. Other management strategies are also outlined.

Measures of auditory processing in aphasia: Behavioural and electrophysiological analysis

Background: Lesions resulting in aphasia frequently involve areas associated with auditory processing. Investigations using psychoacoustics and/or electrophysiology to examine the auditory processing abilities of aphasic as well as non-brain-damaged individuals have revealed the influence of several variables on findings, including age, type of stimuli, task difficulty/instructions, response modality, and lesion site/size. It is unclear whether both methods of testing are examining similar components of auditory processing and furthermore, if the variables identified as affecting findings for the two testing methodologies influence results in a similar manner. An electrophysiological approach to auditory processing may assist in the objective evaluation of patients who have difficulty consistently providing accurate responses. Aims: The purpose of this investigation was to explore behavioural and electrophysiological CAP abilities of several aphasic individuals using a set of divided attention tasks and to investigate whether electrophysiological results were congruent with those obtained from behavioural testing. Methods and Procedures: Participants were two females and five males, age range 33-73, all suffering left cerebrovascular accidents, resulting in aphasia. Experimental testing included: speech-language evaluation via administration of the Western Aphasia Battery and the Token Test ; hearing evaluation using routine pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and middle ear measurements; behavioural central auditory processing assessment using Pitch Pattern Sequence and Dichotic Digits ; and electrophysiology testing, consisting of evaluation of late auditory evoked potentials (N100, P200, P300) with and without distraction using an oddball paradigm. Outcomes and Results: Results are presented individually for each patient. Overall, patients showed unique results relative to ear advantage pattern and congruence between electrophysiological and behavioural testing. One patient showed inconclusive findings due to a hearing loss; one patient showed no clear ear advantage pattern on either behavioural or electrophysiological testing; one patient showed no ear advantage on dichotic testing but showed a clear pattern on electrophysiology; and one patient showed incongruence in ear advantage pattern between electrophysiological and behavioural testing. Three patients showed congruent ear advantage patterns across both behavioural and electrophysiological testing; however, one showed a right ear advantage and two showed a left ear advantage. Conclusions: Based on these findings, it is evident that the direct and/or statistical relationship between behavioural CAP and electrophysiological findings requires more in-depth exploration. The testing of additional patients is imperative prior to making decisions regarding the utility and value of such a statistical approach. Thus, the use of these and other CAP measures bears additional investigation as clinical and experimental tools in evaluating auditory processing capabilities of the aphasic patient.

Mismatch Negativity in the Assessment of Central Auditory Function.

The mismatch negativity (MMN) is an auditory evoked potential that is undergoing research both on its basic characteristics and its potential clinical applications. Current work indicates that the MMN is a passively elicited measure of the brain's response to stimulus change and is therefore a measure of auditory discrimination. If the MMN can be evoked by acoustic stimulus differences that are important in everyday communication, it may serve as a tool for evaluating central auditory processing in individuals whose hearing sensitivity is normal but whose history and behavior indicate difficulties in auditory perception.In this Short Course, we provide an overview of the MMN, how it is recorded and current thinking on what it reflects. We describe its characteristics in normal school-age children, particularly in response to speech stimuli. We also describe our early experience with populations for whom the assessment of central auditory processing is important for clinical management.

A psychoacoustic assessment of central auditory processing in children who exhibit learning impairments

A psychoacoustic test battery consisting of the Jack Willeford Central Auditory Assessment Battery and the Jack Katz Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) Test was administered to 45 learning‐impaired children that ranged in age from 6 to 16 years. Their learning impairments occurred in one or in a combination of the following academic areas: math, reading, and writing. None of the children qualified for placement in existing learning‐impaired classrooms. Subtest analysis of right‐ and left‐ear scores was performed to determine the effectiveness of the test material for identification of auditory perceptual deficits that may contribute to the children's learning impairments. Diagnostic patterns and educational implications will be discussed and interpreted.