Evaluation of Central Auditory Processing of Azeri-Persian Bilinguals Using Dichotic

 Objectives: Sometimes there is no hearing impairment, but it is possible to have an auditory disorder. This is known as a central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). Verbal dichotic tasks are useful tools to evaluate CAPD, but there is almost no tool to assess this for Azeri people in their native language. The aim of this study is to evaluate central auditory processing of Azeri participants by Azeri dichotic digit test (ADDT).Materials & Methods: Participants were 52 normal Iranian Azeri students (mean age 23.27± 4.71 ; 26 female, 26 male).They were chosen by convenient sampling. ADDT was constructed and administered in free recall format along with a Persian dichotic digit test (PDDT). After two to four weeks, reliability was performed. Results: The mean of the right ear score of PDDT and ADDT were 98.90 and 99.09 percent, respectively. ADDT was reliable in almost all scores. There was no significant difference in performance between men and women in any score of both tests (p>0.05). The results showed a significant difference between both ears’ scores in PDDT (p<0.02) as well as in ADDT (p=0.00). The right ear advantage were seen in both tests. Conclusions: All participants performed significantly better on numbers presented in the right ear than the left ear in both tests. Central auditory processing of Azeri participants for Azeri is similar to that for Persian.

Comparison of Auditory Brainstem Response in Noise Induced Tinnitus and Non-Tinnitus Control Subjects

Background and Aim: Tinnitus is an unpleasant sound which can cause some behavioral disorders. According to evidence the origin of tinnitus is not only in peripheral but also in central auditory system. So evaluation of central auditory system function is necessary. In this study Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were compared in noise induced tinnitus and non-tinnitus control subjects.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive and analytic study is conducted in 60 cases in two groups including of 30 noise induced tinnitus and 30 non-tinnitus control subjects. ABRs were recorded ipsilateraly and contralateraly and their latencies and amplitudes were analyzed.Results: Mean interpeak latencies of III-V (p= 0.022), I-V (p=0.033) in ipsilatral electrode array and mean absolute latencies of IV (p=0.015) and V (p=0.048) in contralatral electrode array were significantly increased in noise induced tinnitus group relative to control group. Conclusion: It can be concluded from that there are some decrease in neural transmission time in brainstem and there are some sign of involvement of medial nuclei in olivery complex in addition to lateral lemniscus

Benefit of Analog, Programmable and Digital Hearing Aids

Background and Aims: As the hearing aid technology progressively promotes toward replacing analog hearing aids with digital and programmable ones, comparison of the patient satisfaction of those kinds of hearing aids by means of a valuable tool seems so necessary. So, the aim of this study was to compare self-reported benefit of analog, digitally controlled programmable and digital hearing aids for reducing disability caused by hearing impairment in mild to severe sensorineural hearing impaired persons. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 90 persons with mild to severe sensorineural hearing loss dividing into three groups: 43 subjects were fitted with digital, 15 with programmable, 32 with analog hearing aids. After pure tone audiometry, Abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit (APHAB) was completed before and one month after using hearing aids to determine the benefit of them. Results: Global APHAB mean scores for digital, programmable and analog hearing aids were 49.05, 33.19 and 39.53, respectively. Ease of Communication subscale mean scores were 53.46 for digitals, 37.66 for programmables and 39.09 for analogs. Background noise subscale mean scores for digital programmable and analog hearing aids were 46.36, 25.53 and 35.31, respectively. Global and also both subscale mean scores showed significant difference between digital hearing aids and programmable and analog ones. There was no significant difference between reverberation subscale mean scores of three groups. Conclusion: It seems digital hearing aids may be more beneficial to reduce disability caused by hearing loss than analog and programmable hearing aids are

Interaural Difference Values of Vestibular Evoked Myogenic

Migraine is a neurologic disease, which often is associated with a unilateral headache. Vestibular abnormalities are common in migraine. Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) assess otolith function in particular functional integrity of the saccule and the inferior vestibular nerve. We used VEMP to evaluate if the migraine headache can affect VEMP asymmetry parameters. A total of 25 patients with migraine (22 females and 3 males) who were diagnosed according to the criteria of IHS-1988 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Control group consisted of 26 healthy participants (18 female and 8 male), without neurotological symptoms and history of migraine. The short tone burst (95 dB nHL, 500 Hz) was presented to ears. VEMP was recorded with surface electromyography over the contracted ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. Although current results showed that the amplitude ratio is greater in migraine patients than normal group, there was no statistical difference between two groups in mean asymmetry parameters of VEMP. Asymmetry measurements in vestibular evoked myogenic potentials probably are not indicators of unilateral deficient in saccular pathways of migraine patients

Effect of Prophylactic Drugs on Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential in Migraine Patients

Background and Aim: In many migraine patients prophylactic drugs are effective in reducing attacks and symptoms such as vestibular complaints. Therefore, related neural pathways are probably alsoaffected. This study aimed to compare vestibular evoked myogenic potential in migraine patients under treatment with prophylactic drugs and those without any treatment.Methods: Subjects included 46 patients with migraine. They were evaluated in two groups; those under treatment with prophylactic drugs (21 subjects) and those without treatment (25 subjects). Theage range of patients was 20-60 years. The vestibular evoked myogenic potential were recorded with 500 Hz tone bursts at 95 dB nHL.Results: Mean of amplitude ratio (p=0.02), and interpeak latency values in the right ear (p=0.03) and left ear (p=0.001) were higher in patients with prophylactic therapy than the group without therapy;this difference was statistically significant. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of mean of latency of p13 and n23 peaks, and absolute amplitude (p>0.05).Conclusion: Prophylactic drugs probably improve mean of main response parameters of vestibular evoked myogenic potential in migraine patients with prophylactic therapy