Auditory training in the aural rehabilitation of older adults: utopia or reality?

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Audiological evaluation of preschool children in Portuguese and Cape Verdean communities

Introduction: The hearing function is the cornerstone on which is built the complex system of human communication. The Acute Otitis Media is one of the most common etiologies of hearing loss in children attending school, mainly around 5 years of age. They appear asymptomatic so that only through auditory screening programs can we identify this type of situations early. So, if this type of hearing loss (though often small and temporary) occurs repeatedly, it can cause a negative impact on the auditory processing development, in the acquisition and development of language and in the school success of children. Aim: to determinate the prevalence of hearing loss among the Cape Verdean preschool children in comparison with Portuguese children of the same age and, consequently, to alert the importance of the hearing screening in preschool age. Methods: The sample consisted of 84 preschool children (5 and 6 years old): 42 Portuguese and 42 Cape Verdean. An anamnesis was performed on the parents and / or guardians of the children, an otoscopy, a tympanogram and a Pure Tone Audiogram screening ("pass / fail") at the frequencies of 1000Hz, 2000Hz and 4000Hz. Results: In the present study, no statistically significant differences were found in the results between children of both nationalities. Conclusion: In view of the findings of this study, and of the information acquired, it is important to emphasize that, in addition to dissemination and awareness raising, one of the proposals for Cape Verde is the implementation of neonatal screening programs, followed by the subsequent implementation of preschool and school screenings. It should also be implemented in Portugal in a systematic and obligatory way.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Como o cérebro processa a informação semântica em indivíduos com e sem perturbações do processamento auditivo

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Study of acute and sub-acute effects of auditory training on the central auditory processing in older adults with hearing loss-a pilot study

Background: Impairment in speech perception is a common feature of older adults. This study aimed at evaluating the acute and sub-acute (after three months) effects of auditory training on central auditory processing in older people with hearing loss. Methods: A nonrandomized study was conducted enrolling 15 older adults with hearing loss and an average age of 78.6 +- 10.9 years. All participants underwent a baseline otoscopy, tympanogram, audiogram and speech-in-noise test with a signal-noise ratio (SNR) of 10 and 15 dB. Afterwards, auditory training intervention was implemented consisting of 10 training sessions over 5 weeks. Participants were divided into two groups: group 1 (G1) underwent auditory training based on a speech-in-noise test; group 2 (G2) underwent a filtered-speech test. Auditory processing was evaluated at baseline (T0) immediately after the intervention (T1) and 3 months after the intervention (T2). Results: Group 1 were quite efficient regardless of the SNR in the right ear with statistically significant differences from T0 to T1 (p = 0.003 and p = 0.006 for 10 dB and 15 dB, respectively) and T0 to T2 (p = 0.011 and 0.015 for 10 dB and 15 dB, respectively). As for the left ear, the increase of success was statistically significant for the SNR of 10 dB and 15 dB from T0 to T1 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.014, respectively) and from T0 to T2 (p = 0.016 and p = 0.003). In G2, there was a significant variation only from T0 for T1 in the left ear for an SNR of 10 dB (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Speech perception in noise significantly improved after auditory training in old adults.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Implementation of auditory screening programs at preschool and school age: a way to follow

Introduction: The auditory screening is an evaluation that aims at identifying early any alteration in hearing in order to permit the earliest possible diagnosis. In pre-school and school children, we verify a high pathological prevalence in the middle ear which is asymptomatic in many cases and that can only be detected through the implementation of auditory screening programmes.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hearing loss in the auditory screening programmes at preschool and school age. Methods: The sample consisted of 420 children, aged between 3 to 11, attending pre-school and primary school in a school group in the centre of the country. All the children have undergone an otoscopy, a tympanogram and a pure tone audiogram screening ("pass / fail") ") at the frequencies of 1000Hz, 2000Hz and 4000Hz. The children with cerumen obliterans, those with hearing threshold superior to 20db in at least, one tested frequency in one ear, those who presented a tympanogram type B, uni or bilateral or type C2 in both ears didn’t undergo the screening. The cases that presented a tympanogram type C2 unilateral were submitted to repetition. Results: Although most children (77,6%) passed the screening, we verified that 19% were sent to the Otorhinolaryngologist (ORL) for not having passed the screening and 3,4% of the children were requested to repeat the tympanogram one month and a half later. The children aged 3 to 5 were the ones who failed the screening the most and were sent to ORL consultation -35,7% children aged 3 and 31,4% aged 5. On the other hand, the 10 year-age range was the one that presented the lowest percentage of cases sent to ORL consultation (6, 5%). Conclusion: The auditory screening is a process that should be compulsory in pre-school and school age in order to obtain early diagnosis and intervention, reducing the impact of hearing loss in the global child development.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Study of hearing processing in seniors before and after hearing training

Introduction: The Central Auditory Processing (CAP) corresponds to the perception of the hearing information in the Central Nervous System and to the neurobiological activity involved and is carried out through a set of stages characterized by specific abilities on which the person depends to interpret what he hears. With aging, alterations at the level of perception and detection of the sound in the central and peripheral system occur and have effects on the senior’s communication process. The hearing process permits to minimize the difficulties in the information processing and to enhance the identification and discrimination of sound patterns. This study aims at evaluating the effect of hearing training on the seniors speaking comprehension skills. Methods: The sample consists of 16 people, aged from 58 to 91. All the people have undergone an otoscopy, a tympanogram, a pure tone audiogram screening and the speech in noise test. The people who presented otoscopy without alterations and tympanogram Type A have been included in the study. After the initial evaluation, all the people have undergone a hearing training programme of 10 sessions during 5 weeks, where 8 have undergone the speech in noise test (G1) and 8 have undergone the training with a filtered speech test (G2). Results: Comparing the results obtained before and after the hearing training, we can verify statistically significant differences in the speech in noise test in all the conditions of the test (relation signal/noise10dB, 15 dB and total) in both ears (p<0,05). As far as the training type is concerned, the G1 reveals statistically significant differences in all the conditions of the test (p<0,01). As far as the G2, only statistically significant differences are observed in the left ear in the condition signal/noise 10dB (p=0,006). Conclusion: The hearing training revealed improvement in the hearing processing abilities, namely in the discrimination of speaking in noisy ambiance in seniors.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Associations between quality of life and central auditory processing in seniors: preliminary results

Introduction: Several health-related conditions have been reported to be important for quality of life (QoL) (Raggi et al., 2016). Central auditory processing (CAP) corresponds to the perceptual processing of the auditory information in the central nervous system (Musiek & Baran, 2007). With aging, alterations at the level of perception and detection of the sound in the central and peripheral system occur and have effects on the senior’s QoL. Objectives: To analyze associations between CAP and QoL, considering sociodemographic variables. Methods: This study was conducted in a cross-sectional and descriptive design. Ethical requirements are respected. Participants: 19 seniors with average age of 81.6 (SD=9.5), 68.4% are females and 68.4% live alone. Measures: Socio-demographic data survey, Portuguese version of World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Older Adults and an audiological evaluation constituted by an otoscopy, a tympanogram, a pure tone audiogram and the speech in noise test. Statistical analysis was performed using software IBM SPSS version 24. Nonparametric test were used. Results: When the elderly live alone, results showed significant positive associations between CAP and QoL (total score). There was positive correlations between QoL and the speech in noise test in the relation signal/noise10dB (r=0.573; p=0.041), and total (r=0.573; p=0.040) for right ear. The same result was observed in the left ear when the relation signal/noise10dB (r=0.572; p=0.041), and total (r=0.583; p=0.037). No significant results were obtained when the seniors don’t live alone. Conclusion: The results evidenced the importance of sociodemographic factors, such as “live alone” in the relation between CAP and QoL in older adults. Probably when we live alone the discrimination of speaking in noisy ambiance is a predictor factor of quality of life in seniors. Future studies are needed in order to clarify this relation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Abordagem geriátrica ampla na promoção de um envelhecimento ativo e saudável: componentes do modelo de intervenção AGA@4life

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Influence of stuttering on the P300

Background, Stuttering is a disturbance of language that affects 1% of the adult population and about one hundred thousand Portuguese people. This speech disturbance may show changes in the processing of information received through the sense of hearing. After several theories, the need to evaluate neurophysiological processes in individuals with stuttering arises and in this sense, electrophysiological tests can be used. Material and methods, The sample consisted of 10 individuals with stuttering (study group), and 10 fluent individuals (control group), with an age range between 19 to 57. All subjects have undergone an otoscopy, tympanogram and a research of the Stapedial Reflex in 1000 Hz and 2000 Hz frequency, pure tone audiogram screening (pass-fail) at the frequencies of 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz. To collect the electrophysiological responses (P300), we used some inclusion criteria, such as being aged between 18 to 60, speaking the European Portuguese, without diagnosis of psychiatric and/or neurological alterations, otoscopy without alterations, the Tympanogram being of type A or C1 and getting response up to 40 dB in the frequencies 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz in the pure tone audiogram screening. Then, every subject did the evoked auditory potential of long latency (P300). Results, There were statistically significant differences (p = 0.005) between the right ear latency values in subjects with stuttering (347.10 ms ± 18.24) compared to fluent individuals (315.80 ms ± 22.51). In the left ear there were also statistically significant differences (p = 0.023) in mean values of latencies that were higher in stutterers (344 ms ± 32.50) compared to fluent individuals (311 ms ± 20.75). Conclusion, In this study it was verified a change in the electrophysiological response of the P300 in individuals with stuttering. Although the values of latency are within the normal range, in both groups (300-400ms) the individuals with stuttering need more time to process and discriminate auditory stimuli.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Benefits of auditory training on elderly people with hearing loss

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