The comparison of dichotic hearing in elderly and young subjects by Dichotic Digit Test

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 University Of Social Welfare & Rehabilitation Sciences

2 University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences

3 University of Iran Medical Science

4 PhD in Audiology. Member of Audiology Dep. School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, , Tehran, Iran.

5 PhD of Atatistics, Assistant Professor at University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences. Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Aim: Most of the elderly have trouble in speech understanding especially in the presence of competitive sounds compared with the young and this is partly as a result of (central) auditory processing disorder, particularly dichotic hearing problems. The aim of the current study was investigating and comparing the dichotic hearing processing in old and young age groups by two-pair dichotic digit test.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was implemented by Persian version of two-pair dichotic digit test on 28 young subjects (18-28 years old) and 27 old subjects (60-80 years old) from both genders. All participants had normal peripheral hearing and right-handedness. Next, right and left ear results were compared in focused and divided attention conditions.
Results: Dichotic digit test scores in 3 attentional conditions in two age groups showed significant difference (p-value<0.001).
Conclusion: There was dichotic hearing dysfunction in old age group in all the three attentional conditions, especially in left ear attention. Ear asymmetry was larger for the elderly.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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Volume 4, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
November and December 2015
Pages 133-141
  • Receive Date: 08 June 2015
  • Revise Date: 13 July 2015
  • Accept Date: 14 October 2015
  • First Publish Date: 22 December 2015