Clinical feasibility of auditory processing tests in Japanese older adults: a pilot study

Abstract

Background: Difficulty in listening comprehension is a major audiological complaint of older adults. Behavioural auditory processing tests (APTs) may evaluate it.

Aims/Objectives: The aim was to assess the feasibility of administering Japanese APTs to older adults at otolaryngology clinics.

Material and Methods: Using computer programs interfaced with an audiometer, APTs (dichotic listening test; fast speech test, FST; gap detection test, GDT; speech in noise test; rapidly alternating speech perception test) were administered to 20 older adults (65–84 years old; mean 75.3 years) and 20 young adults at the 40 dB sensation level. Monosyllable speech perception (MSP) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were evaluated.

Results: APT results except for GDT were significantly correlated with MSP. The performance on each APT was worse in older adults than in young adults (p < .01). The older adults with good MSP ≥ 80% (n = 13) or excellent cognitive function (MMSE ≥ 28; n = 11) also did worse on APTs (p < .05). A ceiling effect was noted in the APT data, with FST showing a minimum ceiling effect and reflecting interindividual variations of data.

Conclusions and Significance: It is feasible to administer APTs to older adults who visit otolaryngology clinics. Among our Japanese APTs, FST may be suitable for further large-scale clinical studies.

背景：听力理解困难是老年人的主要听力问题。行为听觉处理测试（APTS）可以对其进行评估。

目的：评估在耳鼻咽喉科门诊对老年人应用日本APT的可行性。

材料和方法：采用与听力计接口的计算机程序, 对20名老年人（65-84岁, 平均75.3岁）和20名年轻人在40分贝感觉水平上进行APT测试（二分法听力测试；快速语音测试, FST；间隙检测测试, GDT；噪声中语音测试；快速交替语音感知测试）。对单音节语言感知（MSP）和微型精神状态检查（MMSE）进行了评价。

结果：除GDT外, APT结果与MSP显著相关。老年人在每个APT上的表现都比年轻人差（P<.01）。有良好MSP ≥ 80%（n = 13）或极好认知功能（MMSE ≥ 28；n = 11）的老年人在APT测试上也表现较差（p<.05）。在APT数据中注意到了天花板效应。FST显示出最小的天花板效应, 并反映了个体间数据变化。

结论与意义：对耳鼻咽喉科门诊老年患者进行APT测试是可行的。在我们的日本APT中, FST可能适用于进一步的大规模临床研究。

Keywords:

• Auditory processing test
• clinical feasibility for older adults
• auditory and cognitive ability
• dichotic listening test
• fast speech test
• gap detection test
• speech in noise test
• rapidly alternating speech perception test

Acknowledgements

The authors express their sincere appreciation to all concerned: the participants of the study, the audiologists (Atsuko Nakagawa, Satomi Tanaka, and Natsumi Hosokawa), and the researchers from the project of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (grant number: 18dk0310085).