Peripheral hearing in Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the implications of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the peripheral auditory system, a systematic survey of the scientific literature was conducted.

Design

Systematic review.

Study sample

An electronic search of the non-gray literature in the last decade was conducted using the digital databases MEDLINE® (PubMed interface), LILACS® (Virtual Health Library), Web of Science® (CAPES publications portal), and SciELO®. Studies addressing peripheral auditory function as part of the range of nonmotor PD symptoms were selected for analysis.

Results

Pure tone audiometry data suggested that sensorineural hearing loss was more severe in the PD population than in the control groups. The effects of PD on cochlear function were evidenced by a decrease in the levels of otoacoustic emissions.

Conclusions

Sensorineural hearing loss and cochlear impairment are more severe in the PD population than in the control groups. Additional studies are recommended to further understand the characteristics of the peripheral auditory system in PD patients, which constitutes an emerging subject in the scientific literature.

Keywords:

• Neurodegenerative disease
• hearing loss
• early diagnosis
• systematic review

Review registration

Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; registration number CRD42021247699).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.