Effect of age on binaural integration using dichotic digit test in Kannada

Abstract

Objecitve: The present study aimed to compare the effect of age on binaural integration in younger and older adults with normal hearing using dichotic digit test in Kannada.

Materials and methods: Two groups of participants with normal hearing sensitivity sensitivity were enrolled for the study. Group 1 included 19 young adults in the age range of 18 to 25 years (12 Females, Mean age = 20.95 years), and Group 2 included 19 older adults within the age range of 50 to 70 years (10 Females, Mean age = 56.35 years). Bisyllabic Kannada digits were used to assess binaural integration. The material consists of a total of 30 presentations with each presentation having two-digit pair. Single correct scores and double correct scores were noted down for the participants.

Results and Discussion: Results showed that the right ear single correct scores were high for both the groups, and there was a significant difference in the right correct scores (p < .05), left correct scores (p < .001) as well as double correct scores (p < .01) between the two groups. It was also seen that the right ear advantage was more pronounced in older adults (21.40%) compared to the younger adults (5.61%) which could be due to the decline in the efficiency of interhemispheric transfer of information via the corpus callosum.

Conclusion: To conclude, there is an age-related decline in dichotic digit scores, and thus, separate norms are required for older adults.

Keywords:

• Binaural integration
• dichotic listening
• right ear advantage
• dichotic digit test

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.