RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effects of therapy with citalopram on the central auditory processing in the elderly measured by central auditory tests. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Thirty-nine patients older than 60 years with normal hearing thresholds or symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss up to 70 dBHL, word-recognition score equal to or better than 70%, and diagnosed with central auditory processing disorders completed the study. They underwent the mini-mental state examination, as a way to screen those with the possibility of dementia; they also underwent the Beck depression inventory, for screening individuals with depression. INTERVENTION: Citalopram 20âmg/d or placebo for 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The central auditory tests were applied to the selection of individuals with auditory processing disorders and repeated after 6 months' treatment. The tests were sound localization, speech in noise, dichotic digits test, pitch pattern sequence, duration pattern test, and gaps-in-noise. RESULTS: Comparisons of central auditory tests pre- and posttreatment in groups showed: sound localization (pâ=â0.022), pitch pattern sequence humming (pâ=â0.110), pitch pattern sequence nomination (pâ=â0.355), duration pattern test humming (pâ=â0.801), duration pattern test nomination (pâ=â0.614), and gaps-in-noise (pâ=â0.230). Dichotic tests in right and left ears respectively: speech in noise (pâ=â0.949; pâ=â0.722), dichotic digits test (pâ=â0.943; pâ=â0.513). CONCLUSION: There was no clinical effect with the use of citalopram in central auditory processing tests of the subjects.