Auditory processing disorder evaluations and cognitive profiles of children with specific learning disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the auditory sensory-perceptual level of specific learning disorder (SLD) and explored relationships among neuropsychological assessments for SLD, auditory processing, and short and long latencies of auditory event-related potentials (ERPs). METHODS: Fifteen children (7-14 years old) comprised the control group; 34 children comprised the SLD group. Audiologic assessments included tone audiometry, acoustic immittance measurements, acoustic reflex, central auditory processing, brainstem evoked response audiometry, and long latency potentials (P3 and N2). Children's intelligence levels were assessed with 2 intelligence batteries, 1 verbal and 1 non-verbal, as well as with visuomotor skills. RESULTS: Multiple regression showed a significant interaction effect of APE tests and P3/N2 over Wechsler Scale performance in freedom of distractibility indexes and multiple subtests. Errors in the Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test were predicted by lower parental education, lower performance in APE tests: dichotic digits and pediatric/synthetic sentence identification-ipsilateral, and longer P3/N2 latencies, particularly regarding integration and rotation distortions. CONCLUSIONS: Children with altered auditory processing exhibit a specific cognitive profile, including lower verbal and spatial reasoning performance, that is sensitive to parental education level. SIGNIFICANCE: Children with SLD should undergo a complete multimodal examination to identify their specific difficulties and needs.

Speech perception in noise in the elderly: interactions between cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and education / Reconhecimento de fala no ruído de idosos: interações entre desempenho cognitivo, sintomatologia depressiva e escolaridade

Abstract Introduction: The difficulty the elderly experience in understanding speech may be related to several factors including cognitive and perceptual performance. Objective: To evaluate the influence of cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and education on speech perception in noise of elderly hearing aids users. Methods: The sample consisted of 25 elderly hearing aids users in bilateral adaptation, both sexes, mean age 69.7 years. Subjects underwent cognitive assessment using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive and depressive symptoms evaluation using the Geriatric Depression Scale. The assessment of speech perception in noise (S/N ratio) was performed in free field using the Portuguese Sentence List test. Statistical analysis included the Spearman correlation calculation and multiple linear regression model, with 95% confidence level and 0.05 significance level. Results: In the study of speech perception in noise (S/N ratio), there was statistically significant correlation between education scores (p = 0.018), as well as with the Mini-Mental State Examination (p = 0.002), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive (p = 0.003), and Geriatric Depression Scale (p = 0.022) scores. We found that for a one-unit increase in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive score, the S/N ratio increased on average 0.15 dB, and for an increase of one year in education, the S/N ratio decreased on average 0.40 dB. Conclusion: Level of education, cognitive performance, and depressive symptoms influence the speech perception in noise of elderly hearing aids users. The better the cognitive level and the higher the education, the better is the elderly communicative performance in noise.

Resumo Introdução: A dificuldade na compreensão de fala dos idosos pode estar relacionada a vários fatores, como o desempenho cognitivo e perceptual. Objetivo: Avaliar a influência do desempenho cognitivo, sintomas depressivos e escolaridade no reconhecimento de fala no ruído de idosos usuários de próteses auditivas. Método: A amostra constituiu-se de 25 idosos usuários de próteses auditivas em adaptação bilateral, de ambos os sexos e média de 69,7 anos. Os indivíduos foram submetidos à avaliação cognitiva por meio do miniexame do estado mental (MEEM) e a escala de avaliação da doença de Alzheimer-cognitiva (ADAS-Cog) e avaliação de sintomatologia depressiva por meio da escala de depressão geriátrica (EDG). Já a pesquisa do reconhecimento de fala no ruído (relação S/R) foi feita, em campo livre, por meio do teste lista de sentenças no português (LSP). A análise estatística incluiu o cálculo de correlação de Spearman e modelo de regressão linear múltiplo, foram adotados coeficiente de confiança de 95% e nível de significância de 0,05. Resultados: No estudo do reconhecimento de sentenças no ruído (relação S/R) houve correlação, com significância estatística, entre a escolaridade (p = 0,018); assim como com os escores dos testes MEEM (p = 0,002), o Adas-Cog (p = 0,003) e o EDG (p = 0,022). Observou-se que, para um aumento de uma unidade no escore do Adas-Cog, a relação S/R aumenta, em média, 0,15 dB e para um aumento de um ano na escolaridade, a relação S/R diminui, em média, 0,40 dB. Conclusão: O nível de escolaridade, o desempenho cognitivo e sintomas depressivos influenciam o reconhecimento de fala no ruído de idosos usuários de prótese auditiva. Quanto melhor o nível cognitivo e maior a escolaridade, melhor é o desempenho comunicativo do idoso no ruído.

Speech perception in noise in the elderly: interactions between cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and education.

INTRODUCTION: The difficulty the elderly experience in understanding speech may be related to several factors including cognitive and perceptual performance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of cognitive performance, depressive symptoms, and education on speech perception in noise of elderly hearing aids users. METHODS: The sample consisted of 25 elderly hearing aids users in bilateral adaptation, both sexes, mean age 69.7 years. Subjects underwent cognitive assessment using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive and depressive symptoms evaluation using the Geriatric Depression Scale. The assessment of speech perception in noise (S/N ratio) was performed in free field using the Portuguese Sentence List test. Statistical analysis included the Spearman correlation calculation and multiple linear regression model, with 95% confidence level and 0.05 significance level. RESULTS: In the study of speech perception in noise (S/N ratio), there was statistically significant correlation between education scores (p=0.018), as well as with the Mini-Mental State Examination (p=0.002), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive (p=0.003), and Geriatric Depression Scale (p=0.022) scores. We found that for a one-unit increase in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive score, the S/N ratio increased on average 0.15dB, and for an increase of one year in education, the S/N ratio decreased on average 0.40dB. CONCLUSION: Level of education, cognitive performance, and depressive symptoms influence the speech perception in noise of elderly hearing aids users. The better the cognitive level and the higher the education, the better is the elderly communicative performance in noise.