Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2014; 18 - a2119
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1388753

Visual Attention and Planning in Older Adults with and without Hearing Loss

Adriane Ribeiro Teixeira 1, Amanda Bressanelli 1, Letícia Sousa Flores 1, Lilian Benin 1, Maira Rozenfeld Olchik 1, Rayane Brum de Fraga 1
  • 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

Introduction: Hearing loss (HL) has a high prevalence in the elderly and is associated with cognitive performance.

Objectives: To investigate the association between the presence and degree of HL and performance in visual attention, planning, and working memory tests.

Methods: The sample included individuals aged from 60 years at an extension project at the university. Hearing assessment included inspection of the external auditory canal and pure tone audiometry. Then the subjects performed the Trail Making Test A and B. There are 25 circles containing numbers (Trail A) and numbers and letters (Trail B). The patient should call a trace numbers in ascending order (Trail A) and two sequences of numbers and letters (Trail B). The total score is given by the time taken to complete the test.

Results: The study included 20 subjects, 90% female, mean age 72.1 ± 6.6 years. It was found that significant differences existed between the groups of mild and moderate HL in the tracks and score A (p = 0.043) and between groups with different hearing classifications (normal, mild, and moderate) and the results obtained in the range trails A (p = 0.010). In scoring the trails B, statistically significant difference between normal and moderate groups (p = 0.020) between the hearing and mild and moderate (p = 0.006) groups were observed.

Conclusion: Association between the presence and degree of hearing loss and results in visual attention, planning, and working memory test was observed.