Audiometric Topodiagnostic of Hearing Loss in Dementia

Background

The interrelation between dementia and hearing loss is poorly understood. In cognitive capable elderly a central component of hearing loss was detectable in 70%. At least in Alzheimer Syndrome central hearing loss becomes apparent years ahead the symptoms of dementia. The question comes up, if a central hearing processing disorder could be a possible explanation for the elevated incidence of dementia in the hearing impaired.

Object

In demented patients of a geriatric department and residents of diverse nursing homes central auditory evaluation is performed to examine the feasibility of central audiometric testing and to detect the rate of central auditory dysfunction.

Method

Dementia was rated by Mini Mental Test, Dementia Detection Test and Clock Completion Test. Neural deterioration was examined by Threshold Tone Decay Test, damage of the central auditory pathway by Feldmann Dichotic Speech Test.

Results

In 70 patients with dementia the Threshold Tone Decay Test was feasible in 90% of the cases, the Dichotic Speech Test in 80%. A pathologic threshold decay was verified in 60%, signs for central hearing processing disorder in 55%.

Conclusions

In more than half of the examined patients, relevant disturbances of the central auditory processing were verifiable. Detection of central hearing loss and it´s consideration in auditory rehabilitation is crucial and could contribute to an improvement of quality of life, not just for the demented, but equally for his social environment

Publication History

Article published online:
24 May 2022