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Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment

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A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 14732

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vasiliki Maria Iliadou

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Guest Editor

Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: auditory processing disorder; hearing; communication; mental health; ear; psychoacoustics; cognition; learning difficulties; schizophrenia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Intact hearing is important for speech, learning, and cognition development, as well as social inclusion. Despite research and clinical evidence showing that hearing evaluation is limited to classical audiology practice (focused on the pure tone audiogram) and misses out on diagnosing different types of hearing impairment, this has yet to be translated into everyday clinical practice. Auditory processing evaluation is an essential element to be included when testing an individual's hearing status. The recent WHO report on hearing, released on March 3rd 2021, sheds light on auditory processing disorder (APD).

This Special Issue focuses on this largely forgotten hearing impairment, while aiming to document both its diversity and its close relationship with cognition. This Special Issue will feature original research, reviews and short reports focused on (1) APD in children, (2) APD in adults, (3) APD and cognition, (4) APD and mental health, (5) APD diagnostics and (6) APD management. Thematology will not be limited in an attempt to present APD in a realistic way. Evidence-based papers from different countries illustrating similarities and differences on test verbal stimuli are encouraged. Different aspects of APD including developmental, neural and mental comorbidities demonstrate the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the management planning of this hearing disorder. Linguistic aspects may play a role and, in that sense, research on multilingual clinical populations are encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Vasiliki Maria Iliadou
Guest Editor

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Keywords

hearing
auditory processing disorder
learning
communication
cognition
mental health

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examining the Use and Benefits of Low-/Mild-Gain Hearing Aids in Service Members with Normal Hearing Thresholds and Self-Reported Hearing Difficulties

by Alyssa J. Davidson, Gregory M. Ellis, Kimberly Jenkins, Melissa Kokx-Ryan and Douglas S. Brungart

Healthcare 2024, 12(5), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12050578 - 1 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1124

Abstract

Low- (or mild-) gain hearing aids (LGHAs) are increasingly considered for individuals with normal peripheral hearing but significant self-reported hearing difficulties (SHDs). This study assesses the benefits of LGHAs as a management option for individuals with normal hearing thresholds (NHTs) and SHDs, comparing LGHA use and benefit to individuals with non-significant hearing difficulties (NHDs) and those with peripheral hearing loss. Questionnaires addressing hearing aid usage, benefit, hearing difficulties, and tinnitus were administered to 186 individuals who self-identified as hearing aid users in a sample of 6652 service members who were receiving their annual hearing tests. Participants were divided into SHD and NHD groups based on the normative cutoff of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey-Hearing Subscale (THS-H), and into hearing impairment (HI) and NHT based on their audiometric air-conduction thresholds. Individuals with SHDs and NHTs reported higher LGHA usage and benefit than individuals with NHDs and NHTs. Comparable use and benefit were noted between groups with SHDs regardless of peripheral hearing loss status. The findings support LGHAs as a suitable management option for individuals with NHTs and SHDs, as indicated by hearing aid use and benefit. Quantifying the level of perceived auditory processing deficits (i.e., SHDs), notably with the THS-H, enhances sensitivity in identifying those who may benefit the most from this treatment option. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment)

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12 pages, 888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Listening and Processing Skills in Young School Children with a History of Developmental Phonological Disorder

by Nelli Kalnak and Cecilia Nakeva von Mentzer

Healthcare 2024, 12(3), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12030359 - 31 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1045

Abstract

There is a lack of longitudinal studies on the broad-based outcomes in children with Developmental Phonological Disorder (DPD). The aim of this study was to investigate listening and processing skills in a clinical sample of 7-to-10-year-old children diagnosed with DPD in their preschool years and compare these to same-aged typically developing (TD) children. The Evaluation of Children’s Listening and Processing Skills (ECLiPS) was completed by parents of 115 children with DPD and by parents of 46 TD children. The total ECLiPS mean score, and the five subscale mean scores, the proportion of children with clinically significant difficulties (≤10th percentile), and the proportion of children with co-occurrence of clinically significant difficulties on more than one subscale, were calculated. Results showed that the ECLiPS mean scores did not differ between the groups. There was no difference between groups regarding language and literacy, but a higher proportion of children with DPD than TD had difficulties in the total score, speech, and auditory processing, environmental and auditory sensitivity, and pragmatic and social skills. In addition, 33.9% of children with DPD had clinically significant difficulties in two or more subscales compared to 10.9% of TD children. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment)

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17 pages, 926 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Auditory Processing in Musicians, a Cross-Sectional Study, as a Basis for Auditory Training Optimization

by Maria Kyrtsoudi, Christos Sidiras, Georgios Papadelis and Vasiliki Maria Iliadou

Healthcare 2023, 11(14), 2027; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11142027 - 14 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2489

Abstract

Μusicians are reported to have enhanced auditory processing. This study aimed to assess auditory perception in Greek musicians with respect to their musical specialization and to compare their auditory processing with that of non-musicians. Auditory processing elements evaluated were speech recognition in babble, rhythmic advantage in speech recognition, short-term working memory, temporal resolution, and frequency discrimination threshold detection. All groups were of 12 participants. Three distinct experimental groups tested included western classical musicians, Byzantine chanters, and percussionists. The control group consisted of 12 non-musicians. The results revealed: (i) a rhythmic advantage for word recognition in noise for classical musicians (M = 12.42) compared to Byzantine musicians (M = 9.83), as well as for musicians compared to non-musicians (U = 120.50, p = 0.019), (ii) better frequency discrimination threshold of Byzantine musicians (M = 3.17, p = 0.002) compared to the other two musicians’ group for the 2000 Hz region, (iii) statistically significant better working memory for musicians (U = 123.00, p = 0.025) compared to non-musicians. Musical training enhances elements of auditory processing and may be used as an additional rehabilitation approach during auditory training, focusing on specific types of music for specific auditory processing deficits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment)

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13 pages, 1999 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ambient Noise in Candidate Rooms for User-Operated Audiometry

by Christos Sidiras, Jacob Nielsen, Chris Bang Sørensen, Jesper Hvass Schmidt, René Gyldenlund Pedersen and Ellen Raben Pedersen

Healthcare 2023, 11(6), 889; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11060889 - 20 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1469

Abstract

Hearing loss is a widespread problem while treatment is not always accessible, mainly because of the limited availability of hearing care professionals and clinics. In this work, part of the User-Operated Audiometry project, we investigate the acoustic environment of inexpensive non-sound-treated rooms that could be used for unsupervised audiometric testing. Measurements of 10 min of ambient noise were taken from 20 non-sound-treated rooms in libraries and private and public clinics, nine of which were measured twice. Ambient noise was compared against two traditional audiometric sound-treated rooms and Maximum Permissible Ambient noise levels by ISO 8231-1, while factoring for the attenuation by the DD450 circumaural headphones provided. In most non-sound-treated rooms, MPAs were violated only by transient sounds, while the floor-noise level was below MPAs. Non-sound-treated rooms’ ambient noise levels presented with much larger fluctuations compared to sound-treated rooms. Almost all violations occurred at low to mid-low frequencies. Our results suggest that large-scale implementation of user-operated audiometry outside traditional audiometric rooms is possible, at least under some realizable conditions. Circumaural headphones’ attenuation is probably a necessary condition for all cases. Depending on the room, an online system making decisions based on ambient noise might also be included in combination with active attenuation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment)

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11 pages, 989 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adult Normative Data for the Adaptation of the Hearing in Noise Test in European French (HINT-5 Min)

by Johanna Buisson Savin, Pierre Reynard, Eric Bailly-Masson, Célia Joseph, Charles-Alexandre Joly, Catherine Boiteux and Hung Thai-Van

Healthcare 2022, 10(7), 1306; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10071306 - 14 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2008

Abstract

Decreased speech-in-noise (SpIN) understanding is an early marker not only of presbycusis but also of auditory processing disorder. Previous research has shown a strong relationship between hearing disorders and cognitive limitations. It is therefore crucial to allow SpIN testing in subjects who cannot sustain prolonged diagnostic procedures. The objectives of this study were to develop a rapid and reproducible version of the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT-5 min), and to determine its adult normative values in free-field and monaural or binaural headphone conditions. Following an adaptive signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) protocol, the test used a fixed noise level, while the signal level varied to reach the 50% speech reception threshold (SRT50). The speech material consisted of five lists of 20 sentences each, all recorded in European French. The whole semi-automated procedure lasted 5 min and was administered to 83 subjects aged 19 to 49 years with no reported listening difficulties. Fifty-two subjects were retested between 7 and 8 days later. For the binaural free-field condition, the mean SRT50 was −1.0 dB SNR with a standard deviation of 1.3 dB SNR. There was no significant difference between the results obtained at test and retest, nor was there any effect of listening condition, sex, or age on SRT50. The results indicate that the procedure is robust and not affected by any learning phenomenon. The HINT-5 min was found to be both a fast and reliable marker of the ability to understand speech in background noise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment)

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11 pages, 937 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Difference of Scoring in Speech in Babble Tests

by Afroditi Sereti, Christos Sidiras, Nikos Eleftheriadis, Ioannis Nimatoudis, Gail D. Chermak and Vasiliki Maria Iliadou

Healthcare 2022, 10(3), 458; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10030458 - 28 Feb 2022

Viewed by 2145

Abstract

Hearing is a complex ability that extends beyond the peripheral auditory system. A speech in noise/competition test is a valuable measure to include in the test battery when attempting to assess an individual’s “hearing”. The present study compared syllable vs. word scoring of the Greek Speech-in-Babble (SinB) test with 22 native Greek speaking children (6–12-year-olds) diagnosed with auditory processing disorder (APD) and 33 native Greek speaking typically developing children (6–12-year-olds). A three-factor analysis of variance revealed greater discriminative ability for syllable scoring than word scoring, with significant interactions between group and scoring. Two-way analysis of variance revealed SinB word-based measures (SNR50%) were larger (poorer performance) than syllable-based measures for both groups of children. Cohen’s d values were larger for syllable-based mean scores compared to word-based mean scores between groups for both ears. These findings indicate that the type of scoring affects the SinB’s resolution capacity and that syllable scoring might better differentiate typically developing children and children with APD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment)

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7 pages, 222 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lack of Association between Audiogram and Hearing Disability Measures in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: What Audiogram Does Not Tell You

by Nattawan Utoomprurkporn, Joshua Stott, Sergi Gonzalez Costafreda and Doris Eva Bamiou

Healthcare 2021, 9(6), 769; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9060769 - 20 Jun 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2602

Abstract

(1) Introduction: The validity of self-reported hearing disability measures has been assessed using their correlation with the pure-tone average (PTA) hearing loss for non-cognitively impaired adults. However, for people with cognitive impairment, factors in addition to the PTA can play a role in their self-reported difficulties. Patients with cognitive impairment may experience more hearing difficulties due to their brain processing sounds abnormally, irrespective of PTA. (2) Methods: Three groups of hearing aid users who had normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment and dementia were recruited. Self-reported hearing abilities were assessed with the modified Amsterdam inventory for auditory disability (mAIAD) and the speech, spatial and qualities of hearing scale (SSQ). (3) Results: The SSQ and mAIAD scores were highly correlated with each other for all three groups. However, a correlation with objective PTA was found in the normal cognition but not the cognitively impaired groups. Self-reported hearing scores were associated with cognitive scores for the dementia group (4) Discussion: In people with combined cognitive and hearing impairment, PTA alone may be a poor predictor of hearing abilities. Subjective hearing questionnaires together with hearing tests may provide a better understanding of their hearing difficulties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Auditory Processing Disorder: A Forgotten Hearing Impairment)

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