A preliminary study on the relationship between central auditory processing and childhood primary headaches in the intercritical phase

Abstract

BackgroundRecently, an increasing number of articles have appeared on central auditory processing disorders, but in the literature there is only one study that evaluated the possible correlation between migraine in the critical phase and central auditory processing. The aim of our study was to assess the correlation between auditory processing information and childhood primary headaches in the intercritical phase.MethodsThis is an observational study. We enrolled 54 patients, 30 with primary headache (migraine and tension headache) and 24 normal controls, matched for sex and age. The mean age at first observation was 9 years 10 months; the duration of observational follow-up was 2 years. Both groups had normal audiological and neurological profiles, normal peripheral hearing acuity and normal cognitive and behavioral skills. We excluded patients who had undergone pharmacological prophylactic treatment for headaches in the 6 months preceding the study and subjects with a frequency of headache lower than one every two months. After enrolment, both groups were analyzed with a computerized test battery for Speech Perception Tests in silence and in noise background to assess speech perception disabilities. In addition, with a test battery of Speech Perception Tests, we compared patients with migraines and tension-type headaches. The non-parametric χ2 test, the Mann–Whitney U-test and the Wilcoxon signed ranks test were used for statistical analysis. P-values <0.05 were considered significant and STATA 10 software was used for statistical analyses.ResultsOur results showed that patients with primary headache (migraine and tension-type headache), had a deficit of auditory processing in noisy background compared to control cases, but we found no significant differences when we compared patients with migraine and tension-type headache.ConclusionsThis is a work in progress and further studies are needed to assess the relationship between the impairment of auditory processing and primary headache, not only to improve the diagnostic approach to primary headache, but also to improve therapeutic intervention.

Auditory Processing in Children with Migraine: A Controlled Study

“…6 Previous research has reported a deficit of auditory processing in noisy background in children with primary headache. 7 The aim of this study was to compare auditory processing in children with migraine with and without aura and controls without headache. aged between 8 and 12 years, and all diagnosed with migraine according to the International Headache Classification (ICDH-3 β) criteria, 8 were confirmed by a completed 30day filled headache diary.…”

Central auditory processing and migraine: a controlled study

“…A recent study that evaluated children with primary headache showed a deficit of auditory processing in noisy background compared to control cases [ 21 ].…”

Abnormal Subjective and Audiometric Auditory Function in Migraine

“…There is evidence of central auditory processing alterations in migraine that are not purely attributable to dysfunction identified on pure-tone audiometry. 8,9 Although we did identify evidence for worse hearing on audiometry, there was also a significant interaction effect between migraine and subjective hearing loss on PTA, such that migraine status decreased the PTA threshold at which individuals endorsed hearing loss. In addition, those experiencing migraine were more likely to have a subjectiveaudiometric hearing mismatch, defined as a normalrange PTA (≤25 dB) but with endorsed subjective hearing loss.…”

“…[5][6][7] Separately, there is also evidence for alterations in central auditory processing, and migraine may involve hypersensitivity and abnormal sensory integration for a variety of sensory stimuli. [8][9][10][11] It has previously been hypothesized that susceptibility to migraine may be a consequence of hypersensitivity to environmental changes, which may predispose those experiencing migraine to more readily endorse changes in their hearing. [12][13][14] Therefore, subjective hearing changes in migraine may reflect either direct damage to the cochlea or alterations in central auditory processing with increased sensitivity to changes in hearing, or a combination of both processes.…”