Patterns in the Performance-Intensity Functions for Phonetically Balanced Word Lists and Synthetic Sentences in Aged Listeners

Abstract

\s=b\The performance intensity-phonetically balanced (PI-PB) and performance intensity-synthetic sentence identification (PI-SSI) functions were determined for 62 elderly patients (100 ears) with presbyacusis. A comparison of these functions was performed to determine whether patients older than 60 years exhibited peripheral or central PI-PB/PI-SSI patterning. Fifty-eight ears of the 100 ears examined showed central patterning. Furthermore, two diagnostically important central patterns were identified. The implications of the current data as well as the clinical application of PI \ x=r eq-\ PB/PI-SSI testing for the evaluation of peripheral and central auditory effects in aged listeners are described. (Arch Otolaryngol 1982;108:15-20) The use of performance intensity (PI) functions has expanded the scope of diagnostic speech audiometry in the last several years.San Francisco, CA 94121 (Dr Arnst).Hayes4 have advocated that complete PI functions for both phonetically bal¬ anced (PB) word lists and synthetic sentences be included as part of the routine audiologic test battery. The results of their investigation indi¬ cated that, when viewed together, spe¬ cific relationships exist between the PI-PB/PI-synthetic sentence identifi¬ cation (SSI) functions that differen¬ tiate cochlear, eighth nerve, and more central sites of auditory dysfunction.Jerger and Hayes4 also reported that aged listeners with presbyacusis demonstrated peculiar patterning when the PI-PB/PI-SSI functions were compared. Instead of producing the anticipated cochlear results, these listeners showed a central pattern with depressed PI-SSI performance relative to PI-PB performance. Simi¬ lar patterning has been observed in younger subjects with confirmed cen¬ tral auditory dysfunction. Jerger and Hayes4 attributed this PI-PB/PI-SSI discrepancy to a "central aging effect."To define the central aging effect more clearly, Jerger and Hayes4 ana¬ lyzed the PI-PB/PI-SSI test results of 204 subjects, ranging in age from 10 to 90 years, with sensorineural hearing loss. Their analysis disclosed the fol¬ lowing: (1) Performance on both sets of materials decreased as a function of increasing age. (2) The PI-SSI perfor¬ mance was more depressed than the PI-PB performance with increasing age. (3) Onset of the central aging effect was observed to occur at approximately 60 years of age. After the age of 60 years, the PI-PB/PI-SSI discrepancy was observed to increase. (4) The magnitude of the central aging effect was found to be greater for the right ear.The purpose of this study was to investigate the age-related effects and patterning with the PI-PB/PI-SSI functions in patients older than 60 years. The following questions were considered specifically: (1) Is there more than one age-related pattern?(2) Is the PI-PB/PI-SSI discrepancy observed in one or both ears? When it is observed in both ears, is the magni¬ tude of the discrepancy equal? SUBJECTS AND METHODS SubjectsThere were 62 subjects chosen from our clinic files, ranging in age from 60 to 85

Hearing Aid Selection for the Elderly: Consideration of Central Aging Effects

“…The results obtained in this investigation are in general agreement with the results obtained by others in previous investigations [Hayes and Jerger, 1979;Jerger and Hayes, 1977;Shirinian and Arnst, 1982]; a signifi cant number of the geriatric clients (6 of 19 in this investigation) showed evidence of a central aging effect with the right ear being slightly more likely to be affected than the left ear.…”

“…They also noted that the effect tended to be somewhat greater for the right ear. Shirinian and Arnst [ 1982] also noted sig nificant central effects in many of their el derly (age 60-85) listeners. Of the 100 ears in their sample, more than half [58] showed sig nificant central aging effects.…”

“…Since elderly subjects often showed this pattern of depressed SSI results relative to PB results, Jerger and Hayes [ 1977] attrib uted this finding to a 'central aging effect. ' Several investigators Jerger, 1979: Shirinian andArnst, 1982;Stach et al, 1985] have used the method suggested by Jerger and Hayes [1977] to assess the magni tude of the central aging component in el derly listeners. In 1977, Jerger and Hayes reported that the discrimination of both phonetically balanced words and synthetic sentences decreased with age, but that the discrimination of synthetic sentences was disproportionately poor compared with the discrimination of monosyllabic words.…”

Processamento auditivo em idosos: estudo da interação por meio de testes com estímulos verbais e não-verbais

“…Vários estudos da literatura especializada aplicaram o SSI em idosos e verificaram resultados semelhantes em relação ao desempenho das orelhas direita e esquerda 14,[20][21][22][23] . No presente estudo, verificamos desempenho bom no teste PSI à orelha direita (Tabelas 4 e 5) na condição PSI (0) e PSI (-10), respectivamente em 91 indivíduos (82,7%) e em 78 indivíduos (70,9%).…”

Age-Related Asymmetry on a Cued Listening Task

“…Interestingly, such an effect has, indeed, been noted. Investigators have demonstrated greater decline in the left ear with increasing age for time-compressed monosyllabic words (Konkle, Beasley, & Bess, 1977) and for SSI sentences (Shirinian & Arnst, 1982).…”