Rabelo CM, Schochat E. Time-compressed speech test in brazilian portuguese. Clinics. 2007;62(3):261-72. INTRODUCTION:The time-compressed speech test has existed since the 1970s. It is sensitive for evaluating auditory closure. However, it is not used in Brazil because until recently, it had not been developed in Portuguese. PURPOSE: To develop a compressed speech test in Portuguese, to apply it to normal-hearing adults, and to verify which of the compressed lists (50%, 60%, or 70%) is the most appropriate to be part of a set of auditory processing tests. METHODS: 144 normal-hearing adults, distributed homogeneously between both genders, were assessed. The compressed speech tests were applied using monosyllables and disyllables according to 8 previously established sequences, and the results were compared with respect to the initial ear, to the order of presentation, and to the kind of test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between ears. The 50%, 60% and 70% presentation order produced a better average of correct responses than the 70%, 60% and 50% one. There was a significant difference (P <.001) between the results of the tests comprising lists of monosyllables compared to those comprising disyllables. In both tests (with monosyllables and disyllables) the average of correct responses decreased as the compression increased. CONCLUSION: The monosyllabic and disyllabic lists with 60% compression appeared to be more stable than the others, with the average of correct responses around 90%.KEYWORDS: Speech perception. Hearing tests. Speech discrimination tests. Speech intelligibility. INTRODUCTIONThe communication process among individuals happens more efficiently when the individual who speaks is able to express himself adequately, and the one who hears is able to understand what is being said.In the hearing and decoding process of what is being said, an interrelation between the integrity of the peripheral auditory system ("the hearing") and the central auditory system ("the decoding") is observed. The abilities to process the hearing information, the auditory processing abilities, have been observed to be very important for effective communication.Auditory processing studies explore the abilities involved in the interpretation of the sound stimulus and the involvement of several mechanisms of the auditory system that are responsible for processing verbal and nonverbal stimuli. 1In 1992, Stecker reported that audiologists have developed unique methods for the evaluation of auditory processing disorders, such that the auditory system functioning may be evaluated in an adequately controlled environment with careful use of the desired stimulus. Nowadays, there is a great variety of tests for the evaluation of the auditory processing. However, it is difficult to determine which test should be applied in order to obtain a conclusive diagnosis. In the evaluation of the auditory processing, both monotic and dichotic tests are used. The first studies are from 1957, when Callearo and Lazaroni studied speech i...

OBJECTIVES:Although several studies have investigated the effects of diabetes on hearing loss, the relationship between these two conditions remains unclear. Some studies have suggested that diabetes may cause sensorineural hearing loss, whereas others have failed to find an association. The biggest challenge in investigating the association between diabetes and hearing loss is the presence of confounding variables and the complexity of the auditory system. Our study investigated the association between diabetes and sensorineural hearing loss. We evaluated the influence of time from diabetes diagnosis on this association after controlling for age, gender, and hypertension diagnosis and excluding those subjects with exposure to noise.METHODS:This cross-sectional study evaluated 901 adult and elderly Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) participants from São Paulo, Brazil who underwent audiometry testing as part of ELSA-Brasil’s baseline assessment.RESULTS:Hearing thresholds and speech test results were significantly worse in the group with diabetes than in the group without diabetes. However, no significant differences were found between participants with and without diabetes after adjusting for age, gender, and the presence of hypertension. Hearing thresholds were not affected by occupational noise exposure in the groups with and without diabetes. In addition, no association between the duration of diabetes and hearing thresholds was observed after adjusting for age, gender, and hypertension.CONCLUSION:We found no association between the duration of diabetes and worse hearing thresholds after models were adjusted for age, gender, and the presence of hypertension.

O Potencial Evocado Auditivo de Média Latência (PEAML) foi primeiramente descrito por Geisler, Frishkopf, Rosenblith em 1958.1 É caracterizado por uma série de ondas/respostas neuroelétricas gravadas no cérebro através de eletrodos de superfície. Atualmente, tem sido visto como um dos testes eletrofisioló-gicos mais promissores para a avaliação das disfunções e/ou alterações do Sistema Nervoso Auditivo Central. Suas ondas aparecem no intervalo entre 10 e 80 milissegundos (ms) após o início do estímulo auditivo. A onda Pa é a mais estudada por ser a mais visível e robusta deste potencial. Esse teste ainda é pouco utilizado na prática clínica pelo fato de existir uma grande variabilidade nos resultados encontrados intersujeitos, o que torna difícil o estabelecimento de medidas de normalidade. Objetivo: O objetivo desse trabalho foi estabelecer a efetividade sensitividade e especificidade do PEAML para que este potencial possa ser mais utilizado com maior fidedignidade. Forma de estudo: Caso-controle. Material e Método: Fizeram parte desse estudo indivíduos com idade entre 15 e 55 anos, portadores de lesões de Sistema Nervoso Auditivo Central, comprovada através de diagnóstico por imagem ou que tenham sido submetidos a cirurgias crânio-encefálicas, indivíduos portadores de Transtornos do Processamento Auditivo (TPA) comprovadas através de avaliação comportamental e indivíduos normais (Grupo Controle). Resultados: Os resultados mostram que o corte de 30% apresentou melhores resultados, tanto para o efeito de eletrodo quanto para o efeito de orelha. O efeito de orelha foi mais fidedigno para evidenciar Transtornos de Processamento Auditivo, enquanto o efeito de eletrodo foi mais efetivo para evidenciar lesão. The Middle Latency Response (MLR) is a neuroelectrical response that can be recorded in the far field using scalp electrode. Nowadays it is suppose to be one of the best evoked potential for evaluate lesion or dysfunction of the central auditory nervous system. The MLR waves occur between 10 and 80 msec (ms) after the stimulus onset. The Pa is the most reliable because it is the most visible and robust of this potential. Because of the big variability of the amplitude and the latency of the MLR waves it is not yet largely used in the clinical set. Aim: ElianeThe purpose of this study was to establish the sensitivity and specificity of the MLR waves. Study design: Casecontrol. Material and Method: Individuals between 15 and 55 years old with lesion of the central auditory nervous system, with auditory processing disorders and normal one (control group) were evaluated using the MLR. Results: The results showed that the amplitude difference of 30% held the better results, for the electrode as well as the ear effect. The ear effect was more efficient in detecting auditory processing disorder while the electrode effect was better for detecting the lesion.Palavras-chave: potenciais evocados, testes auditivos, sensitividade, especificidade.

The central auditory nervous system of musicians presents peculiar characteristics of electrophysiological responses probably due to the plasticity imposed by musical practice.

It was found that older adults with DM and hypertension associated showed greater hearing impairment in comparison with the other groups, suggesting a synergistic effect of the two chronic diseases on hearing.

In the present study, we evaluated peripheral and central auditory pathways in professional musicians (with and without hearing loss) compared to non-musicians. The goal was to verify if music exposure could affect auditory pathways as a whole. This is a prospective study that compared the results obtained between three groups (musicians with and without hearing loss and non-musicians). Thirty-two male individuals participated and they were assessed by: Immittance measurements, pure-tone air conduction thresholds at all frequencies from 0.25 to 20 kHz, Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions, Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR), and Cognitive Potential. The musicians showed worse hearing thresholds in both conventional and high frequency audiometry when compared to the non-musicians; the mean amplitude of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions was smaller in the musicians group, but the mean latencies of Auditory Brainstem Response and Cognitive Potential were diminished in the musicians when compared to the non-musicians. Our findings suggest that the population of musicians is at risk for developing music-induced hearing loss. However, the electrophysiological evaluation showed that latency waves of ABR and P300 were diminished in musicians, which may suggest that the auditory training to which these musicians are exposed acts as a facilitator of the acoustic signal transmission to the cortex.

The tablet-based hearing screening test was shown to be a reliable and an accurate method for hearing screening that can be used effectively in places with Internet access and where local audiologists are not available.

The P300 results from focusing attention on rare stimuli in the midst of other frequent stimuli; it tests recent attention and memory, both of which depend on discriminating among verbal or nonverbal stimuli. Aim:To compare the P300 with verbal and nonverbal stimuli in normal-hearing adults. Material and Method:A prospective study was made of 15 male subjects aged from 22 to 55, with no hearing complaints. The subjects underwent short and long latency (P300) auditory evoked potentials with verbal and non-verbal stimuli. Results:The mean P300 latency with verbal stimuli was significantly higher than the P300 with nonverbal stimuli. The P300 amplitudes were significantly lower for verbal compared with nonverbal stimuli. Conclusion:There were no differences between ears with respect to P300 latencies and amplitudes for both non-verbal and verbal stimuli. Latencies were higher with verbal stimuli; amplitudes had lower values. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2011;77(6):686-90. BJORL ORIGINAL ARTICLE