Auditory Temporal Resolution in Individuals with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Abstract

Introduction “Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by elevated blood sugar and abnormalities in insulin secretion and action” (American Diabetes Association). Previous literature has reported connection between diabetes mellitus and hearing impairment. There is a dearth of literature on auditory temporal resolution ability in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2. Objective The main objective of the present study was to assess auditory temporal resolution ability through GDT (Gap Detection Threshold) in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2 with high frequency hearing loss. Methods Fifteen subjects with diabetes mellitus type 2 with high frequency hearing loss in the age range of 30 to 40 years participated in the study as the experimental group. Fifteen age-matched non-diabetic individuals with normal hearing served as the control group. We administered the Gap Detection Threshold (GDT) test to all participants to assess their temporal resolution ability. Result We used the independent t-test to compare between groups. Results showed that the diabetic group (experimental) performed significantly poorer compared with the non-diabetic group (control). Conclusion It is possible to conclude that widening of auditory filters and changes in the central auditory nervous system contributed to poorer performance for temporal resolution task (Gap Detection Threshold) in individuals with diabetes mellitus type 2. Findings of the present study revealed the deteriorating effect of diabetes mellitus type 2 at the central auditory processing level.

Behavioral assessment of auditory processing in adulthood: population of interest and tests - a systematic review

“…The criteria that led to the constitution of the "case group" are diverse and reflect conditions and/or characteristics that have already been described as etiological or comorbid factors for CAPD. This fact is justified because there is an etiological heterogeneity for CAPD (1) , which has been documented in cases of chronic metabolic (24,33) , vascular (59) , demyelinating (25) , hormonal (20) , psychiatric (28) , sleep (57) , learning (32) , and fluency disorders (27,29) .…”

“…The main focus of studies with CAP behavioral tests in young and middle-aged adults compared the auditory mechanisms as a function of a specific condition or pathology (e.g., diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, noise exposure, multiple sclerosis, stuttering, among others), usually with better performance by the healthy population (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35) . The approach to increasing age has been less explored, especially in adults without hearing loss.…”

Diabetes and Auditory-Vestibular Pathology

“…32,49,50 The auditory neuropathic complications may also be responsible for the degraded neural temporal coding in the upper brainstem resulting in central auditory processing deficits such as higher interaural phase differences, poorer frequency discrimination limens, and increased gap detection thresholds. 51…”

Avaliação comportamental do processamento auditivo na idade adulta: população de interesse e testes - uma revisão sistemática

“…O principal enfoque dos estudos com testes comportamentais do PAC em adultos jovens e de meia idade comparam os mecanismos auditivos em função de uma condição ou patologia específica (e.g. diabetes mellitus, zumbido, exposição a ruído, esclerose múltipla, gagueira, entre outros) usualmente com melhor desempenho para a população hígida (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35) . O enfoque do aumento da idade é menos explorado, principalmente em adultos sem perda auditiva.…”