Evaluation of Efferent Auditory System and Hearing Quality in Parkinson's Disease: Is the Difficulty in Speech Understanding in Complex Listening Conditions Related to Neural Degeneration or Aging?

Abstract

Purpose The effects of neurological diseases on the auditory system have been a notable issue for investigators because the auditory pathway is closely associated with neural systems. The purposes of this study are to evaluate the efferent auditory system function and hearing quality in Parkinson's disease (PD) and to compare the findings with age-matched individuals without PD to present a perspective on aging. Method The study included 35 individuals with PD (mean age of 48.50 ± 8.00 years) and 35 normal-hearing peers (mean age of 49 ± 10 years). The following tests were administered for all participants: the first section of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale; pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tympanometry, and acoustic reflexes; and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and contralateral suppression of DPOAEs. SPSS Version 25 was used for statistical analyses, and values of p < .05 were considered statistically significant. Results There were no statistically significant differences in the pure-tone audiometry thresholds and DPOAE responses between the individuals with PD and their normal-hearing peers ( p = .732). However, statistically significant differences were found between the groups in suppression levels of DPOAEs and hearing quality ( p < .05). In addition, a statistically significant and positive correlation was found between the amount of suppression at some frequencies and the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale scores. Conclusions This study indicates that medial olivocochlear efferent system function and the hearing quality of individuals with PD were affected adversely due to the results of PD pathophysiology on the hearing system. For optimal intervention and follow-up, tasks related to hearing quality in daily life can also be added to therapies for PD.

Parkinson's disease affects the neural alpha oscillations associated with speech‐in‐noise processing

“…For example, altered otoacoustic emissions have been found in persons with PD in the presence of normal auditory thresholds for their age, indicating a subclinical cochlear dysfunction (De Groote et al, 2021b;De Keyser et al, 2019). Furthermore, the efferent olivocochlear system may be involved in auditory dysfunction in PD (Gökay et al, 2021), which has been implicated in speechin-noise processing as well (Giraud et al, 1997;Mertes et al, 2019). Note however, that non-differences regarding the efferent suppression of otoacoustic emissions have also been observed between persons with PD and HCs (De Groote et al, 2021b).…”

Cognitive and language deficits in persons with Parkinson's disease

“…Kad je u pitanju domen slušanja, pokazano je da se, usled neurodegenerativnih procesa u eferentnim slušnim putevima, kod osoba sa PB mogu ispoljiti smetnje u slušanju. Tako neki pacijenti pokazuju teškoće auditivne diskriminacije u bučnom okruženju (Gökay et al, 2021). Pored toga, osobe sa PB ispoljavaju deficite u oblasti auditivnog fidbeka.…”