The participants completed a series of auditory tests, including dichotic digits, frequency pattern and speech-in-noise. A total of 177 adults with no evidence of cognitive, psychological or neurological conditions took part in the research. (2016), investigated the performance of middle-aged and elderly people with different levels of formal education on auditory processing tests. Thus, because both sensory and cognitive factors are strongly involved, we might predict that, as long as education leads to improved cognitive performance or affects the course of cognitive decline, it will also be possible to observe improved performance on tests involving auditory processing skills. From a neurophysiological perspective, this sensory-cognitive interaction is based on the significant contribution of the top-down mechanisms of auditory perception, which is supported by the involvement of multi-modal association areas of the cortex in response to simple sounds and the contribution of the efferent auditory system in modulating some auditory processing skills, such as binaural processing ( Moore, 2012 ). This topic is reasonable given the studies demonstrating sensory-cognitive interactions in the aging process. Studies have also reported an association between sensory declines, such as ARHL and auditory processing disorders, and cognitive declines, such as mild cognitive impairment and dementia ( Wayne and Johnsrude, 2015 ).Īlthough the positive effect of education on cognitive skills is currently widely accepted, the impact of education on auditory processing has not yet been evaluated. Dichotic listening performance has also been associated with working memory skills, especially in the forced-left condition that requires a great cognitive engagement produced by competition with “right ear advantage” ( Hugdahl, 2003 ). One example of this sensory-cognitive interaction is the correlation between cognitive performance in working memory tests and some auditory processing skills, such as speech-in-noise perception, pitch pattern frequency and dichotic listening tests Regarding speech-in-noise perception, Pichora-Fuller (2003) hypothesized that the efficient operation of the working-memory system becomes compromised, negatively affecting the comprehension of spoken language as a consequence of hearing difficulties and the effort required to listen in the presence of noise. They conclude that sensory deficits, especially if there is an association of two or more modalities, may lead to the cognitive deficits observed in older individuals. (2013) observed significant correlation between general sensory processing (visual, auditory and tactile) and age, but not for cognitive processing and age. A few studies demonstrated positive correlation between cognitive processing and speech processing, and patients with several variations of dementia have been shown to have auditory processing deficits (Hardy et al, 2016). It has been suggested that the allocation of extra cognitive resources to deal with challenging auditory perception – not only as consequence of hearing loss but also of hearing under environmentally adverse conditions – could accelerate the neurocognitive decline during aging. Therefore, hearing deficits, both central and peripheral, are important factors to consider while investigating communication issues in the elderly. In these cases, deficits in the central nervous system functions and structures should also be suspected. In addition, the elderly frequently have speech-comprehension complaints that could not be justified by their hearing thresholds or the adaptation to hearing devices is unsuccessful despite using algorithms and settings appropriated to their hearing loss. The 2015 National Institute on Aging workshop, “Sensory and motor dysfunction in aging and Alzheimer’s disease”, in the United States, reported that age-related sensory loss, including hearing loss, is associated with dementia and falls. Population-based studies suggest that hearing loss is associated with more rapid cognitive and physical aging ( Lin et al., 2013 ). Acquired hearing loss can negatively affect mental health, participation in interpersonal relations, and health-related quality of life. Eliane Schochat 1, Renata Filippini 1, Frank Musiekġ Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BRĪge-related hearing loss (ARHL) is projected to be within the top 15 leading causes of burden of disease by 2030 ( Mathers & Loncar, 2006 ).
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