OBJECTIVE: To compare differences in postural changes during dual-task performance (DTP) between stroke patients and healthy controls, and to investigate the relationship between postural control and attention during DTP in stroke patients. METHOD: Twenty-nine subacute stroke patients who were able to stand independently and ten age-matched, healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The postural control of subjects was evaluated in all of the following four conditions using posturography: a simple standing state with eyes open (EO), a DTP with EO, a simple standing state with eyes closed (EC) and a DTP with EC. The dual-task was performed by standing while inversely repeating a given four-digit number. The parameters were stability index (SI) and weight distribution index (WDI) in posturography. Both visual and auditory inattention of the stroke patients were measured using the computer neuropsychologic test. RESULTS: In stroke patients, SI and WDI increased significantly during DTP (p<0.05) both their EO and EC status. The change of SI during DTP was positively correlated with the visual and auditory inattention in stroke patients (p<0.01) with their EO status. No significant correlations were noticed in WDI. CONCLUSION: Postural changes during DTP increased more in stroke patients than in healthy controls. Postural control showed a significant correlation with visual and auditory attention during the DTP in stroke patients. We therefore expect that dual-task training using postural control and attention will be an attractive treatment method for increasing postural stability in stroke patients.
Auditory Perceptual Disorders ; Eye ; Humans ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Stroke

Auditory Cortex ; Auditory Perceptual Disorders ; diagnosis ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Neonatal Screening

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a disorder that usually occurs in the elderly, leading to dementia in some progressive cases. The purpose of this study is to examine the utility of central auditory processing tests as early diagnostic tools for identifying the elderly with MCI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on 20 elderly patients with MCI and 20 healthy matched peers. The speech perception ability in a quiet environment and in the presence of background noise and also temporal resolution were assessed by using Speech Perception in Noise (SPIN) and Gap in Noise (GIN) tests, respectively. RESULTS: The results indicated that the ability to understand speech in a quiet environment did not differ significantly between the two groups. However, SPIN at the three signal-tonoise ratios and the temporal resolution scores were significantly different between the two groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with MCI appear to have poorer speech comprehension in noise and a lower temporal resolution than those of the same age, but without cognitive defects. Considering the utility of these tests in identifying cognitive problems, we propose that since the GIN test seems to be less influenced by intervening factors, this test can therefore, be a useful tool for the early screening of elderly people with cognitive problems.
Aged ; Auditory Perceptual Disorders ; Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Comprehension ; Dementia ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Mild Cognitive Impairment ; Noise ; Speech Perception

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effects of anterior temporal lobectomy with amygdalohippocampectomy (ATL-AH) on central auditory processing (CAP) in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (mTLE-HS), and to identify factors that may contribute to the postoperative worsening of CAP. METHODS: Frequency-pattern, duration-pattern, and dichotic tests were performed before and after epilepsy surgery in 22 patients with normal hearing according to pure-tone audiometry. RESULTS: No significant difference in CAP scores was detected between pre- and postoperative tests, but there was a strong association between surgery in the language-dominant temporal lobe and postoperative worsening in the non-dominant-side dichotic test (p<0.05). The probability of a decreased performance in a non-dominant-side dichotic test after surgery was 7.5-fold greater in patients who underwent surgery on the dominant temporal lobe compared with the nondominant temporal lobe. No significant association of postoperative worsening in CAP with the verbal, nonverbal intelligence quotient, or right- or left-side lobectomy was noted. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ATL-AH on the dominant side in patients with mTLE-HS worsens the CAP ability in the non-dominant-side dichotic test.
Anterior Temporal Lobectomy* ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Auditory Perceptual Disorders ; Epilepsy ; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe* ; Hearing ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Intelligence ; Language Development Disorders ; Sclerosis ; Temporal Lobe*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the dynamic experiences of pathological changes in brain and the injured role of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) after closed Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) in rat. METHODS: A closed diffuse brain injury model was successfully produced in rat by hit the parietal bone with a spring-droved steel stick. The auditory brainstem response evoked by click at 50Hz stimulating frequency were recorded at pre-trauma, 15 min and 1, 3, 6, 12 h and 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21 d after brain injury. The pathological changes of brain were observed under light microscope and the brain edema was detected by wet weight/dry weight rations. RESULTS: The I-V, III-V of BAEP wave inter peak latency (IPL) in MTBI group increased immediately in 15 minutes after injury. The III, V wave peak latency (PL) and I-V, III-V wave IPL became longer than the pre-trauma level in 6, 12 h post-injury (P<0.05). The III, V wave PL and I - III, I - V, III - V wave IPL became longer than the pre-trauma level in 1, 2 d after injury (P < 0.001), the BAEP retuned to normal level in 14 d after brain injury. At 15 minutes after injury, the water content in brain increased and met its peak in 1 d, decreased gradually in 4 d, then decreased slowly and returned to normal level in 10 d after injury. CONCLUSION The regular changes of BAEP could be an objective tool for evaluating hearing dysfunction after closed mild diffuse traumatic brain injury.
Animals ; Auditory Perceptual Disorders/etiology* ; Brain/pathology* ; Brain Edema/pathology* ; Brain Injuries/physiopathology* ; Brain Stem/physiopathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem/physiology* ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical and electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics, therapeutic response and long-term prognosis of Landau Kleffner syndrome (LKS).

METHODSThe clinical and EEG data of 10 children with LKS were analyzed, and therapeutic response and long-term outcome were followed up.

RESULTSThe age of onset was from 2 to 10.5 years of age. All patients had acquired aphasia, characterized by verbal auditory agnosia. All patients had epileptic seizures. Partial motor seizures during sleep occurred in 8 patients, and other seizure type including atypical absence seizure and generalized tonic-clonic seizure were also observed. Psychological and behavioral abnormalities occurred in 9 patients. There were no abnormalities of hearing and neuro-imaging tests in all patients, and family histories were negative. All the patients had EEG abnormalities. Focal spike and waves of temporal lobe were recorded in 9 patients. Electrical status epilepticus during sleep (ESES) was observed on Video-EEG (VEEG) monitoring in 4 patients. Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) showed favorable effects on epileptic seizures, but no effects on aphasia. All patients responded to corticosteroid, and got language improved. Eight patients were followed up for long-term outcome. All patients were seizure free, while the level of language development was abnormal in 5 patients. The VEEG follow-up was conducted in 6 patients. Continuous epileptic discharges in slow sleep recurred in 2 patients after the discontinuation of steroid therapy.

CONCLUSIONSLKS is one of the childhood epileptic encephalopathy, and acquired aphasia and epileptic seizures are two main clinical characteristics. Aphasia is characterized by verbal auditory agnosia. Psychological and behavioral abnormalities are very common in children with LKS. Focal epileptic discharges were often located in temporal area, and usually generalized, and could be continuous during sleep. AEDs could control seizure but had no effects on aphasia. Early use of full dose corticosteroids could improve the language significantly. Long-term follow up showed that language impairments often remained, but the outcome in terms of EEG and epileptic seizure was good.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Age of Onset ; Agnosia ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Anticonvulsants ; therapeutic use ; Auditory Perceptual Disorders ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Brain ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Electroencephalography ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Landau-Kleffner Syndrome ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Seizures ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Time Factors