Background and Objectives: Currently limited information is available on speech stimuli processingat the subcortical level in the recipients of cochlear implant (CI). Speech processing inthe brainstem level is measured using speech-auditory brainstem response (S-ABR). The purposeof the present study was to measure the S-ABR components in the sound-field presentationin CI recipients, and compare with normal hearing (NH) children. Subjects and Methods:In this descriptive-analytical study, participants were divided in two groups: patients withCIs; and NH group. The CI group consisted of 20 prelingual hearing impairment children (meanage=8.90 ± 0.79 years), with ipsilateral CIs (right side). The control group consisted of 20healthy NH children, with comparable age and sex distribution. The S-ABR was evoked bythe 40-ms synthesized /da/ syllable stimulus that was indicated in the sound-field presentation. Results Sound-field S-ABR measured in the CI recipients indicated statistically significantdelayed latencies, than in the NH group. In addition, these results demonstrated thatthe frequency following response peak amplitude was significantly higher in CI recipients,than in the NH counterparts (p<0.05). Finally, the neural phase locking were significantlylower in CI recipients (p<0.05). Conclusions: The findings of sound-field S-ABR demonstratedthat CI recipients have neural encoding deficits in temporal and spectral domains atthe brainstem level; therefore, the sound-field S-ABR can be considered an efficient clinicalprocedure to assess the speech process in CI recipients. J Audiol Otol 2020;24(2):71-78

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