Chandrashekar Pooja, Nagaraj Hema
Department of Speech-Language Sciences, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, Karnataka India.
Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2024 Dec;76(6):5443-5450. doi: 10.1007/s12070-024-04999-9. Epub 2024 Aug 20.
This study investigates verbal fluency as an indicator of executive function in middle-aged adults with mild sensorineural hearing loss, comparing them to age-matched controls with normal hearing. In this study, 50 middle-aged participants were recruited, comprising 25 with bilateral unaided mild hearing loss and 25 age-matched controls with normal hearing. Demographic information, including age, gender, and health-related factors, was collected. Audiological evaluations confirmed the participants' hearing status, and verbal fluency tests were conducted, encompassing semantic, phonemic, and alternate fluency tasks. Significant differences in audiological measures were observed between both groups. Verbal fluency tests revealed lower mean ranks between the groups on almost all tasks suggesting distinct accuracy and error patterns. This study establishes a link between mild sensorineural hearing loss and executive function in middle-aged adults, evidenced by deficits in verbal fluency tasks. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address cognitive impairments, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive care strategies for individuals in this population.
本研究调查言语流畅性，以此作为轻度感音神经性听力损失中年成年人执行功能的一项指标，并将他们与年龄匹配的听力正常对照组进行比较。在本研究中，招募了50名中年参与者，其中25名患有双侧未助听的轻度听力损失，25名是年龄匹配的听力正常对照组。收集了包括年龄、性别和健康相关因素在内的人口统计学信息。听力评估确认了参与者的听力状况，并进行了言语流畅性测试，包括语义、音素和交替流畅性任务。两组之间在听力测量方面观察到显著差异。言语流畅性测试显示，在几乎所有任务上，两组之间的平均排名较低，表明存在明显的准确性和错误模式。本研究在轻度感音神经性听力损失与中年成年人的执行功能之间建立了联系，言语流畅性任务中的缺陷证明了这一点。研究结果强调了针对认知障碍进行有针对性干预的必要性，突出了针对该人群个体的综合护理策略的重要性。
