Thamizhmani Leelavathi, Ganapathy Kanaka, Palaniswamy Hari Prakash, Pitchaimuthu Arivudai Nambi, Adhikari M R Prabha
Department of Speech and Hearing, Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Madhav Nagar, Manipal, 576104, India.
Center for Hearing Science, Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Naimisham Campus, Manasagangothri, Mysuru, Karnataka, 570006, India.
BMC Geriatr. 2025 May 24;25(1):373. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-05997-4.
Age-related central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is linked to cognitive decline in older adults, potentially preceding Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) by several years. While studies indicate that all auditory processing domains are impacted, it remains unclear which domain most significantly correlates with cognitive functions in MCI, warranting further investigation into these relationships. The current study investigated auditory processing deficits and their relationship with cognitive performance in older adults with MCI.
The study recruited 70 participants aged 60 to 72 years, divided into two groups: MCI(n = 35) and healthy controls (n = 35) based on Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores. Comprehensive central auditory processing and cognitive assessments were done.
The MCI group showed significant deficits across all auditory processing and cognitive domains. The enhanced right ear advantage in the dichotic test could be due to corpus callosum atrophy affecting left ear processing. Different factor structures in MCI suggest that they relied more on attentional resources for complex auditory tasks. Temporal processing tests showed high sensitivity in identifying MCI, with strong AUC and R² values, underscoring their clinical relevance.
Temporal processing deficits could serve as an early screening tool for cognitive decline in older adults. Larger studies targeting individuals with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and MCI are essential, given the prevalence of ARHL in this population. Research should also examine the impact of tailored auditory training on cognitive function in MCI to inform interventions.
The study was registered in the Clinical Trials Registry of India (CTRI/2023/06/054277) on 21/06/2023 ( http://ctri.nic.in/ ).
与年龄相关的中枢听觉处理障碍（CAPD）与老年人的认知衰退有关，可能比轻度认知障碍（MCI）早数年出现。虽然研究表明所有听觉处理领域都会受到影响，但目前尚不清楚哪个领域与MCI中的认知功能最显著相关，因此有必要对这些关系进行进一步研究。本研究调查了患有MCI的老年人的听觉处理缺陷及其与认知表现的关系。
该研究招募了70名年龄在60至72岁之间的参与者，根据蒙特利尔认知评估得分分为两组：MCI组（n = 35）和健康对照组（n = 35）。进行了全面的中枢听觉处理和认知评估。
MCI组在所有听觉处理和认知领域均表现出显著缺陷。在双耳分听测试中增强的右耳优势可能是由于胼胝体萎缩影响了左耳处理。MCI中的不同因素结构表明，他们在处理复杂听觉任务时更多地依赖注意力资源。时间处理测试在识别MCI方面显示出高敏感性，具有很强的AUC和R²值，突出了它们的临床相关性。
时间处理缺陷可作为老年人认知衰退的早期筛查工具。鉴于该人群中年龄相关性听力损失（ARHL）的患病率，针对患有ARHL和MCI的个体进行更大规模的研究至关重要。研究还应检查定制的听觉训练对MCI认知功能的影响，以为干预措施提供依据。
该研究于2023年6月21日在印度临床试验注册中心（CTRI/2023/06/054277）注册（http://ctri.nic.in/）。
