Background and Aim: This study investigated whether objective temporal processing paradigms including voice-onset-time, speechin- noise, and amplitude modulated-broad-band noise (AM-BBN) are sensitive to disrupted temporal processing in elderly listeners with normal hearing (age-related-temporal processing deficit).Methods: We evaluated 15 adults aged 64–80 years using behavioural measures of temporal processing temporal modulation transfer function (TMTF) and speech perception. Cortical Auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) were elicited by three temporal paradigms presented in the sound field at 65 dBSPL: (1) naturally produced stop consonant-vowel (CV) syllables /da/-/ta/ and /ba/-/pa/; (2) speech-innoise stimuli using the speech sound /da/with varying signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs); and (3) 16 Hz amplitude-modulated (AM) BBN presented in two conditions: (i) alone (representing a temporally modulated stimulus) and (ii) following an unmodulated BBN (representing a temporal change in the stimulus) using four modulation depths.Results: Findings demonstrated a statistically significant mean difference in n1 latency (p<0.05) between normally hearing elderly and young adult listeners in all paradigms. Compared with young adult participants, n1 latency of the CAEP was always prolonged for elderly participants.Conclusions: The three developed temporal processing paradigms are sensitive to disrupted temporal processing in elderly participants, and n1 latency may serve as a reliable objective measure of the efficiency of Auditory temporal processing. The aging process affects temporal representations of the acoustic stimulus and reduces the ability to detect temporal cues, evidenced by abnormal n1 latency.

Background and Aim: Cognitive and Auditory processing deficits are seen in older individuals with normal hearing sensitivity. Studies on older individuals with hearing impairment have assessed the cognitive function and correlated with hearing devices benefit. Since Auditory processing can also affect speech perception abilities, and there is a possible relationship between cognition and some of the Auditory processing abilities, it is essential to assess the relationship between Auditory processing abilities and hearing aid benefit in naï, ve and experienced hearing aid users in older adults. Methods: Fifty individuals in the age range of 51 to 70 years with mild to moderate hearing loss participated in the study. There were 30 participants without any hearing aid experience and 20 participants with hearing aid experience for at least six weeks. Their Auditory processing abilities were tested using gap detection test, duration pattern test, speech perception in noise, dichotic consonant-vowel test, masking level difference, forward and backward span tests. The hearing aid benefit was assessed using aided speech perception in noise measures and International Outcome Inventory-Hearing Aids questionnaire in Kannada. Results: Spearman’, s correlation showed only correlation between Auditory closure ability and binaural integration abilities with hearing aid benefit in experienced users. There was no correlation between any other Auditory processing abilities and hearing aid benefit. Conclusion: There is a correlation between a few Auditory processes and hearing aid use in elderly individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Background & aim: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social communication and repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. The ability to communicate verbally is considered a positive prognostic indicator of outcomes for children with ASDs. One of the major problems in autism is the sensory processing deficit, and in particular the abnormalities of Auditory processing. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine and investigate the correlation between Auditory processing ability and verbal output of children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: The present analytical descriptive correlation study was conducted in 2018. The statistical population of the research was children with autism aged 4 to 7 years from speech therapy centers in Tehran, and 40 qualified volunteers were included in the study. To collect related data, the following standard tests were used: the childhood autism rating scale for screening and diagnosing children with autism from the age group of two years and older which had 15 items, and Fisher's Auditory problems checklist with 25 items. The collected data were analyzed using the Poisson regression test. Results: The results of the present study indicated that there was a correlation between Auditory processing ability and verbal output of children with autism spectrum disorder who participated in this study (p=0. 46). Moreover, considering different levels of Auditory processing, between Auditory processing ability and output Verbal correlation was observed only at the level of high Auditory processing ability (p=0. 43). [ Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the ability of Auditory processing was an important factor for development of verbal output in children with ASD. Early screening and intervention of Auditory processing impairments in these children can facilitate the rehabilitation programs.

Background and Aim: Spatial hearing is one of the most important functions of binaural hearing processing that is based on detection of fine interaural time and interaural intensity difference. Spatial hearing is beyond Auditory localization and lateralization. It helps Auditory scene analysis and target stream segregation from other simultaneous sound sources. This function is important in speech perception in presence of competing messages. The aim of the present paper was reviewing spatial hearing, plasticity of binaural hearing in Auditory system and spatial hearing disorder in children with central Auditory processing disorder ((C) APD).Recent Findings: Recent studies show that spatial hearing disorder is one of the important problems in relatively high proportion of children with (C) APD. It is proposed that spatial processing disorder can cause speech perception difficulty in noise which is the main complaint of children with (C) APD. Spatial hearing rehabilitation through sound localization and lateralization training can be effective in improvement of speech perception in noise.Conclusion: In children suspected to (C) APD, spatial hearing evaluation is vital. Spatial hearing can be evaluated by using sound localization and lateralization tests. If spatial hearing disorder is detected, special rehabilitation is necessary to address this central processing problem. This rehabilitation has a potential to improve speech perception in noise.

Background and Aim: The majority of the world’ s population is bilingual. Bilingualism is a form of sensory enrichment that translates to gains in cognitive abilities; these cognitive gains in attention and memory are known to modulate subcortical processing of Auditory stimuli. Second language acquisition has a broad impact on various psychological, cognitive, memory, and linguistic processes. Central Auditory processing (CAP) is the perceptual processing of Auditory information. Due to its importance in bilingualism, this study aimed to review the CAP of bilinguals. Recent Findings: The CAP was studied in three areas: dichotic listening, temporal processing, and speech in noise perception. Regarding dichotic listening, studies have shown that bilinguals have better performance in staggered spondaic word (SSW) test, consonant-vowel dichotic test, dichotic digits test (DDT), and disyllable dichotic test than monolinguals, although similar results have also been reported in SSW and DDT. Regarding temporal processing, the results of bilinguals do not differ from those of monolinguals, although in some cases, it is better in bilinguals. Regarding speech in noise perception, the results between bilinguals and monolinguals are varied depending on the amount of linguistic information available in the stimuli. Conclusion: Bilingualism has a positive effect on dichotic processing, no effect on temporal processing, and varied effect on speech in noise perception. Bilinguals have poor performance using meaningful speech and better performance using meaningless speech.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the Auditory lateralization ability in children with (central) Auditory processing disorder.Methods: Participants were divided in two groups: 15 children with Central Auditory processing Disorder (8-10 years) and 80 normal children (8-11 years) from both genders with pure-tone air-conduction thresholds better than 20 dB HL bilaterally and interaural pure tone threshold difference better than 5 dB.All subjects had normal IQ and normal otoscopy: In the present study 9 imaginary positions were simulated in horizontal plane by Interaural Time Difference (ITD) and Interaural Intensity Difference (IID) to evaluate the Auditory lateralization performance in normal and children with (central) Auditory processing Disorder (C) APD. Lateralization performance were determined by ITD ranging from -880 to+880 microsecond and IID ranging from -10 to+10 dB for high pass and low pass noise (2 kHz cut off point). Boltzmann function was used to describe the Auditory lateralization performance and Independent Samples T-test was used to compare the two groups.Results: according to Boltzmann function two major types of abnormalities were revealed in the lateralization performances: 1- completely disoriented, 2- side-oriented.86.6% of (C) APD children showed significant increase in mean of test errors compared with normal ones (p<0.001).Discussion: The study supports the hypothesis that most children with (C) APD have poor Auditory lateralization and abnormal processing of binaural cues.

Purpose: Language acquisition is one of the most common important learning in child‘s life. Many children do little effort to learn language. However, some of them encounter difficulties in language acquisition, without any impairment in neurological, cognitive, sense, emotional and enviremental aspects. These children are called as having specific language impairment (SLI). Many Researches have been performed in this field to investigate the problem in language learning in these children. In this study, investigations focusingd on Auditory processing in specific language impairment have been reviewed.Methods: A review of the latest literature on the subject of Auditory processing in specific language impairment was performed using Science Direct and Google Scholar, data bases, between 1960-2013.Conclusion: In SLI children we see Auditory processing disorder has been observed in SLI children accompanying with functional and anatomical differences in some parts of central Auditory nervous system.

Background and Aim: Aging is one of the most essential priorities of health system in all countries. With respect to increased life expectancy in recent years, we must serve special focus on their needs. Aging has apparent functional effects on speech and hearing processing and the most robust of them is decreased speech discrimination ability, especially at diffuse fields. This study was aimed at introducing different kinds of Auditory processing disorders according to recent clinical researches.Material & Methods: We have searched google scholar, proquest, pubmed, sciencedirect from 2000 till now.42 papers were found and 11 of them, including 9 experimental and 2 review articles were selected. The Auditory processing deficits at elderly were reviewed based on these articles and 3 related text books.Conclusion: Auditory processing deficit at elderly is represented as speech discrimination problem especially at noisy environments.3 related factors are peripheral hearing loss, cognitive declines and pure Auditory processing disorders. Although these factors are intertwined, it is possible to study pure Auditory processing deficits at elderly. Time processing and spatial processing deficits are two main causes.