title: Central auditory processing in elderly with mild cognitive impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to assess if central auditory processing affected patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or not and to assess sensitivity and specificity of central auditory processing tests in detection of MCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a case-control study conducted at the Geriatrics Department and Audiology Unit, Ain Shams University Hospital. Participants were 150 elderly diagnosed as MCI compared with 150 normal subjects, based on a neuropsychological diagnostic test battery, the Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG), and who were matched for age, sex and average threshold of hearing. Both cases and control groups were subjected to otological examination, immittancemetry, pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry and central auditory processing assessment by the use of a selective auditory attention test, dichotic digits test, auditory fusion test, pitch pattern sequences test and auditory memory battery of Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MCI group scored significantly lower than the control group in central auditory processing tests (P < 0.05). Sensitivity of dichotic digit test, pitch pattern sequence test and recognition memory test were 76.6%, 71.7% and 70.4%, respectively, while specificity were 56.2%, 81.2% and 92.2%, respectively. When the previous three tests were used together the sensitivity and specificity were 82.8% and 93.2%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Central auditory processing was affected in MCI patients. The dichotic digit test, pitch pattern sequence test and recognition memory test can be used in detection of MCI with high sensitivity and specificity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. tomelhagyn@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tomader Taha Abdel
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Somaia Tawfeek
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Mohamed Hasan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Albanouby
authors.forename: Hanaa Farag
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Bekhet
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D004007:Dichotic Listening Tests; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male