title: Acoustic stimulation effect on temporal processing skills in elderly subjects before and after hearing aid fitting.
abstract: Aging can alter temporal processing and affect speech perception.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare temporal processing auditory processing in elderly subject to and new hearing aid users.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 60 elderly patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The procedures selected were the Duration Pattern Tests (DPT) and gaps in noise (GIN) test were used to analyze the responses of correct identification, and the temporal acuity threshold before and after the fitting of hearing aids.
  
  
  METHODS
  clinical and experimental research with non-probability sample of convenience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference between the responses from GI and GII individuals. The elderly users of hearing aids had a lower gap detection threshold, greater recognition of gaps and of discrimination of the duration pattern in relation to when they were only potential users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a deterioration in temporal processing skills, regardless of hearing loss degrees. Thus, the effect of acoustic stimulation by the use of a hearing aid improved resolution and temporal ordering.
authors.affiliation: Curso de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina.
authors.forename: Maria Madalena Canina
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: Karin Ziliotto
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Liliane Desgualdo
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013017:Sound Localization; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test