title: Auditory memory function in expert chess players.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chess is a game that involves many aspects of high level cognition such as memory, attention, focus and problem solving. Long term practice of chess can improve cognition performances and behavioral skills. Auditory memory, as a kind of memory, can be influenced by strengthening processes following long term chess playing like other behavioral skills because of common processing pathways in the brain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the auditory memory function of expert chess players using the Persian version of dichotic auditory-verbal memory test.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Persian version of dichotic auditory-verbal memory test was performed for 30 expert chess players aged 20-35 years and 30 non chess players who were matched by different conditions; the participants in both groups were randomly selected. The performance of the two groups was compared by independent samples t-test using SPSS version 21.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean score of dichotic auditory-verbal memory test between the two groups, expert chess players and non-chess players, revealed a significant difference (p≤ 0.001). The difference between the ears scores for expert chess players (p= 0.023) and non-chess players (p= 0.013) was significant. Gender had no effect on the test results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Auditory memory function in expert chess players was significantly better compared to non-chess players. It seems that increased auditory memory function is related to strengthening cognitive performances due to playing chess for a long time.
authors.affiliation: Master Student of Audiology, Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. fattahi_fariba@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fattahi
authors.affiliation: Instructor, Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ageshani@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geshani
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Basic Sciences in Rehabilitation, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Rehabilitation Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. jafari.z@iums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Statistic, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. jalaeish@sina.tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Shohreh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jalaie
authors.affiliation: MSc in Sport Physiology, Iran Chess Federation Member, Center of Applied Sciences of Chess Federation, Tehran, Iran. mahini_m@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salman Mahini
keywords: Auditory Memory; Chess Players; Dichotic