Acoustic stimulation effect on temporal processing skills in elderly subjects before and after hearing aid fitting

Aging can alter temporal processing and affect speech perception. Aim: To compare temporal processing auditory processing in elderly subject to and new hearing aid users. Materials and 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. Study design: 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. Conclusion: 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.