Background: Aging has a significant effect on central auditory processing and cognitive abilities and this is associated with many difficulties in communication. Several tests can detect the effect of aging on central auditory processing abilities and on cognitive abilities.
Objective: To assess the effect of age on central auditory processing and cognitive abilities and to compare central auditory abilities between elderly & adults.
Methodology: A hospital based cross-sectional comparative study conducted on subjects attending at the hearing and speech institute clinics. The study consisted of 60 participants divided into 3 groups: Group (1): 20 participants ages ranged from 20-39 years old. Group (2): 20 participants ages ranged from 40-59 years old. Group (3) elderly group: 20 participants ages above 65 years old. The three groups underwent otological examinations, pure tone audiometry, acoustic impedance, speech in noise test (SPIN), synthetic sentences identification with ipsilateral competing message (SSI-ICM), duration pattern test (DPT), dichotic digits test (DDT), auditory memory tests and auditory continuous performance test (ACPT).
Results: There was statistically significant difference between the three groups in pure tone thresholds especially in high frequencies, SPIN, SSI-ICM, DPT, DDT, auditory memory tests and on ACPT.
Conclusion: There is marked decline in central auditory processing abilities and cognitive abilities with increased age.