Introdução: O zumbido pode estar, em muitos casos, relacionado a alguma causa coclear, agindo como o início de processos dentro do sistema nervoso, resultando na sua percepção. Estudos recentes apontam que alterações cocleares podem prejudicar o mecanismo de compressão coclear, o que, por sua vez, pode comprometer a habilidade de resolução temporal envolvida no processamento auditivo. Quando a função coclear está preservada, o desempenho nas tarefas de processamento auditivo será mais eficiente. Para avaliar o grau do comprometimento coclear, informações sobre o limiar de emissões otoacústicas e o efeito de compressão coclear, ambos estimados pelas curvas de crescimento de emissões otoacústicas, aliados às medidas dos limiares auditivos para altas freqüências entre 9 e 20 kHz, contribuem na avaliação da função coclear em indivíduos que apresentem limiares auditivos dentro da normalidade na audiometria convencional. O estudo desta condição periférica e a sua influência sobre a habilidade auditiva de resolução temporal podem contribuir para a compreensão da percepção auditiva em indivíduos com zumbido e audição normal. Objetivo: verificar as medidas das Emissões otoacústicas por produto de distorção (EOAPD), dos limiares auditivos para altas freqüências (acima de 8 kHz), e a habilidade auditiva de resolução temporal, avaliada por meio do teste GIN (Gaps-in-noise), em adultos que apresentam limiares auditivos dentro da normalidade, com e sem queixa de zumbido. Método: Participaram do estudo um total de 48 adultos, com limiares auditivos entre 0,25 e 8 kHz dentro da normalidade, compondo 2 grupos: Grupo Controle formado por 28 sujeitos (55 orelhas), sem queixa de zumbido, com idades entre 22 e 40 anos (média 28,8), sendo 10 homens e 18 mulheres; e o Grupo Pesquisa formado por 20 indivíduos (40 orelhas) que apresentavam queixa de zumbido, com idades entre 21 e 56 anos (média 33,8 anos), sendo 3 homens e 17 mulheres. Os sujeitos foram submetidos a: audiometria tonal nas freqüências de 8 a 20 kHz; medidas de EOAPD com obtenção do DP-grama e da curva de crescimento; Teste GIN. Resultados: Para as curvas de crescimento das EOAPD, houve diferença significante entre os grupos, sendo que o grupo com zumbido apresentou limiares mais elevados em 2002 Hz. As medidas do DP-grama apresentaram amplitude de respostas menores para o grupo de indivíduos com zumbido em relação ao grupo Controle, sendo que esta diferença foi significante em 6006 Hz. Os limiares tonais para freqüências entre 9 kHz e 20 kHz foram significativamente mais elevados para os indivíduos com zumbido. Os resultados do teste GIN mostraram menor porcentagem de acertos e limiares de identificação do intervalo de silêncio mais longos para os indivíduos com zumbido em relação ao grupo Controle. Conclusão: Os indivíduos com zumbido, mesmo apresentando limiares auditivos dentro da normalidade, apresentaram alterações nas EOAPD e na audiometria em freqüências acima de 8 kHz, sugerindo alteração coclear. O teste GIN identificou dificuldade na habilidade auditiva de resolução temporal nos indivíduos com zumbido. / Introduction: In many cases tinnitus may be related to some cochlear cause, acting as the beginning of processes within the nervous system which will result in its perception. Recent studies point out that cochlear alterations may damage the cochlear compression mechanism, which may hinder the temporal processing skill that is involved in the auditory processing. When the cochlear function is preserved, the performance in auditory processing tasks is more efficient. Information on otoacoustic emissions threshold and on cochlear compression effect, both estimated by the DP-growth of otoacoustic emissions, associated to extended high-frequency hearing thresholds, contribute for the assessment of the cochlear function in individuals with normal hearing thresholds in the conventional audiometry. The investigation of this peripheral condition and its influence upon the auditory skill of temporal resolution may contribute for the understanding of hearing perception in individuals with tinnitus and with normal hearing. Aim: to investigate measures of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), extended high-frequency hearing thresholds, and the temporal resolution using the GIN (Gaps-in-noise) test in adults with normal hearing thresholds with and without tinnitus complaint. Method: 48 adults with normal hearing thresholds at frequencies from 0,25 to 8 kHz took part in this study, divided into two groups: Control Group composed by 28 subjects (55 ears) without tinnitus complaint, ranging in age from 22 to 40 years (mean age= 28,8), 10 men and 18 women; and Study Group composed by 20 individuals (40 ears) with tinnitus complaint, ranging in age from 21 to 56 years (mean age = 33,8), 3 men and 17 women. Subjects underwent extended high-frequency audiometry; DPOAE evaluation obtaining the DP-gram and the DP-growth; and the GIN test. Results: There was a statistical significant difference between the groups for the DP-growth, the tinnitus group presented higher thresholds at 2002 Hz. DP-gram measures presented lower amplitude responses in the tinnitus group when compared to the Control group; this difference was statistically significant at 6006 Hz. Hearing thresholds for frequencies between 9 kHz and 20 kHz were statistically higher in individuals with tinnitus. Results of the GIN test showed lower percentage of correct responses and longer time interval for identification of gaps in noise for individuals with tinnitus than for individuals from the Control group. Conclusion: Individuals with tinnitus, even presenting normal hearing thresholds, present altered DPOAE and extended high-frequency audiometry suggesting cochlear impairment. The GIN test identified difficulty in the auditory skill of temporal resolution in individuals with tinnitus.

While recorded speech audiometry materials have been developed in Spanish for adults, currently there are no speech audiometry materials available in Spanish that are suitable for a pediatric population. Thus, the purposes of this study were (a) to analyze Spanish bisyllabic words previously developed for adults to determine the words' appropriateness when testing word recognition scores in native Spanish-speaking children and (b) to compare the logistic regressions results from the Spanish adult data obtained in a previous study with the logistic regressions from Spanish pediatric data obtained in the present study. Using common-use children's dictionaries in the Spanish language, a subset of child-appropriate words was adapted from a set of materials developed for Spanish adults. A total of 129 frequently used bisyllabic words were chosen; the words were split into five lists; four lists contained 26 words and one list contained 25 words; each was digitally recorded by both male and female Spanish talkers. Twenty native Spanish-speaking children with normal hearing between the ages of four and eight years were selected to listen to words to obtain psychometric functions. Each word was presented to the listener at 5 levels of intensity from -5 to 35 dB HL in increments of 10 dB. Custom software was used to control randomization, timing, and presentation of the words. The participants were not familiarized with the words prior to testing. The words received a ranked order based on performance to create lists and half-lists that were equivalent. Logistic regression was used to calculate psychometric functions for the lists and half-lists. Subsequently, a chi-square analysis was completed. The analysis revealed no statistical differences among the lists and half-lists for either male or female talkers. The mean bisyllabic psychometric function slopes for lists and half-lists were 5.0%/dB for the male-talker words and 5.2%/dB for the female-talker words. The 50% threshold for male and female were 16.2 dB HL and 15.5 dB HL, respectively.

Speech audiometry is the aspect of audiology that provides critical information on how individuals hear one of the most important sounds of daily life: speech. The speech recognition threshold (SRT) is a measure of speech audiometry that is widely used to provide information on an individual's capacity to hear speech. Over time, researchers and clinicians have worked to improve the SRT by developing and modifying a variety of word lists to be used during testing. Eventually, spondaic words were selected as the best stimuli for the SRT. The spondaic words had to meet four criteria: familiarity, phonetic dissimilarity, normal sampling of English sounds, and homogeneity with respect to audibility. This study examined the aspect of homogeneity with regard to slope of the psychometric function. Specifically, whether slope of the psychometric function had an effect on the number of words used to obtain the SRT, and thus reduce test time, as well as whether slope had an effect on the relationship between the SRT and the pure-tone average (PTA). It was hypothesized that words with a steep slope would significantly reduce test time and yield a close SRT-PTA agreement. Three word lists (steep, medium, and shallow sloping words), all recorded by a male talker, were used to obtain the SRT on 40 participants (ages 18-30 years). Statistical analysis showed significant differences in the number of words to obtain the SRT and the SRT-PTA agreement. However, when the differences were examined from a clinical perspective, the results were negligible. When compared with words with medium and steep slopes, words with shallow slope required an average of four extra words to obtain the SRT, which does not result in a meaningful reduction in test time. For clinical purposes, it appears that the slope of the psychometric function does not need to be taken into consideration for the SRT. Clinicians may use a variety of words as long as they meet the original four criteria for selection of spondees.

Speech audiometry has long been a component of a thorough audiological examination. The speech recognition threshold (SRT) measurement is perhaps the most widely used measurement in speech audiometry. For decades, researchers and clinicians have worked to create and fine-tune word lists that for use in SRT testing; their aim being to improve the accuracy for classifying a client's ability to hear and comprehend speech. Experts in the field have agreed to follow four tenets of speech audiometry when selecting word sets. This study examined whether improvement to stimulus lists for SRT measurement could be made in regards to the tenet of homogeneity with respect to audibility if the slope of the psychometric function were a selection consideration. The study was performed with the hypothesis that steeply sloping words would significantly reduce the number of words needed to obtain the SRT. Three word lists, all recorded by a female talker, comprising of steeply sloping words, medium sloping words, and shallow sloping words, were used in the study. Participants with normal hearing between the ages of 18 and 30 years provided data that was used to calculate SRT measurements for all three lists from each ear. The results showed a significant difference in the number of words needed to obtain the SRT when comparing the steep and shallow word sets and the shallow and medium word sets. Steeply sloping words required fewer words to obtain the SRT, M = 17.02. Shallow sloping words required the most words, M = 18.88, amounting to a difference of 1.86 words. While statistically different, a reduction by fewer than 2 words during the course of SRT testing will not equate to a substantial saving of time for the clinician. For clinical application, the slope of the psychometric function of the words used in SRT measurement need not be a primary consideration when developing stimulus lists.

No description available.

No description available.

While there is a clear and immediate need for reliable speech audiometry materials to evaluate the speech recognition threshold (SRT), these recorded materials are not available in Cebuano, a language of the Philippines with 15.8 million speakers. The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and psychometrically equate a set of Cebuano trisyllabic words for use in measuring the SRT. To create the SRT materials, common Cebuano trisyllabic words were digitally recorded by a male talker of Cebuano and presented for evaluation to 20 native speakers of Cebuano with normal hearing. Based on psychometric performance, a set of 21 trisyllabic words with a psychometric function slope >7%/dB that allowed threshold adjustments to the pure tone average were selected and digitally adjusted. The resulting mean psychometric function slopes at 50% for the 21 SRT trisyllabic materials was 10.2%/dB. The results of the current study are comparable to those found in other languages. Digital recordings of the trisyllabic words are available on compact disc.

The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and psychometrically equate a set of Arabic monosyllabic word lists to use in the measurement of the word recognition score. Familiar Arabic monosyllabic words were digitally recorded by a native male talker from Jordan who was judged to have a standard Arabic dialect. Twenty native Arabic participants with normal hearing were used as subjects to determine the percentage of correct word recognition for each word at 10 intensity levels ranging from -5 to 40 dB HL in 5 dB increments. The monosyllabic word data were analyzed using logistic regression. The words producing the steepest psychometric function were included in the final word lists. Four lists of 50 words each were created and eight half-lists (25 words each) were created from the four lists. A Chi-square analysis was performed, revealing no statistical differences among the lists and half-lists. The mean monosyllabic psychometric function slopes at 50% for lists and half-lists were 4.8%/dB.

Within recent decades speech audiometry materials have been developed in various languages in order to more accurately identify and evaluate hearing impairment in native speakers. This advantage, however, is not available to native Cebuano speakers. The purpose of this study was to develop, digitally record, evaluate, and psychometrically equate a set of Cebuano bisyllabic word lists for use in measuring word recognition ability. This process began with recording 260 commonly used bisyllabic Cebuano words by a native speaker noted for his quality and pleasantness of speech in his native tongue. These recordings were then evaluated by 20 normally hearing native Cebuano listeners (21 to 63 years old). Of these words, 200 were selected and then divided into 4 lists of 50 bisyllabic words and 8 half-lists of 25 bisyllabic words. Statistical analysis of the word recognition materials found no significant difference among the lists or half-lists. The mean psychometric function slope at 50% for the bisyllabic word lists and half-lists is 7.3%/dB. The mean 50% threshold for the lists was 19.7 dB HL (SD = 0.1dB). Adjustments were not necessary. The results of the current study are comparable to those found in other languages. Digital recordings of the bisyllabic word lists are available on compact disc.

The purpose of this study was to use previously recorded Spanish trisyllabic words tested on adults in the measurement of the speech recognition threshold of Spanish-speaking children in order to (a) determine the words' appropriateness when testing children and (b) compare psychometric functions between adults and children. A selection of 28 frequently used trisyllabic words was chosen from previously recorded samples of male and female adult native speakers of Spanish. These words were then presented to 20 native Spanish-speaking children with normal hearing between the ages of 4 and 8 years. The words were presented starting at -5 dB HL and ascended in 5 dB increments until the presentation level reached 15 dB HL. Using logistic regression, psychometric functions were calculated for each word. Resulting pediatric thresholds were found to be 8.7 dB higher for male talkers and 11.0 dB higher for female talkers than previously reported adult thresholds. These results indicate a clinically significant threshold difference between pediatric and adult populations. Future research should be conducted to measure the speech recognition threshold (SRT) in children of varying ages to determine the age at which the SRT approximates with adult performance.