Comparison of hearing function in elderly with hearing loss with and without mild cognitive impairment

Abstract

Aging is a natural phenomenon to living beings, related to time and marked by biopsychosocial changes, such as hearing loss and dementia processes that generate complications in communication and understanding of auditory information. The cortical auditory evoked potential is a biotechnological diagnostic instrument used to assess the cognitive processes of hearing, providing information about the integrity of the central auditory nerve pathways. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment test, an instrument used in the assessment of cognitive functions, contributes to the diagnosis of mental disorders. Objective: to evaluate and compare the hearing function of elderly presbycusis patients with and without mild cognitive impairment. Method: this is an analytical and cross-sectional study. Thirty individuals with hearing loss due to aging, aged 60 or over, will participate in the study, divided into two groups: Group mild cognitive impairment: composed of 15 individuals, of both sexes, who have cognitive impairment; Control Group: composed of 15 individuals, of both sexes, without cognitive impairment. The data collection procedure that will compose the auditory function test battery will be the Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential. For the research of potentials, the stimuli will be presented in an intensity that guarantees at least 30dBNS, in acoustic speech stimulus/ba/(frequent), /da/ (infrequent) and analyzed through the Smart Tools EP application. The Montreal-Basic Cognitive Assessment test will be applied individually to each patient with a maximum time of 10 minutes.