The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function

Leire Lodeiro-Fernández, Laura Lorenzo-López, Ana Maseda, Laura Núñez-Naveira, José Luis Rodríguez-Villamil, José Carlos Millán-Calenti Gerontology Research Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Scien...

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Main Authors: Lodeiro-Fernández L, Lorenzo-López L, Maseda A, Núñez-Naveira L, Rodríguez-Villamil JL, Millán-Calenti JC
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2015-04-01
Series:Clinical Interventions in Aging
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/the-impact-of-hearing-loss-on-language-performance-in-older-adults-wit-peer-reviewed-article-CIA
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author Lodeiro-Fernández L
Lorenzo-López L
Maseda A
Núñez-Naveira L
Rodríguez-Villamil JL
Millán-Calenti JC
author_facet Lodeiro-Fernández L
Lorenzo-López L
Maseda A
Núñez-Naveira L
Rodríguez-Villamil JL
Millán-Calenti JC
author_sort Lodeiro-Fernández L
collection DOAJ
description Leire Lodeiro-Fernández, Laura Lorenzo-López, Ana Maseda, Laura Núñez-Naveira, José Luis Rodríguez-Villamil, José Carlos Millán-Calenti Gerontology Research Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of A Coruña, Campus of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain Purpose: The possible relationship between audiometric hearing thresholds and cognitive performance on language tests was analyzed in a cross-sectional cohort of older adults aged ≥65 years (N=98) with different degrees of cognitive impairment.Materials and methods: Participants were distributed into two groups according to Reisberg’s Global Deterioration Scale (GDS): a normal/predementia group (GDS scores 1–3) and a moderate/moderately severe dementia group (GDS scores 4 and 5). Hearing loss (pure-tone audiometry) and receptive and production-based language function (Verbal Fluency Test, Boston Naming Test, and Token Test) were assessed.Results: Results showed that the dementia group achieved significantly lower scores than the predementia group in all language tests. A moderate negative correlation between hearing loss and verbal comprehension (r=-0.298; P<0.003) was observed in the predementia group (r=-0.363; P<0.007). However, no significant relationship between hearing loss and verbal fluency and naming scores was observed, regardless of cognitive impairment.Conclusion: In the predementia group, reduced hearing level partially explains comprehension performance but not language production. In the dementia group, hearing loss cannot be considered as an explanatory factor of poor receptive and production-based language performance. These results are suggestive of cognitive rather than simply auditory problems to explain the language impairment in the elderly. Keywords: auditory impairment, verbal function, aging, cognition
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spelling doaj.art-740ef217894345f7a2fb5567e919b30c2022-12-21T22:54:55ZengDove Medical PressClinical Interventions in Aging1178-19982015-04-01Volume 1069570221238The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive functionLodeiro-Fernández LLorenzo-López LMaseda ANúñez-Naveira LRodríguez-Villamil JLMillán-Calenti JCLeire Lodeiro-Fernández, Laura Lorenzo-López, Ana Maseda, Laura Núñez-Naveira, José Luis Rodríguez-Villamil, José Carlos Millán-Calenti Gerontology Research Group, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of A Coruña, Campus of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain Purpose: The possible relationship between audiometric hearing thresholds and cognitive performance on language tests was analyzed in a cross-sectional cohort of older adults aged ≥65 years (N=98) with different degrees of cognitive impairment.Materials and methods: Participants were distributed into two groups according to Reisberg’s Global Deterioration Scale (GDS): a normal/predementia group (GDS scores 1–3) and a moderate/moderately severe dementia group (GDS scores 4 and 5). Hearing loss (pure-tone audiometry) and receptive and production-based language function (Verbal Fluency Test, Boston Naming Test, and Token Test) were assessed.Results: Results showed that the dementia group achieved significantly lower scores than the predementia group in all language tests. A moderate negative correlation between hearing loss and verbal comprehension (r=-0.298; P<0.003) was observed in the predementia group (r=-0.363; P<0.007). However, no significant relationship between hearing loss and verbal fluency and naming scores was observed, regardless of cognitive impairment.Conclusion: In the predementia group, reduced hearing level partially explains comprehension performance but not language production. In the dementia group, hearing loss cannot be considered as an explanatory factor of poor receptive and production-based language performance. These results are suggestive of cognitive rather than simply auditory problems to explain the language impairment in the elderly. Keywords: auditory impairment, verbal function, aging, cognitionhttps://www.dovepress.com/the-impact-of-hearing-loss-on-language-performance-in-older-adults-wit-peer-reviewed-article-CIAHearing losslanguageagingcognitive decline
spellingShingle Lodeiro-Fernández L
Lorenzo-López L
Maseda A
Núñez-Naveira L
Rodríguez-Villamil JL
Millán-Calenti JC
The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function
Clinical Interventions in Aging
Hearing loss
language
aging
cognitive decline
title The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function
title_full The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function
title_fullStr The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function
title_full_unstemmed The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function
title_short The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function
title_sort impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages nbsp of cognitive function
topic Hearing loss
language
aging
cognitive decline
url https://www.dovepress.com/the-impact-of-hearing-loss-on-language-performance-in-older-adults-wit-peer-reviewed-article-CIA
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