Speech Discrimination in Presbycusis
1969 Volume 12 Issue 2 Pages 135-139
Details
1969 Volume 12 Issue 2 Pages 135-139
The purpose of this study was to explore the effects upon auditory sensitivity and discrimination, and to investigate the relationship between the several tests used in the evaluation at advanced ages.
The speech reception threshold and the speech discrimination were tested with the Japanese test material List 57 AB. A comparative analysis of the articulation scores of the voiced and voiceless consonants revealed some interesting differences in the discrimination function.
The results obtained were as follows:
1. Auditory discrimination was generally poor when compared with pure tone hearing in presbycusis, but several cases showed better response for speech. Consequently, we considered the possibility of the auditory compensation in the brain for the speech hearing impairment.
2. In presbycusis the threshold for the voiced consonants was many times somewhat better than that for the voiceless consonants, although the maximum discrimination score was better for the voiceless consona nts.
3. The average articulation curve in presbycusis showed less steep than normal slope. It was significantly less steep in the severe cases.
4. In environments of noise, loss of hearing due to presbycusis resulted in severe loss of discrimination of speech, particularly of voiceless consonants.
