Clinical feasibility of auditory processing tests in Japanese older adults: a pilot study.

Difficulty in listening comprehension is a major audiological complaint of older adults. Behavioural auditory processing tests (APTs) may evaluate it. The aim was to assess the feasibility of administering Japanese APTs to older adults at otolaryngology clinics. Using computer programs interfaced with an audiometer, APTs (dichotic listening test; fast speech test, FST; gap detection test, GDT; speech in noise test; rapidly alternating speech perception test) were administered to 20 older adults (65-84 years old; mean 75.3 years) and 20 young adults at the 40 dB sensation level. Monosyllable speech perception (MSP) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were evaluated. APT results except for GDT were significantly correlated with MSP. The performance on each APT was worse in older adults than in young adults ( < .01). The older adults with good MSP ≥ 80% ( = 13) or excellent cognitive function (MMSE ≥ 28;  = 11) also did worse on APTs ( < .05). A ceiling effect was noted in the APT data, with FST showing a minimum ceiling effect and reflecting interindividual variations of data. It is feasible to administer APTs to older adults who visit otolaryngology clinics. Among our Japanese APTs, FST may be suitable for further large-scale clinical studies.