A Longitudinal Study of Peripheral and Central Auditory Function in Alzheimer's Disease and in Mild Cognitive Impairment

• <b><i>Background/Aim:</i></b> Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) might precede the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A method of evaluating CAPD is the dichotic digits test (DDT). The aim was to address this in a longitudinal setting. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 136 individuals were assessed with peripheral and central hearing tests at baseline and at 5-year follow-up. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Subjects with AD showed a significant decline in DDT scores of the right ear from baseline to follow-up. The other groups retained high DDT scores. Peripheral auditory function declined as expected according to age. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Our study indicates that DDT performance reflects an ongoing process resulting in dementia.

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