Role of Auditory Working Memory in Prescribing Hearing Aid Gain and Type of Compression in Geriatrics

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the role of auditory working memory on the amount of gain required for obtaining best speech identification and its effect on the performance with dual and syllabic compression in elderly individuals in noise. Twenty two individuals with mild to moderate sensori-neural hearing loss were evaluated with a digit span test and were divided into two groups based on the scores; good working memory group and poor working memory group. These individuals were then fitted with a digital hearing aid in which the gain was increased until the individuals obtained best speech identification. Following this, the individuals were tested in two aided conditions for speech perception in noise; dual compression mode and syllabic compression mode; by obtaining SNR-50. Results indicated that the individuals with good working memory required lesser increase in gain to obtain best speech identification when compared to those with poor working memory (not statistically significant). Further, individuals with good working memory performed better with the syllabic compression in noise and individuals with poor working memory performed better in the dual compression mode.