Understanding and improving central nervous system (CNS) auditory functions are critical in addressing various auditory processing disorders. The research paper "Three Tests of CNS Auditory Function" by Robert G. Ivey and Jack A. Willeford offers valuable insights into the assessment of central auditory functions through a battery of speech tests. This blog aims to help practitioners enhance their skills by implementing the outcomes of this research or encouraging further investigation into auditory processing disorders.
The study introduces a battery of three speech tests: competing message (CM), filtered speech (FS), and binaural fusion (BF), designed to assess different levels of the central auditory system. These tests were standardized on a group of normal young adult subjects, providing a basis for identifying lesions at various levels of the CNS that affect auditory processing.
Applying Research Outcomes in Clinical Practice
- Competing Message Test: This test evaluates the ability to process and understand speech in the presence of competing auditory information. Clinicians can use this test to assess and develop strategies for patients struggling to focus on speech in noisy environments, enhancing their auditory selective attention skills.
- Filtered Speech Test: Assessing temporal lobe function, the FS test challenges the patient's ability to understand speech that lacks high-frequency cues. Practitioners can incorporate listening exercises that gradually increase in complexity to improve patients' speech perception in challenging listening situations.
- Binaural Fusion Test: This test evaluates the brainstem's ability to integrate different auditory information presented to each ear. Therapeutic activities based on binaural listening can help patients improve their sound localization and speech understanding in complex auditory environments.
By integrating these tests into clinical practice, audiologists and speech therapists can offer targeted interventions that address specific areas of weakness in the central auditory processing system. Moreover, the standardization of these tests provides a uniform measure that allows for the assessment of several levels and sidedness of the central auditory system, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of a patient's auditory processing capabilities.
For practitioners interested in further research or in-depth study of CNS auditory functions, this paper serves as a foundational resource. It encourages the exploration of additional procedures, such as the brainstem electric response (BSER), to assess the brainstem level of the auditory system in patients with suspected neuropathology.
In conclusion, "Three Tests of CNS Auditory Function" offers valuable tools for diagnosing and treating auditory processing disorders. By applying these research findings in clinical settings, practitioners can enhance their therapeutic approaches, ultimately improving the auditory processing skills of their patients. To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Three Tests of CNS Auditory Function.
