Effects of otitis media with effusion (OME) on central auditory function

• Published in: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology Vol. 67; pp. S63 - S67
• Main Authors: Moore, David R, Hartley, Douglas E.H, Hogan, Sarah C.M
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01-12-2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Auditory Diseases, Central - diagnosis; Auditory Diseases, Central - etiology; Auditory plasticity; Auditory processing disorder; Auditory training; Binaural hearing; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Conductive hearing loss; Ear, auditive nerve, cochleovestibular tract, facial nerve: diseases, semeiology; Earplug; Hearing Loss, Bilateral - diagnosis; Hearing Loss, Bilateral - etiology; Hearing Loss, Conductive - diagnosis; Hearing Loss, Conductive - etiology; Humans; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Otitis Media with Effusion - complications; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Perceptual Masking - physiology; Severity of Illness Index; Sound Localization; Temporal resolution; Auditory plasticity; Auditory processing disorder; Auditory training; Temporal resolution; Earplug; Conductive hearing loss; Binaural hearing; Human; Prognosis; Prevalence; Effusion; Middle ear disease; Auditory disorder; Conduction hearing loss; Auditory cortex; ENT disease; Influence; Otitis media; Child
• ISSN: 0165-5876; 1872-8464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2003.08.015

Conductive hearing loss attenuates and delays sound passing through the middle ear. This impairs binaural hearing and other central auditory functions dependent on high fidelity sound transmission. Persistent conductive loss leads to central impairments that persist after the peripheral loss has resolved. For example, children who have had multiple episodes of otitis media with effusion (OME) in the first few years of life may have poor detection of sounds in noisy environments, evidenced by reduced binaural unmasking (BU). Recent research shows that a ‘threshold’ level of OME is required to produce impaired BU. Children who had OME in one or both ears for more than about 50% of the first 5 years had reduced BU. Animal research, using long-term ear plugging, suggests that total OME duration, rather than age at the time of having the disease, determines its effect on BU. Animals reared with bilateral (but not unilateral) ear plugs also have poor auditory temporal resolution, and reduced sensitivity to short tones in the presence of background noise, after plug removal. However, given time (6–24 months) and training, all animals regained normal temporal resolution.