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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1976

Functional hearing loss.

Functional hearing loss is a rather common entity, although it probably is overlooked more often than not. In most instances, the services of an experienced audiologist are necessary if one is to detect these cases. First, one must consider carefully the patient's behavior before and during the otologic and audiologic examination, and note the referral source, if any, since patients with certain backgrounds are more apt to exhibit functional hearing loss than others. Second, careful attention is given to certain aspects of the initial basic audiometric examination. Discrepancies here often stand out and point clearly toward functional loss. A so-called "modified approach" to conventional audiometry has enabled us to detect almost all cases of functional hearing loss without resort to the special audiometric tests designed for that purpose.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Psychological characteristics of children with functional hearing loss.

The terminology used to describe functional hearing loss (FHL) and some explanations of the phenomenon are discussed briefly. Previous studies of FHL in children are reviewed. Characteristics of 30 children seen for psychological assessment following diagnosis of FHL are described. There were twice as many girls as boys in the sample. A large proportion of the children had experienced middle ear problems. The mean IQ for the sample was below average, but the range of intellectual ability was wide. Nine children showed serious educational retardation. The children were assigned to one of three psychological problem groups depending on whether they had minor, school-based, or deeper, psychological problems. Those with deeper psychological problems tended to show greater hearing losses on pure tone audiometry. FHL seemed to be related to attentional factors in those with only minor or school-based problems but not for those with deeper psychological problems. These findings are discussed with reference to the need for psychological assessment of children with FHL.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Functional hearing loss in children.

This report reviewed 39 school-age children diagnosed as having a functional hearing loss utilizing auditory brainstem response (ABR) audiometry during the past 5 years at the Department of Otolaryngology, Kyushu University Hospital in Japan. Twenty-seven cases were females and 12 were males. Seven cases had a hearing loss unilaterally and 32 bilaterally. Although pure-tone audiometry revealed a variety of audiogram shapes, two-thirds of the cases had a flat or saucer-shaped audiogram with a mild to moderately severe hearing loss. ABR audiometry for the frequencies of 1, 2 and 4 kHz indicated a normal hearing threshold in 65 ears of 35 patients, and mild threshold elevations of at least one frequency in the remaining 6 ears of 4 patients. Three illustrative cases were demonstrated, and a discussion was held regarding the features in audiometric tests, and environmental factors surrounding the children with this condition. We emphasized that the physiological hearing measurement such as ABR audiometry should be performed when any discrepancy was noted between the patient's history and results of pure-tone audiometry, because of not infrequent occurrence of functional hearing loss.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Pure tone-spondee threshold relationships in functional hearing loss: a hypothesis.

A hypothesis is offered to account for the fact that in functional hearing loss, spondee threshold is frequently significantly lower than the pure-tone average. The hypothesis has three basic components: (1) that patients with functional hearing loss use a loudness criterion in making response decisions to suprathreshold stimuli; (2) that, at suprathreshold levels, pure tones and spondee words appear equally loud at equal sound pressure levels, and (3) that calibration values employed in pure-tone and speech audiometry contribute to the aberrant speech-pure tone relationship. Factors that may confound the speech-pure tone relationship are discussed as are the clinical and research implication of the hypothesis.

Audiometry↗
PubMed1978

[Functional hearing loss in speech audiometry (author's transl)].

In a group of 238 patients assessed for medico-legal reasons, 26 subjects were found to have functional hearing problems. In detecting the presence of functional hearing loss, the reliability of speech audiometric patterns was shown. Each patient demonstrated at least one suspicious response. The evaluation revealed an irregular configuration of curves ("step-like", 56%) and a better understanding for monosyllabic testwords than for digits (28.8%) as the most important criteria. In the control group of 40 hard-of-hearing patients without functional hearing losses, testing-irregularities were found in only 2.5-3.7% of the patients. Furthermore, discrepancies between speech reception thresholds and pure tone averages (84.6%) as well as poor test-retest reliability in tone audiometry contributed to an identification of functional hearing loss. Békésy-audiometry Type V was obtained in 73% of those patients studied.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A descending LOT-Bekesy screening test for functional hearing loss.

This study investigated the screening efficiency of a descending version of Hattler's Lengthened Off-time (LOT) Bekesy test. The Descending LOT (DELOT) test was administered to 24 subjects who presented unequivocal audiometric evidence of functional hearing loss during clinical examinations and 30 subjects with no audiometric evidence of functional loss. The DELOT format substantially increased screening sensitivity: 29.2% more functional group subjects and 42.2% more functional group ears were identified correctly relative to LOT test identifications. There was one marginally positive DELOT outcome involving one ear in the nonfunctional group. The high sensitivity of the DELOT test was clearly a function of significantly larger intertrace gaps caused by the DELOT trace. The mean intertrace gap for the DELOT test was more than 10 dB greater than the gap for the LOT test.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

[SISI-Test and functional hearing loss (author's transl)].

The original SISI test (Jerger, Shedd and Harford) is described in German language. Modifications of various authors are cited. The results of SISI test with 16 persons demanding monetary compensation for hearing loss are tabulated. 18 ears seemed free from non-organic overlay. 12 of those ears gave SISI scores more than 70%. Functional discrepancies wer observed in 13 ears. Only in one of them a maximum SISI score of 25% was presented. All other non-organic ears gave lower ratings, 0% in most cases. Increments of 5 dB were not responded with 5 ears. In one case of unilateral non-organic loss SISI scores were high in the normal and low in the aggravating ear. It is suggested therefore, that low SISI ratings should arise suspicion of non-organic problems, besides of retrocochlear site.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[Aggravation of hearing loss (author's transl)].

Functional hearing loss is defined as a syndrome in which audiologic responses are found lacking. Such phenomena are related to capacities of the auditory system which are not fully understood (and include constant functional threshold levels as well as decreasing functional overlay with steeper discrimination scores). Examples are given for symptoms which characterize functional hearing losses, and variable timing for degrees of functional hearing loss described. In addition, etiologic factors are tabulated from a literature survey.

Audiometry↗
PubMed1991

[Tube function in sudden hearing loss].

The function of the Eustachian tube was assessed in 50 patients suffering from sudden hearing loss, using the pressure chamber impedance method. We investigated the existence of a relationship between sudden hearing loss and the occurrence of a patulous tube. We could not observe more patulous tubes in patients with sudden hearing loss compared to a control group with healthy ears. We registered the parameters "tissue resistance pressure" and "tubal opening pressure", both characterising the passive qualities of the Eustachian tube. There was no indication of a facilitated passive tubal opening nor a tendency to a patulous tube among our patients. Statistical evaluation of these parameters showed no significantly different tubal function on comparing the right and the left ear, as well as the ear affected by sudden hearing loss and the healthy ear. We conclude that there is no relationship between sudden hearing loss and patulous tube.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Time-intensity relations in Békésy audiometry.

Threshold and amplitude measurements were made for fixed frequency Bekesy pure tones on subjects with normal hearing, sensorineural hearing impairment, and functional hearing loss. Following conventional Bekesy audiometry (intensity change 4 dB/sec), -20 dB was added to a signal at the threshold of audibility (bottom of the spike). When sensation was lost at the threshold of inaudibility (top of the spike), +20 dB was added. Adding +/- 20 dB in subjects with normal hearing reduced the amplitude of the spike about 4 dB, corresponding to 1 second, for both pulsed and continuous tones. Adding +/- 40 dB produced essentially similar findings. Adding +/- 20 dB in subjects with sensorineural loss with reduced amplitude of continuous tone tracings also reduced the amplitude approximately 4 dB for pulsed tones, but 3 dB, corresponding to 0.75 seconds, for continuous tones. Abnormal rapid adaptation may account for this reduced amplitude of the spikes. A subject with multiple sclerosis producing excessive abnormal adaptation showed spectacular increased amplitude for continuous tone only when -20 dB was added at bottoms and +20 dB at tops of spikes. An explanation based on slow adaptation is offered. Subjects with functional hearing loss may emphasize either time or intensity in their inappropriate responses when +/- 20 dB is added at tops and/or bottoms of spikes.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗
PubMed1989

[The status of psychogenic hearing disorder today].

The general symptoms of psychogenic hearing disorders are pointed out and exemplified by 16 own cases seen by the author in 1987 to 1988. Psychogenic hearing disorders imitate various constellations of findings and histories of genuine organic hearing disorders. The individual's experience and the contemporary consciousness of hearing disorders seem to enter into the individual manifestation. The 16 cases can clearly be divided into 3 groups of equal size: 1. The unilateral acute hearing loss, imitating either an acute traumatic damage or an idiopathic sudden hearing loss. This was seen almost exclusively in children. 2. The bilateral chronic hearing loss. This, too, was seen mainly in children and youths. 3. The acute bilateral recurring or progressing hearing disorder. This was seen predominantly in adults, mimicking dramatic courses ending up in bilateral profound deafness. In part of the cases the psychological background of the neurotic reaction could be explored quite easily. Knowledge of the various manifestations of psychogenic hearing disorders is important, because otherwise, as the reported cases demonstrate, misleading interpretation of findings entails costly diagnostic procedures (computerized tomography, arteriography) and expensive therapeutic measures (hospitalization, fitting of hearing aids).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Psychosomatic factors in idiopathic sudden deafness].

A clinical and psychological history of 27 patients suffering from sudden deafness was taken shortly after the onset of symptoms and 4 months later. Psychosocial factors seem to be important in the beginning of sudden deafness, but there was no specific conflict or personality pattern. Predictors of a good outcome are stable personal relations, emotionally balanced personality factors and a reduction of stress factors after the onset of symptoms. A tendency to addictive behaviour was of unfavourable prognostic significance.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1977

An approach to calculating gain requirements for severely deaf children as a function of hearing loss which is independent of frequency response.

In an attempt to provide optimum listening conditions for hearing aid wearers a number of gain formulae have recently appeared in the literature. Required gains have invariably been measured at 1 kHz and expressed as a function of hearing loss. Recent research has shown that for children suffering from severe and profound deafness the 1 kHz required gain is highly dependent upon the low frequency response characteristic of the hearing aid. The present study proposes that the use of a 0.25 kHz gain formula would be advantageous with such children as it appears to be independent of the frequency response characteristic of the hearing aid.

Child↗
PubMed1978

Relationship between uncomfortable loudness level and acoustic reflex threshold as a function of hearing loss.

While many studies examined the relationship between Acoustic Reflex Threshold (ART) and Uncomfortable Loudness Level (UCL) and the possibility of predicting one from the other, no study to the authors' knowledge has shown the relationship between these two measures with respect to hearing loss, and uses such a relationship to predict either measure from the other plus the hearing loss. To achieve these relationships and uses, 80 Ss were studied, 20 in each of 4 groups, with normal hearing and with mild, moderate, and severe noise-induced hearing loss. ARTs and UCLs were obtained at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kc/s. The results demonstrated that db sensation level (SL) of ART and UCL were highly correlated with pure-tone hearing threshold level (HTL). An equation was derived: UCL (in db SL) - ART (in db SL) = 6 - .05 HTL, which shows that the relationship between ART and UCL varies as a function of hearing loss. Data from other studies were compared and discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Auditory reaction times for functional and nonfunctional hearing loss.

Differences in decision processes as measured by auditory reaction times of simulated or actual functional hearing-loss subjects and nonfunctional subjects were investigated. Sensation level data are presented that reflect marked differences between such individuals with regard to probability of response, and means and standard deviations of auditory reaction times. Means and standard deviations of auditory reaction times for nonfunctional subjects are greatly reduced when compared with results obtained by simulated or actual functional subjects. Probability of response data was less effective in differentiating functional from nonfunctional subjects. Individuals who were trained to simulate hearing loss responded in a manner similar to functional patients. The results of this study suggest that auditory reaction time measures can be employed to determine the existence or nonexistence of functional hearing loss with considerable accuracy.

Audiometry↗