Auditory processing, as we understand, refers to how the individual handles with auditory information. The importance of auditory perception of sound sequences and temporal patterns in acquiring and comprehending symbolic components of language is well recognized. Acoustic properties of speech may be limited to the basic components of duration and frequency analysis. Speech signals are the most important events we receive through hearing and, as we know, speech patterns may be compromised in Parkinson's disease. AIM: To evaluate the performance of subjects diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in Duration and Frequency Pattern Tests. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical prospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Nonverbal stimuli identification was evaluated in three different modes of response: humming, verbal labeling and indicating. Stimuli were characterized by sequences of three or four elements, varying in duration and frequency. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed considering mode of response; better results were obtained for three-element sequences than four-element sequences and for duration patterns in comparison to frequency patterns. Subjects with Parkinsons's disease demonstrated poorer performance than normal subjects. CONCLUSION: Temporal ordering is a very important function of the central auditory nervous system. This ability enables the listener to discriminate sound patterns based on auditory ordering or sequencing. Therefore, our findings are important since they stimulate further studies concerning analysis and interpretation processes in patients with Parkinson's disease.
auditory tests; auditory perception; Parkinson's disease
