Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients show, as one of the main symptoms, an attentional impairment. Selective attention in the hearing process is the ability to understand speech in a noisy environment, which can be evaluated by several methods. One of the main approaches is the functioning of the Medial Olivocochlear Efferent System, which can be accessed by Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TOAE). OBJECTIVE:This study aimed at evaluating the suppression effect of contralateral noise on TOAE in ADHD (study group) and normal subjects (control group). Study Design: Case-control study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A study with 20 children distributed in two, age- and gender-matched groups. RESULTS: No differences were found in TOAE responses between the two groups, with and without noise. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there were no functional differences in the Medial Olivocochlear Efferent System in the two groups analyzed.
attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; child; efferent pathways; otoacoustic emissions; spontaneous; supression
