Patterns in the performance-intensity functions for phonetically balanced word lists and synthetic sentences in aged listeners.

The performance intensity-phonetically balanced (PI-PB) and performance intensity-synthetic sentence identification (PI-SSI) functions were determined for 62 elderly patients (100 ears) with presbyacusis. A comparison of these functions was performed to determine whether patients older than 60 years exhibited peripheral or central PI-PB/PI-SSI patterning. Fifty-eight ears of the 100 ears examined showed central patterning. Furthermore, two diagnostically important central patterns were identified. The implications of the current data as well as the clinical application of PI-PB/PI-SSI testing for the evaluation of peripheral and central auditory effects in aged listeners are described.