The Use of Electrophysiological GIN Test in Diagnosing Temporal Resolution Problems in Patients with Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical validity of Acoustic Change Complex (ACC) measurements for diagnosing temporal resolution deficits in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Methods: This study included 100 participants, divided into two groups: 50 adults with normal peripheral hearing (NH), who served as the control group, and 50 adults with bilateral mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). All participants completed both behavioral and electrophysiological Gap-in-Noise (GIN) assessments. Results: Both behavioral and electrophysiological Gap-in-Noise (GIN) assessments demonstrated significantly elevated thresholds in the SNHL group compared with the NH group. Furthermore, electrophysiological GIN thresholds were consistently lower (better) than behavioral GIN thresholds in both groups. A strong positive correlation was observed between behavioral and electrophysiological GIN thresholds. The electrophysiological GIN threshold demonstrated a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 90% for identifying temporal resolution deficits. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the electrophysiological Gap-in-Noise (GIN) test is a reliable objective measure for evaluating temporal resolution. Moreover, it may be particularly useful in clinical situations where behavioral assessment is not feasible.