Assessment of speech comprehension in noise in patients with depression

In daily life, our communication skills, distinguishing between hearing and speaking, depend on the functioning of auditory processing systems both at the peripheral and central levels. It is known that individuals with hearing loss may also have difficulty processing temporal cues in supra-threshold sound sources, leading to communication problems in noisy or multisource environments. Aging is associated with the decline of various auditory and cognitive functions, which negatively affect communication skills. Another factor that affects auditory functions at the central level and can impact individuals of all ages in society is mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. This study aims to evaluate the effects of depression on speech-in-noise perception and supra-threshold auditory processing abilities, even in individuals without advanced age and hearing loss. To achieve this goal, 29 individuals aged between 24-45 years without hearing loss but diagnosed with depression were included in the study group, while 29 individuals aged between 26-45 years without hearing loss and depression diagnosis were included in the control group. All participants underwent Turkish Matrix Test to assess speech-in-noise perception and Temporal Fine Structure (TFS) Sensitivity Test to evaluate supra-threshold auditory processing. The results were then compared between the study and control groups. The study revealed significant differences between the speech-in-noise perception and TFS Sensitivity Test scores of the study and control groups. The study group's TFS Sensitivity Test scores were significantly lower than those of the control group (p=0.000). Similarly, the Turkish Matrix Test scores (dB) of the study group were significantly lower than those of the control group (p=0.000). As a result, it was observed that depression can significantly affect auditory performance. This suggests that depression, along with factors like hearing loss and aging, can impact auditory functions and, consequently, not only speech fluency but also speech intelligibility. Therefore, a more holistic approach, considering emotional status, is essential for a comprehensive evaluation of listening skills and auditory functions, even in individuals without hearing loss.