Dichotic listening - hemispheric Integration and temporal resolution in epilepsy

• Grant number: 13/19256-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2013
• End date: November 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Speech Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Liliane Desgualdo Pereira
• Grantee: Beatriz Raz Franco de Santana
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Epilepsy is a syndrome characterized by spontaneous and recurrent crises, which may result in paroxysmal, extreme and synchronous discharges of neuronal population. Many factors can be involved in these discharges, and the clinical manifestations depend on the type and the location of the involved neuronal group. Studies show that correct analysis and interpretation of auditorily received information (Auditory Processing) depends on anatomical and functional integrity of structures, and the electric discharges caused by the crises can lead to neuronal loss in the region where they occur. Our hypothesis is that the auditory ability of temporal resolution and dichotic listening (binaural integration) with familiar words, would be affected by seizures. Thirty men and women with diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy will be voluntarily submitted to behavioral tests that assess the temporal resolution and dichotic listening. The results will be compared considering if the diagnosed epileptic focus was in the left or in the right hemisphere. The aim of the study is to verify the effect of seizures on dichotic listening- binaural integration and temporal resolution.