Decreased Sound Tolerance in Older Adults: The Relationship Between Depression and Auditory Sensitivities

ABS TRACT Objective:The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of subtypes of decreased sound tolerance (DST) in older adults and examine their associations with depressive symptoms and auditory variables.Material and Methods: Following the audiological evaluations of the participants, symptoms of DST were assessed using the Decreased Sound Tolerance Scale-Screening (DSTS-S), depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and tinnitus complaints were measured using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory.Results: Hyperacusis was the most commonly reported subtype of DST (62.7%), followed by phonophobia (46.3%) and misophonia (43.3%).No significant overall relationship was found between the GDS and DSTS-S scores.However, weak yet statistically significant positive correlations were identified between GDS scores and the pure tone average (r=0.257;p=0.036) as well as the speech recognition threshold (r=0.287;p=0.020) in the left ear.Participants reporting tinnitus complaints exhibited higher scores across all DSTS-S subscales.Conclusion: This study observed a notable prevalence of DSTS-S subtypes among older adults.The findings suggest significant associations between depressive symptoms and hearing thresholds, and individuals with a history of tinnitus may exhibit higher DSTS-S scores.Further advanced studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify the causality of these relationships.