Perfil da avaliação comportamental do processamento auditivo em indivíduos com transtorno do espectro autista

Abstract

Introduction: The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairments in communication, social interaction, and the presence of repetitive and restrictive behaviors. Sensory alterations are frequent in this population, especially involving the auditory system. It is estimated that approximately 85% of individuals with ASD exhibit some form of sensory dysfunction, with about 40% related too auditory processing, including impairments from sound perception to comprehension. Reported deficits include altered frequency and intensity discrimination, difficulties in speech perception in noisy environments, and poor ability to organize and interpret sounds. Hearing plays a fundamental role in neurodevelopment due to its complex interaction with cognitive, emotional, language, and speech systems. Effective sound interpretation relies on Central Auditory Processing (CAP) skills, which involve the analysis and decoding of auditory stimuli. Despite the high occurrence of auditory dysfunctions in ASD, the mechanisms underlying CAP in this population remain poorly understood. Thus, behavioral assessment of CAP emerges as a promising tool for investigating these functions, offering valuable insights for interventions aimed at supporting the global development of children with ASD. Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the behavioral CAP evaluation profile in children and adolescents with ASD, identifying the most frequently impaired auditory skills and their correlations with behavioral complaints. Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed 20 CAP children with ASD, aged 7 to 12 years. Auditory skills were assessed through behavioral tests and correlated with anamnesis data on auditory complaints and learning difficulties. Results: Results: The tests indicated that the most frequently altered auditory skills were temporal ordering (80% alteration), binaural integration (70% alteration) and binaural separation (85% alteration), with lower performance of the left ear for the dichotic tests. Temporal resolution skills and auditory closure and auditory figure-ground presented better within normal limits in most of the sample. There were significant correlations between the findings of the CAP assessment and complanas suc. as dificulta understanding in noisy environments, reduced attention and difficulty in discriminating speech sounds. Conclusion: The results show that individuals with ASD present a specific profile of Central Auditory Processing (CAP) alterations, with at least one impaired auditory skill. A deficit in interhemispheric integration was identified, associated with lower performance in cognitive abilities such as attention, learning, and language comprehension. Future studies are needed to deepen the understanding of these alterations and to evaluate the effects of specific interventions aimed at enhancing auditory processing in individuals with ASD.