Hearing and Auditory Working Memory in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Abstract

Objectives: The present study assessed the hearing and auditory working memory in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).Study Design: Standard group comparison.Materials and Methods: A total of 20 female participants were included in the study and were divided into two groups. Group-1 included ten women diagnosed with PCOS, under ultrasound examination and hyperandrogenism was confirmed through hormonal analysis. Group-2 included ten healthy women, with no evidence of hyperandrogenism and normal menstrual cycles. Routine pure tone audiometry was done in the frequency range of 250 Hz to 8000 Hz and extended high frequency hearing thresholds from 9000 Hz to 16,000 Hz, was also obtained. Auditory working memory was assessed through digit span and digit sequencing tasks. Results: The results revealed that the extended high frequency audiometry threshold was significantly poorer for PCOS group compared to the normal group for 9000 Hz (F1, 34=9.444, p<0.05), 10000 Hz (F1, 34=6.120, p<0.05), 11200 Hz (F1, 34=9.211, p<0.05), 12500 Hz (F1, 34=12.651, p<0.05), 14000 Hz (F1, 34=41.342, p<0.05), 16000 Hz (F1, 34=12.230, p<0.05). Comparison across various auditory working memory tasks showed that the PCOS group performed significantly poorer on backward digit task (Z=-1.996, p<0.05), ascending digit task (Z=-1.989, p<0.05) and descending digit task (Z=-3.198, p<0.01).Conclusion: These findings suggest that the high frequency sensitivity and working memory is affected in subjects with PCOS compared to the normal group. The study highlights the importance of early identification of hearing loss in PCOS group and the importance of auditory working memory screening in women with PCOS.