Eng outcome and neuropsychological findings in tinnitus patients
Abstract
Psychological aspects are often underlined in generation of tinnitus so we assessed the neuropsychological status in our group of patients. We also found increased number of abnormal ENG recordings in tinnitus patients so the aim of this study was to compare the ENG outcome with their neuropsychological status.
The study was carried on 69 subjects complaining of tinnitus, and 43 healthy persons. Clinical neurootolaryngological examinations and electronystagmography tests were performed in all patients. Neuropsychological evaluation was conducted by means of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hospital Anxiety Depression Test (HAD), Mini Mental Status (MMS), Trail Making Test (TMT).
In 46 patients (66.6%) abnormal ENG outcome was found (central 42%, peripheral 13.0% and mixed 11.6%). Neuropsychological tests revealed incorrect scores; for the BDI – 43.5%, HAD-A – 72.5%, HAD-D – 47.8%, MMS – 27.5% and for the TMT – 55.1% patients. We did not find correlation between the ENG outcome and neuropsychological tests scores. The only correlation was found between incorrect neuropsychological tests scores and the ENG outcome indicating central vestibular dysfunction.
Our study showed that in tinnitus patients despite high frequency of the vestibular system dysfunction signs and high incidence of incorrect neuropsychological tests scores there was not correlation between these two results.