Frequency pattern and duration pattern test: Assessment of auditory temporal ordering

Abstract

The temporal aspects of audition are considered one of the key mechanisms of au- ditory processing, as they would be critical for the proper functioning of the rest of the central auditory processes. The auditory temporal ordering is referred to one of the four skills of the temporal aspects of audition and refers to the processing of two or more au- ditory stimuli in their order of appearance or occurrence in the time domain. It has been one of the most widely studied processes due to its implications for the rest of listening skills, as well as in numerous activities of daily life, including perception and discrimi- nation of speech sounds. Historically, two test has been used to evaluate: the frequency pattern and duration pattern tests. Both tests have good sensitivity and specificity to detect lesions at the central auditory nervous system, such as right and left hemisphere and corpus callosum dysfunctions. Currently, both tests are commonly used clinically due to its efficiency, ease of administration and the availability of normative data in wide range of population. Their use is strongly recommended in clinical practice considering obtaining local normative values.