Keywords: AIDS, central auditory processing, auditory perception

Abstract: The aim of study was to evaluate the central auditory function in a group of symptomatic and asymptomatic HIV adults. We made a comparative study between a control group and na experimental group. Both groups were evaluated throug: pure tone audiometry (air and bone conduction), SRT (speech recognition threshold), speech recognition score, tympanometry and acoustic reflex measurement and the central auditory Test battery proposed by Schochat & Pereira (1997). The results showed that the central auditory screening procedure used was an efficiente tool in a way to identify central auditory processing disorders (CAPD) and for the central auditory tests, we could find generalized deficits in all AIDS people examinated. We found that HIV people may present central and/or periplierical auditory disorders, wich may affect any part of the central auditory system. The peripheric auditory deficits found in HIV people may be associated to the HIV virus direct action, from oportunist infections or may be due to the use of ototoxic drugs in their treatment.