AbstractsPsychology

Background: Hallucinations are related to impaired cognitive functioning in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, but also in controls (patients without a neurologic or psychiatric diagnosis). The current study examined the difference in cognitive functioning between patients with hearing loss experiencing auditory hallucinations (auditory Charles Bonnet Syndrome) and patients with hearing loss without hallucinations (controls). Methods: 31 patients from department otorhinolaryngology participated in this study; 10 patients with auditory hallucinations and 21 controls without hallucinations. The difference in performance between these groups on Trail Making Test, Boston Naming Test and Digit Span was examined. Z-scores were calculated as well as mean performance on each test. Results: The control group showed significant poorer performance on the Trail Making Test -B/A than the aCBS (auditory Charles Bonnet Syndrome) group (mean difference: -1.021; 95% CI -1.731 to -0.311). No significant differences between the groups were found on the Trail Making Test -A, Boston Naming Test and Digit Span. Conclusion: Patients in the aCBS group performed better at the TMT-B/A than patients in the control group. This implies that the mental flexibility is better in the aCBS group than in the control group. However, in attention (Digit Span, TMT-A) and language (BNT) no difference was found. More research is necessary to draw definite conclusions on cognitive functioning in aCBS patients.