Study of speech perception in noise (SPIN) test and gap in noise (GIN) test in mild cognitive impairment in adult

Abstract Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia with an increased risk of progression to Alzheimer’s disease. Central auditory processing may be affected early in the disease course. The Speech Perception in Noise (SPIN) test and Gap-in-Noise (GIN) test have been proposed as potential screening tools for early cognitive impairment. Aim To evaluate the diagnostic value of the SPIN test and the GIN test for the early detection of MCI. Materials and methods This case-control study included 60 adults (50–65 years) with normal hearing, comprising 30 patients with MCI and 30 cognitively healthy controls. All participants underwent audiological evaluation, including the Arabic versions of the SPIN and GIN tests. Diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results Patients with MCI showed significantly poorer SPIN ( p < 0.001) and GIN ( p = 0.027) performance than controls. The SPIN test demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.852) with high sensitivity (98.3%) and moderate specificity (58.3%). In contrast, the GIN test showed poor diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.574) and low sensitivity (10.0%) despite high specificity (100%). SPIN scores were positively correlated with MMSE scores. Conclusion Both SPIN and GIN performances were reduced in patients with MCI. However, the SPIN test demonstrated superior diagnostic performance and may serve as a useful screening tool for early detection of MCI, whereas the GIN test has limited value as a standalone screening measure.