Dichotic Listening Test
Pronunciation: dy-KOT-ik
A diagnostic procedure in which different auditory stimuli are presented simultaneously to each ear to assess central auditory processing and hemispheric lateralisation.
Full Definition
In a dichotic listening test, competing signals—such as digits, words, or sentences—are delivered concurrently to the left and right ears via headphones. The patient is asked to repeat stimuli from one or both ears, and performance differences between ears reveal information about central auditory pathway integrity. It is widely used to evaluate auditory processing disorders, neurological conditions affecting the corpus callosum, and hemispheric dominance for language. Editors should note that 'dichotic' refers to different signals at each ear, which distinguishes the test from diotic (same signal, both ears) or monaural paradigms. Results are typically expressed as percentage correct scores per ear.
Usage
Usage note: Do not abbreviate to 'DLT' in clinical documents without first defining the acronym; 'DLT' carries multiple meanings across medicine.
In Context
- "The report noted a significant left-ear deficit on the dichotic listening test, consistent with right-hemisphere dominance for language." — Neurological audiology clinical report
- "Ensure 'dichotic' is not replaced with 'diotically'—these describe fundamentally different stimulus presentations." — Editorial style note