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  • Title: Alexithymia, depression and tinnitus in elderly people.
    Author: Salonen J, Johansson R, Joukamaa M.
    Journal: Gen Hosp Psychiatry; 2007; 29(5):431-5. PubMed ID: 17888810.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVE: Tinnitus is known to have an association with depression and other psychiatric disorders. As part of a larger epidemiological survey, we evaluated the associations among tinnitus, depression and alexithymia in a group of elderly people. METHODS: A survey of hearing loss, audiological rehabilitation and associated morbidity in a senior population was conducted in Turku, Finland. The study sample consisted of 583 participants aged between 70 and 85 years. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was used to measure alexithymia, whereas the 13-item version of the Beck Depression Inventory was used to measure depression; the subjective experience of tinnitus was queried with a questionnaire. RESULTS: Depression had a clear association with subjectively annoying tinnitus. Contrary to expectations, the TAS-20 score did not correlate with the severity of tinnitus. In fact, the highest TAS-20 scores were found among the subjects who had tinnitus but did not find it to be subjectively annoying. No significant association between high TAS-20 scores and hearing loss was found. CONCLUSION: Although we found an association between TAS-20 scores and the presence of tinnitus, alexithymia does not seem to be helpful in explaining tinnitus annoyance among elderly people.
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