[Cerebral lateralization and hemispheric interaction in aging: what about dichotic listening?].

Dichotic listening is the most frequent behavioral test used to assess hemispheric lateralization. The subjects simultaneously receive competing information signals in each ear and the attention resources are mobilized. Dichotic listening may be viewed as a dual-task procedure. In fact, executive functions and attention, which are involved, may be modified in elderly. The aim of this paper is to define the role of dichotic listening for the study of hemispheric interactions in the elderly, according to compensation/reorganization processes in normal and pathological aging.