scholarly journals Interaural intensity discrimination of noise as a function of center frequency, duration, and interaural correlation

1982 ◽  
Vol 71 (S1) ◽  
pp. S86-S87 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Wesley Grantham ◽  
Jayne B. Ahlstrom
2015 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 2258-2264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Wang ◽  
Liang Li

The auditory peripheral system filters broadband sounds into narrowband waves and decomposes narrowband waves into quickly varying temporal fine structures (TFSs) and slowly varying envelopes. When a noise is presented binaurally (with the interaural correlation being 1), human listeners can detect a transient break in interaural correlation (BIC), which does not alter monaural inputs substantially. The central correlates of BIC are unknown. This study examined whether phase locking-based frequency-following responses (FFRs) of neuron populations in the rat auditory midbrain [inferior colliculus (IC)] to interaurally correlated steady-state narrowband noises are modulated by introduction of a BIC. The results showed that the noise-induced FFR exhibited both a TFS component (FFRTFS) and an envelope component (FFREnv), signaling the center frequency and bandwidth, respectively. Introduction of either a BIC or an interaurally correlated amplitude gap (which had the summated amplitude matched to the BIC) significantly reduced both FFRTFS and FFREnv. However, the BIC-induced FFRTFS reduction and FFREnv reduction were not correlated with the amplitude gap-induced FFRTFS reduction and FFREnv reduction, respectively. Thus, although introduction of a BIC does not affect monaural inputs, it causes a temporary reduction in sustained responses of IC neuron populations to the noise. This BIC-induced FFR reduction is not based on a simple linear summation of noise signals.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Langchen Fan ◽  
Lingzhi Kong ◽  
Liang Li ◽  
Tianshu Qu

This study was to investigate whether human listeners are able to detect a binaurally uncorrelated arbitrary-noise fragment embedded in binaurally identical arbitrary-noise markers [a break in correlation, break in interaural correlation (BIAC)] in either frequency-constant (frequency-steady) or frequency-varied (unidirectionally frequency gliding) noise. Ten participants with normal hearing were tested in Experiment 1 for up-gliding, down-gliding, and frequency-steady noises. Twenty-one participants with normal hearing were tested in Experiment 2a for both up-gliding and frequency-steady noises. Another nineteen participants with normal hearing were tested in Experiment 2b for both down-gliding and frequency-steady noises. Listeners were able to detect a BIAC in the frequency-steady noise (center frequency = 400 Hz) and two types of frequency-gliding noises (center frequency: between 100 and 1,600 Hz). The duration threshold for detecting the BIAC in frequency-gliding noises was significantly longer than that in the frequency-steady noise (Experiment 1), and the longest interaural delay at which a duration-fixed BIAC (200 ms) in frequency-gliding noises could be detected was significantly shorter than that in the frequency-steady noise (Experiment 2). Although human listeners can detect a BIAC in frequency-gliding noises, their sensitivity to a BIAC in frequency-gliding noises is much lower than that in frequency-steady noise.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1270-1281
Author(s):  
Leah Fostick ◽  
Riki Taitelbaum-Swead ◽  
Shulamith Kreitler ◽  
Shelly Zokraut ◽  
Miriam Billig

Purpose Difficulty in understanding spoken speech is a common complaint among aging adults, even when hearing impairment is absent. Correlational studies point to a relationship between age, auditory temporal processing (ATP), and speech perception but cannot demonstrate causality unlike training studies. In the current study, we test (a) the causal relationship between a spatial–temporal ATP task (temporal order judgment [TOJ]) and speech perception among aging adults using a training design and (b) whether improvement in aging adult speech perception is accompanied by improved self-efficacy. Method Eighty-two participants aged 60–83 years were randomly assigned to a group receiving (a) ATP training (TOJ) over 14 days, (b) non-ATP training (intensity discrimination) over 14 days, or (c) no training. Results The data showed that TOJ training elicited improvement in all speech perception tests, which was accompanied by increased self-efficacy. Neither improvement in speech perception nor self-efficacy was evident following non-ATP training or no training. Conclusions There was no generalization of the improvement resulting from TOJ training to intensity discrimination or generalization of improvement resulting from intensity discrimination training to speech perception. These findings imply that the effect of TOJ training on speech perception is specific and such improvement is not simply the product of generally improved auditory perception. It provides support for the idea that temporal properties of speech are indeed crucial for speech perception. Clinically, the findings suggest that aging adults can be trained to improve their speech perception, specifically through computer-based auditory training, and this may improve perceived self-efficacy.


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