Spectrotemporal analysis and cochlear hearing impairment: Effects of frequency selectivity, temporal resolution, signal frequency, and rate of modulation

1989 ◽  
Vol 85 (6) ◽  
pp. 2550-2562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph W. Hall ◽  
John H. Grose
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Signal Frequency

scholarly journals No Effect of Musical Training on Frequency Selectivity Estimated Using Three Methods

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 233121651984198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian C. J. Moore ◽  
Jie Wan ◽  
Ajanth Varathanathan ◽  
Sophie Naddell ◽  
Thomas Baer
Keyword(s):  
Auditory System ◽  
Exponential Function ◽  
Detection Efficiency ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Signal Frequency ◽  
Auditory Filter ◽  
Tuning Curves

It is widely believed that the frequency selectivity of the auditory system is largely determined by processes occurring in the cochlea. If so, musical training would not be expected to influence frequency selectivity. Consistent with this, auditory filter shapes for low center frequencies do not differ for musicians and nonmusicians. However, it has been reported that psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) at 4000 Hz were sharper for musicians than for nonmusicians. This study explored the origin of the discrepancy across studies. Frequency selectivity was estimated for musicians and nonmusicians using three methods: fast PTCs with a masker that swept in frequency, “traditional” PTCs obtained using several fixed masker center frequencies, and the notched-noise method. The signal frequency was 4000 Hz. The data were fitted assuming that each side of the auditory filter had the shape of a rounded-exponential function. The sharpness of the auditory filters, estimated as the Q10 values, did not differ significantly between musicians and nonmusicians for any of the methods, but detection efficiency tended to be higher for the musicians. This is consistent with the idea that musicianship influences auditory proficiency but does not influence the peripheral processes that determine the frequency selectivity of the auditory system.

Influence of Frequency Selectivity on Comodulation Masking Release in Normal-Hearing Listeners

1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 410-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph W. Hall ◽  
John H. Grose ◽  
Brian C. J. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Frequency Separation ◽  
Signal Frequency ◽  
Noise Background ◽  
Masker Level ◽  
Reduced Frequency ◽  
Comodulation Masking Release ◽  
Comodulated Noise ◽  
Signal Band

Experiments 1 and 2 investigated the effect of frequency selectivity on comodulation masking release (CMR) in normal-hearing subjects, examining conditions where frequency selectivity was relatively good (low masker level at both low [500-Hz] and high [2500-Hz] signal frequency, and high masker level at low signal frequency) and where frequency selectivity was somewhat degraded (high masker level and high signal frequency). The first experiment investigated CMR in conditions where a narrow modulated noise band was centered on the signal frequency, and a wider comodulated noise band was located below the band centered on the signal frequency. Signal frequencies were 500 and 2000 Hz. The masker level and the frequency separation between the on-signal and comodulated flanking band were varied. In addition to conditions where the flanking band and on-signal band were presented at the same spectrum level, conditions were included where the spectrum level of the flanking band was 10-dB higher than that of the on-signal band, in order to accentuate effects of reduced frequency selectivity. Results indicated that CMR was reduced at the 2000-Hz region when masker level was high, when the frequency separation between on-signal and flanking band was small, and when a 10-dB level disparity existed between the on-signal and flanking band. In the second experiment, CMR was investigated for narrow comodulated noise bands, presented either without any additional sound or in the presence of a random noise background. CMR increased slightly as the masker level increased, except at 2500 Hz when the noise background was present. The decrease in CMR at 2500 Hz with the high masker level and with a noise background present could be explained in terms of reduced frequency selectivity. In a third experiment, we compared performance for equal absolute bandwidth maskers at a low (500-Hz) and a high (2000-Hz) stimulus frequency. Results here suggested that detection in modulated noise may be reduced due to a reduction in the number of quasi-independent auditory filters contributing temporal envelope information. The effects found in the present study using normal-hearing listeners under conditions of degraded frequency selectivity may be useful in understanding part of the reduction of CMR that occurs in cochlear-impaired listeners having reduced frequency selectivity.

Frequency Selectivity and Comodulation Masking Release in Adults and in 6-Year-Old Children

1990 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Veloso ◽  
Joseph W. Hall ◽  
John H. Grose
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Center Frequency ◽  
Signal Frequency ◽  
Noise Masking ◽  
Masking Release ◽  
Noise Masker ◽  
Wideband Noise ◽  
Masking Noise ◽  
Comodulation Masking Release ◽  
Narrowband Noise

Frequency selectivity and comodulation masking release (CMR) for a 1000-Hz signal frequency were examined in 6-year-old children and adults. An abbreviated measure of frequency selectivity was also conducted for a 500-Hz signal. Frequency selectivity was measured using a notched-noise masking method, and CMR was measured using narrow bands of noise whose amplitude envelopes were either uncorrelated or correlated. There were 6 listeners in each age group. No differences were observed between the adults and children for either auditory measure. Similarly, no differences were observed in the ability to detect a pure-tone signal in a relatively wideband noise masker. When the masking noise was narrowband, however, the masked thresholds of the children were higher than those of the adults. Two characteristics that distinguish narrowband noise from wideband noise are: (1) narrowband noise has a pitch quality corresponding to its center frequency, whereas wideband noise does not have a definite pitch; (2) the intensity fluctuations are relatively greater in narrowband noise than in wideband noise. This may suggest that 6-year-old children have a reduced ability to detect signals in noise backgrounds where the signal has perceptual qualities similar to the noise, or in noise backgrounds having a high degree of fluctuation.

scholarly journals Songbird frequency selectivity and temporal resolution vary with sex and season

2013 ◽  
Vol 280 (1751) ◽  
pp. 20122296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan D. Gall ◽  
Therese S. Salameh ◽  
Jeffrey R. Lucas
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Seasonal Changes ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Concomitant Reduction

Many species of songbirds exhibit dramatic seasonal variation in song output. Recent evidence suggests that seasonal changes in auditory processing are coincident with seasonal variation in vocal output. Here, we show, for the first time, that frequency selectivity and temporal resolution of the songbird auditory periphery change seasonally and in a sex-specific manner. Male and female house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) did not differ in their frequency sensitivity during the non-breeding season, nor did they differ in their temporal resolution. By contrast, female house sparrows showed enhanced frequency selectivity during the breeding season, which was matched by a concomitant reduction of temporal resolution. However, males failed to show seasonal plasticity in either of these auditory properties. We discuss potential mechanisms generating these seasonal patterns and the implications of sex-specific seasonal changes in auditory processing for vocal communication.

scholarly journals No Influence of Musicianship on the Effect of Contralateral Stimulation on Frequency Selectivity

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 233121652093977
Author(s):  
Emilia Tarnowska ◽  
Andrzej Wicher ◽  
Brian C. J. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Sound Pressure ◽  
Gain Control ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Signal Frequency ◽  
Pink Noise ◽  
Tuning Curves ◽  
Efferent System ◽  
Contralateral Stimulation ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Q10 Values

The efferent system may control the gain of the cochlea and thereby influence frequency selectivity. This effect can be assessed using contralateral stimulation (CS) applied to the ear opposite to that used to assess frequency selectivity. The effect of CS may be stronger for musicians than for nonmusicians. To assess whether this was the case, psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) were compared for 12 musicians and 12 nonmusicians. The PTCs were measured with and without a 60-dB sound pressure level (SPL) pink-noise CS, using signal frequencies of 2 and 4 kHz. The sharpness of the PTCs was quantified using the measure Q10, the signal frequency divided by the PTC bandwidth measured 10 dB above the level at the tip. Q10 values were lower in the presence of the CS, but this effect did not differ significantly for musicians and nonmusicians. The main effect of group (musicians vs. nonmusicians) on the Q10 values was not significant. Overall, these results do not support the idea that musicianship enhances contralateral efferent gain control as measured using the effect of CS on PTCs.

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