Effects of age and hearing loss on stream segregation based on interaural time differences

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (2) ◽  
pp. EL185-EL191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Füllgrabe ◽  
Brian C. J. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Interaural Time Differences

scholarly journals Effect of sinusoidally amplitude modulated broadband noise stimuli on stream segregation in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jawahar Antony P ◽  
Animesh Barman
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Amplitude Modulation ◽  
Modulation Frequency ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Broadband Noise ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Temporal Cues

Background and Aim: Auditory stream segre­gation is a phenomenon that splits sounds into different streams. The temporal cues that contri­bute for stream segregation have been previ­ously studied in normal hearing people. In peo­ple with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), the cues for temporal envelope coding is not usually affected, while the temporal fine structure cues are affected. These two temporal cues depend on the amplitude modulation frequency. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of sin­usoidal amplitude modulated (SAM) broadband noises on stream segregation in individuals with SNHL. Methods: Thirty normal hearing subjects and 30 subjects with mild to moderate bilateral SNHL participated in the study. Two experi­ments were performed; in the first experiment, the AB sequence of broadband SAM stimuli was presented, while in the second experiment, only B sequence was presented. A low (16 Hz) and a high (256 kHz) standard modulation fre­quency were used in these experiments. The subjects were asked to find the irregularities in the rhythmic sequence. Results: Both the study groups could identify the irregularities similarly in both the experi­ments. The minimum cumulative delay was sli­ghtly higher in the SNHL group. Conclusion: It is suggested that the temporal cues provided by the broadband SAM noises for low and high standard modulation frequencies were not used for stream segregation by either normal hearing subjects or those with SNHL. Keywords: Stream segregation; sinusoidal amplitude modulation; sensorineural hearing loss

Sequential Stream Segregation Affects Localisation of Diotic Tones among Tones with Time-Varying Interaural Time Difference

Perception ◽  
10.1068/p6369 ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. 1377-1385
Author(s):  
Takahiro Kawabe
Keyword(s):  
Interaural Time Difference ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Frequency Difference ◽  
The Other ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Not Given ◽  
Auditory Motion ◽  
Interaural Time Differences ◽  
Complex Sound ◽  
Sound Image

In this study, I examined how sequential stream segregation contributes to the detection of diotic tones among tones with time-varying interaural time differences (ITDs). Target (T) and distractor (D) tones, and a silent duration (–) formed a sequence (DTD–) and this sequence was presented repeatedly. A frequency difference was introduced between target and distractor tones. The distractor tones were also given time-varying ITDs to produce a percept of smooth auditory motion along the interaural axis. In half of the trials, the target tones were not given time-varying ITDs, and thus were diotically presented. The task of the listeners was to determine whether the repeated sequences of DTD–had target tones without motion. The sensitivity d′ for the detection of diotic target tones was higher with larger frequency differences. On the other hand, the criterion c was lower with larger frequency differences. In another session, I confirmed that proportions of reports “two streams” was positively and negatively correlated with d′ and c, respectively. The results indicate that the localisation of a sound image could be influenced by sequential stream segregation in complex sound environments.

scholarly journals Differences in Auditory Perception Between Young and Older Adults When Controlling for Differences in Hearing Loss and Cognition

2022 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 233121652110661
Author(s):  
Jennifer J. Lentz ◽  
Larry E. Humes ◽  
Gary R. Kidd
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Perceptual Skills ◽  
Multiple Stimulus ◽  
Masking Level Difference ◽  
Hearing Assessment ◽  
Modulation Detection ◽  
Modulation Detection Interference

This study was designed to examine age effects on various auditory perceptual skills using a large group of listeners (155 adults, 121 aged 60–88 years and 34 aged 18–30 years), while controlling for the factors of hearing loss and working memory (WM). All subjects completed 3 measures of WM, 7 psychoacoustic tasks (24 conditions) and a hearing assessment. Psychophysical measures were selected to tap phenomena thought to be mediated by higher-level auditory function and included modulation detection, modulation detection interference, informational masking (IM), masking level difference (MLD), anisochrony detection, harmonic mistuning, and stream segregation. Principal-components analysis (PCA) was applied to each psychoacoustic test. For 6 of the 7 tasks, a single component represented performance across the multiple stimulus conditions well, whereas the modulation-detection interference (MDI) task required two components to do so. The effect of age was analyzed using a general linear model applied to each psychoacoustic component. Once hearing loss and WM were accounted for as covariates in the analyses, estimated marginal mean thresholds were lower for older adults on tasks based on temporal processing. When evaluated separately, hearing loss led to poorer performance on roughly 1/2 the tasks and declines in WM accounted for poorer performance on 6 of the 8 psychoacoustic components. These results make clear the need to interpret age-group differences in performance on psychoacoustic tasks in light of cognitive declines commonly associated with aging, and point to hearing loss and cognitive declines as negatively influencing auditory perceptual skills.

Talker Separation and Sequential Stream Segregation in Listeners With Hearing Loss

2003 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 912-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol L. Mackersie
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Frequency Separation ◽  
Fixed Frequency ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Perceptual Separation

The purpose of this paper was to examine the relations between the ability to separate simultaneous sentences spoken by talkers of different gender and the ability to separate pitch patterns in a sequential stream segregation task. Simultaneous sentence pairs consisting of 1 sentence spoken by a male talker and 1 sentence spoken by a female talker were presented to 11 listeners with sensorineural hearing loss. Listeners were asked to repeat both sentences and were scored on the number of words repeated correctly. Separate scores were obtained for the male and female sentences. Sequential stream segregation was then measured using series of tones consisting of a fixed frequency (A) and a varying frequency tone (B). Tone series were presented in an ABA_ABA_... pattern starting at a varying frequency either below (ascending pattern) or above (descending pattern) the frequency of the fixed 1000 Hz tone. Fusion thresholds, defined as the frequency separation at which listeners could no longer perceptually separate the tones A and B, were obtained for both ascending and descending patterns. There was no significant difference between ascending and descending fusion thresholds based on the group data, but substantial individual differences were observed. Speech recognition scores for the male talker were strongly related to ascending fusion thresholds, but not descending thresholds. In contrast, speech recognition scores for the female talker were strongly related to the descending thresholds, but not the ascending thresholds. For both the male and female talkers, better recognition scores were associated with lower (nearer to normal) fusion thresholds. Results suggest that the importance of streaming in the perceptual separation of talkers may depend on the nature of the information provided by the changing pitch stream.

The Role of Sequential Stream Segregation and Frequency Selectivity in the Perception of Simultaneous Sentences by Listeners With Sensorineural Hearing Loss

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol L. Mackersie ◽  
Tammy L. Prida ◽  
Derek Stiles
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Cognitive Factors ◽  
Fixed Frequency ◽  
Tone Signal

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of frequency selectivity and sequential stream segregation in the perception of simultaneous sentences by listeners with sensorineural hearing loss. Simultaneous sentence perception was tested in listeners with normal hearing and with sensorineural hearing loss using sentence pairs consisting of one sentence spoken by a male talker and one sentence spoken by a female talker. Listeners were asked to repeat both sentences and were scored on the number of words repeated correctly in each sentence. Separate scores were obtained for the first and second sentences repeated. Frequency selectivity was assessed using a notched-noise method in which thresholds for a 1000 Hz pure-tone signal were measured in noise with spectral notch bandwidths of 0, 300, and 600 Hz. Sequential stream segregation was measured using tone sequences consisting of a fixed frequency (A) and a varying frequency tone (B). Tone sequences were presented in an ABA_ABA_... pattern starting at a frequency (B) either below or above the frequency of the fixed 1000 Hz tone (A). Initially, the frequency difference was large and was gradually decreased until listeners indicated that they could no longer perceptually separate the two tones (fusion threshold). Scores for the first sentence repeated decreased significantly with increasing age. There was a strong relationship between fusion threshold and simultaneous sentence perception, which remained even after partialling out the effects of age. Smaller frequency differences at fusion thresholds were associated with higher sentence scores. There was no relationship between frequency selectivity and simultaneous sentence perception. Results suggest that the abilities to perceptually separate pitch patterns and separate sentences spoken simultaneously by different talkers are mediated by the same underlying perceptual and/or cognitive factors.

The Relationship Between Tinnitus Pitch, Audiogram Edge Frequency, and Auditory Stream Segregation Abilities in Individuals With Tinnitus

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Saransh Jain ◽  
Riya Cherian ◽  
Nuggehalli P. Nataraja ◽  
Vijay Kumar Narne
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Fusion Boundary ◽  
Speech Perception In Noise ◽  
Auditory Stream ◽  
Auditory Stream Segregation ◽  
Cochlear Hearing Loss ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Around 80%–93% of the individuals with tinnitus have hearing loss. Researchers have found that tinnitus pitch was related to the frequencies of hearing loss, but unclear about the relationship between tinnitus pitch and audiometry edge frequency. The comorbidity of tinnitus and speech perception in noise problems had also been reported, but the relationship between tinnitus pitch and speech perception in noise had seldom been investigated. This study was designed to estimate the relationship between tinnitus pitch, audiogram edge frequency, and speech perception in noise. The speech perception in noise was measured using auditory stream segregation paradigm. Method Thirteen individuals with bilateral mild-to-severe tonal tinnitus and minimal-to-mild cochlear hearing loss were selected. Thirteen individuals with hearing loss without tinnitus were also selected. The audiogram of each participant with tinnitus was matched with that of the participant without tinnitus. Tinnitus pitch of the participants with tinnitus was measured and compared with audiogram edge frequency. The stream segregation thresholds were calculated at the participants' admitted tinnitus pitch and one octave below the tinnitus pitch. The stream segregation thresholds were estimated at fission and fusion boundary using pure-tone stimuli in ABA paradigm. Results High correlation between tinnitus pitch and audiogram edge frequency was noted. Overall stream segregation thresholds were higher for individuals with tinnitus. Higher thresholds indicated poorer stream segregation abilities. Within tinnitus participants, the thresholds were significantly lesser at frequency corresponding to admitted tinnitus pitch than at one octave below the tinnitus pitch. Conclusions The information from this study may be helpful in educating the patients about the relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus. The findings may also account for speech-perception-in-noise difficulties often reported by the individuals with tinnitus.

Binaural Hearing of Speech for Aided and Unaided Conditions

1969 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 650-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald D. Dirks ◽  
Richard A. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Field Conditions ◽  
Interaural Time Differences ◽  
Binaural Listening ◽  
Signal Sources

Differences in speech intelligibility and identification between binaural, monaural near ear, and monaural far ear conditions were studied in sound field conditions. Scores from listeners with normal hearing and with sensorineural losses were evalated in sound field conditions (unaided) and under conditions of hearing aid amplification (aided). For both conditions listeners with sensorineural hearing loss obtained a binaural advantage similar to that found for normal listeners. The binaural advantage could be demonstrated only when the primary and/or competing signal sources were located at an azimuth which resulted in interaural time differences for at least one of the signals. When the signals arrived simultaneously at the ears from the same loudspeaker, no binaural advantage was obtained. Differences in intelligibility and identification scores between monaural near ear and far ear conditions (6.0 dB) were almost twice as large as those found between binaural listening and monaural near ear listening (3.3 dB).

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