Neuroplasticity in Auditory Aging

项目2-摘要 衰老对听觉时间处理的不利影响在人类中已有很好的记录， 动物模型目前，对于这些听觉时间处理在多大程度上 通过听觉训练和神经可塑性可以减轻有或没有听力损失的老年人的缺陷， 来提高神经计时和语言理解的精确度。我们的长期目标是确定 老年人的听力缺陷可以通过听觉训练得到改善。我们提出了一个创新的 结合知觉训练实验的衰老、听力和神经可塑性研究方法 进行电生理测量。目的是比较年轻的正常听力（YNH），老年人， 听力障碍（ONH）、年轻听力障碍（YHI）和老年听力障碍（OHI）成年听众，以及评估- 评估明确后的时间处理的知觉和电生理措施的改善 听觉时间加工任务训练。我们的中心假设是，训练听觉颞叶前- cessing将同时改善知觉表现和神经编码，这将 缩小组间年龄相关差异的差距。有了强有力的初步数据在手，中央 假设将通过追求三个具体目标进行测试：（1）确定知觉训练的程度 使用简单的非语音刺激的时间速率辨别， YNH、YHI、ONH和OHI听众;（2）确定对言语线索的知觉训练在多大程度上影响了听力。 在离散时间线索不同的对比词中的犯罪行为改善了知觉和神经编码， YNH，YHI，ONH和OHI听众;（3）确定知觉训练对处理的影响程度 呈现率增加的句子的数量可以改善YNH的行为表现和神经编码， YHI、ONH和OHI听众。预期的结果是，我们将了解什么知觉训练任务导致 感知和神经听觉时间处理的同时改善，研究结果将支持 对那些在日常生活中遇到沟通困难的老年听众产生重大影响，因为他们 将直接导致集中和新颖的康复形式。这项研究是创新的，因为我们将有 已建立的技术，被证明在听觉时间处理方面提供了显着的改善， 言语感知，结合神经编码改善的证据。这些研究将有助于 该计划的更大目标项目赠款，因为他们将有助于确定大脑中的神经可塑性机制 与年轻人和老年人成功的行为结果相对应。这些研究将 服务于计划项目赠款的更大目标，因为它们将有助于识别神经可塑性机制 与年轻人和老年人成功的行为结果相对应。

PROJECT 2 – ABSTRACT The detrimental effects of aging on auditory temporal processing have been well documented in humans and animal models. At present, there are gaps in knowledge of the extent to which these auditory temporal processing deficits can be mitigated in older adults with or without hearing loss through auditory training and neuroplasticity, to improve precision of neural timing and speech understanding. Our long-term goal is to determine the extent to which hearing deficits in older adults can be ameliorated with auditory training. We propose an innovative approach to the investigation of aging, hearing, and neuroplasticity by marrying perceptual training experiments with electrophysiological measurements. The objectives are to compare young normal-hearing (YNH), older nor- mal-hearing (ONH), young hearing-impaired, (YHI), and older hearing-impaired (OHI) adult listeners, and eval- uate the improvements in perceptual and electrophysiological measures of temporal processing after explicit training on auditory temporal processing tasks. Our central hypothesis is that training of auditory temporal pro- cessing will produce concomitant improvements in both perceptual performance and neural encoding, which will close the gap in the age-related differences between groups. With strong preliminary data in hand, the central hypothesis will be tested by pursuing three specific aims: (1) Determine the extent to which perceptual training on temporal rate discrimination using simple non-speech stimuli improves perceptual and neural encoding in YNH, YHI, ONH, and OHI listeners; (2) Determine the extent to which perceptual training on speech cue dis- crimination in contrasting words differing in discrete temporal cues improves perceptual and neural encoding in YNH, YHI, ONH, and OHI listeners; and (3) Determine the extent to which perceptual training on the processing of sentences with increasing presentation rate can improve behavioral performance and neural encoding in YNH, YHI, ONH, and OHI listeners. The expected outcomes are that we will learn what perceptual training tasks lead to simultaneous improvements in perceptual and neural auditory temporal processing and the findings will pro- duce a significant impact in older listeners who experience difficulty in communicating in daily life because they will lead directly to focused and novel forms of rehabilitation. This research is innovative because we will have established techniques that are proven to provide significant improvements in auditory temporal processing and speech perception, combined with evidence of improvements to neural encoding. These studies will serve the larger goals of the program project grant because they will help identify the neuroplastic mechanisms in the brain of humans that correspond to successful behavioral outcomes in younger and older adults. These studies will serve the larger goals of the program project grant because they will help identify the neuroplastic mechanisms in the brain of humans that correspond to successful behavioral outcomes in younger and older adults.