INTENSITY DLS AND MASKING IN NORMAL AND IMPAIRED HEARING

我们的长期目标是开发听觉的分析模型， 处理正常和听力受损的音调、噪音和言语。 精确的定量模型在听觉科学领域是重要的 有效地康复听力障碍，并提供更好的 诊断工具。 我们在受损听者中成功地建立了响度感知模型 表明，激励模式，这是来自掩蔽 模式，可以作为一个一般的框架，建模正常和受损 听证会 拟议中的研究验证了强度 听力正常和听力受损的人， 兴奋模式的基础 在第一阶段，我们测试和 正常听力中强度辨别的兴奋模式模型。 根据绝对阈值和掩蔽得出的预测将 与来自相同收听者的强度辨别数据相比。 强度辨别力将在很宽的范围内测量纯音 频率和强度以及双音复合体， 作为带宽和电平的函数的多音复合体。 所有 测量将采用具有自适应程序的2I，2AFC范例。 除了测试模型，这些实验还将提供一个 一套全面、紧密的掩蔽参考数据， 在相同的正常听众的模式和强度辨别。 在第二阶段，该模型被扩展到适用于有障碍的听众 主要是耳蜗起源。 该模型将根据 阈值和掩蔽测量。 由此得出的预测将 与这些听众的强度辨别性能相比， 设置第一阶段使用的刺激。 对于至少三个听众， 这些测量将在他们受损的耳朵中进行， 以及在他们正常的耳朵在安静和掩蔽下与噪音 频谱成形以模拟受损耳朵的听力损失。 这些 测量使我们能够单独评估增加的影响， 阈值和降低的频率选择性的强度歧视， 听力受损

Our long-term goal is to develop analytic models for the auditory processing of tones, noise, and speech in normal and impaired hearing. Precise quantitative models in the area of auditory science are important to effectively rehabilate hearing impairment and to provide better diagnostic tools. Our successful modeling of loudness perception in impaired listeners indicates that excitation patterns, which are derived from masking patterns, may serve as a general framework for modeling normal and impaired hearing. The proposed research tests the hypothesis that intensity discrimination, both in normal and impaired hearing, can be predicted on the basis of excitation patterns. In Phase I, we test and excitation-pattern model for intensity discrimination in normal hearing. Predictions derived on the basis of absolute thresholds and masking will be compared to intensity discrimination data from the same listeners. Intensity discrimination will be measured for pure tones over a wide range of frequencies and intensities as well as for two-tone complexes and multi-tone complexes as a function of bandwidth and level. All measurements will employ a 2I, 2AFC paradigm with an adaptive procedure. In addition to testing the model, these experiments will also provide a comprehensive, cohesive set of direly needed reference data for masking patterns and intensity discrimination in the same normal listeners. In Phase II, the model is extended to apply to listeners with impairments of predominantly cochlear origin. The model will be modified on the basis of threshold and masking measurements. Predictions thus derived will compared to these listeners' intensity discrimination performance for the set stimuli used in Phase I. For at least three listeners with unilateral impairments, these measurements will be performed in their impaired ears as well as in their normal ears in quiet and under masking with a noise spectrally shaped to simulate the hearing loss in the impaired ear. These measurements permit us to separately assess the effects of increased thresholds and reduced frequency selectivity on intensity discrimination in impaired hearing.