Speech Pattern Recognition in Electric Hearing

这项研究的长期目标是了解电刺激听觉系统参与语音识别的机制，并进一步了解听觉皮质的可塑性。本方案将解决三个基本问题：1)电诱发的外周神经模式如何受语音处理器参数变化的影响？2)中枢语音模式模板是否被新的外周神经模式重塑？3)人工耳蜗术后患者言语表现的高度变异性的原因是什么？本研究的假设是，电听觉中的语音识别主要是基于电诱发的周围神经模式和中枢语音模式模板之间的相似性度量。根据患者使用植入设备的经验，中央语音模式模板在一定程度上可以适应新的外围模式。我们进一步假设，听觉分辨率的缺陷会显著降低人工耳蜗者在语音模式识别中的能力。本研究不仅对理解电刺激语音模式识别的机制具有重要的理论意义，而且对设计合适的人工耳蜗者语音处理器和临床配戴系统具有重要的临床意义。从目前的建议中得出的原理，如听觉分辨率和言语表现之间的关系，也可能有助于理解听力受损患者的知觉问题。

The long-term goal of this research is to understand the mechanisms involved in speech recognition by the electrically stimulated auditory system, and further, the plasticity of the auditory cortex. The present proposal will address three fundamental questions of speech perception in electric hearing: 1) How are the electrically evoked peripheral neural patterns affected by parametric variations of the speech processor? 2) Ho are the central speech pattern templates reshaped by new peripheral neural patterns? 3) What are the causes of the high variability in speech performance among cochlear implants patients? The hypothesis of this research is that speech recognition in electric hearing is primarily based on a similarity measure between electrically evoked peripheral neural patterns and central speech pattern templates. Based on patients' experience with the implant device, central speech pattern templates can accommodate new peripheral patterns, to some degree. We further hypothesize that a deficit in auditory resolution can remarkably reduce cochlear implant users' capabilities in speech pattern recognition. The significance of this research is not only of theoretical interest in understanding the mechanism involved in speech pattern recognition by electrical stimulation, but also of great clinical importance in designing appropriate speech processors and clinical fitting systems for cochlear implant listeners. It is also possible that principles derived from the present proposals, such as the relation between auditory resolution and speech performance, , are useful to understand the perception problem in hearing-impaired patients.