外周听觉系统的时域信息编码能力和中枢听觉系统的信息处理效率共同影响聆听者使用声音时域信息感知言语的能力。目前研究尚未明确单纯外周听觉系统时域信息编码能力障碍对使用声音时域信息造成的影响。在国家自然科学青年基金支持下，我们研究发现，感音性与神经性听力损失分别导致不同程度外周听觉系统时域信息编码能力障碍；且两种听力损失对听觉系统使用声音时域信息能力的影响也完全不同。此研究结果提示，听力损失导致的外周听觉系统时域信息编码能力障碍，可能是影响聆听者使用声音时域信息感知言语的主要原因。本课题将结合心理物理学研究方法和“相减矩阵”的研究模式，比较分析听力正常人群与不同性质听力障碍患者去除中枢听觉系统信息处理效率影响后的时域信息感知能力，阐明单纯外周听觉系统时域信息编码能力障碍对听力损失患者使用声音时域信息感知言语的影响，为深入理解外周或中枢听觉系统分别在声音时域信息感知机制中的作用提供新的理论依据。

The auditory temporal processing for speech perception rely on two factors: the “temporal coding” in the peripheral auditory system and “processing Efficiency” in the central auditory system. However, it has not been clearly demonstrated that which factor “temporal coding” or “processing efficiency” may contribute to temporal processing, respectively. The research project which was funded by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China supported us to demonstrate that in comparison with cochlear hearing loss, neural hearing loss leads to different deficits in auditory capability in the peripheral auditory system, and also leads to more severe deficits in temporal processing in speech perception. These findings may indicate that the impaired “temporal coding” may be a key factor to impact on the ability to use temporal information in speech perception for hearing-impaired listeners. The present study will use psychoacoustic test to evaluate the temporal processing ability for hearing-impaired listeners, and adopt a “derived measure” to eliminate the factors of “processing efficiency” in temporal processing. This may highlight the importance of “temporal coding” in using temporal information to perceive speech for hearing-impaired listeners, and provide novel evidence for exploring the relative importance of the peripheral and central auditory system in temporal processing.