COMPLEX SOUND ANALYSIS IN NORMAL AND IMPAIRED LISTENERS

该项目的长期目标是提供更好的 了解声源分离的基本过程， 正常听觉系统和耳蜗功能障碍对这些 流程. 这将特别有助于实现一项目标， 理解使用耳蜗的听众所经历的困难 听力损失在竞争性听力情况下。 四个研究领域 被提议。 第一个领域涉及信息 在频率上组合关于频谱分散的信号， 改进检测。 感兴趣的是比较条件， 该信号由跨频率的能量增量组成， 条件，其中信号由跨 频率. 第二个研究领域涉及的情况是， 必须从包含多个信号的背景中提取复杂信号 调制模式 目的是确定在多大程度上 听觉系统可以实现并发的跨频率处理， 提取复合信号，并确定由 频率和时间分辨率对这种能力的损害。 的 研究的第三个领域审查的措施之间的对应关系， 跨频率处理和听觉分组。 一个系列的 实验评估共调节掩蔽释放的敏感性 (CMR)和调制检测干扰（MDI）的因素， 听觉群体的形成。 第二次调查实施了一项 CMR范例，以提供融合强度的客观测量， 所谓的听觉分组因素。 第四个研究领域是量化 耳蜗受损的听者的分离能力 不适当地存在的声音，并分离（或流） 连续出现的声音 最重要的是 在这些能力和频率选择性的功能之间， 时间分辨率在相同的听众。 共有15 耳蜗受损的听众和12名听力正常的对照组 将根据严格的年龄和听力标准招募听众。 测试将在一个经过声音处理的房间里进行， 计算机控制的自适应程序。 将使用以下方法分析数据： 简单的描述性统计、相关性和方差分析。

The long-term objective of this project is to provide a better understanding of the processes underlying sound source segregation in the normal auditory system and the effects of cochlear dysfunction on those processes. This will contribute, in particular, to an objective appreciation of the difficulties experienced by listeners with cochlear hearing loss in competitive listening situations. Four areas of study are proposed. The first area deals with the manner in which information concerning a spectrally-dispersed signal is combined across frequency to improve detection. Of interest is a comparison between conditions where the signal consists of an increment in energy across frequency and conditions where the signal consists of a decrement in energy across frequency. The second area of study is concerned with situations where a complex signal must be extracted from a background containing multiple modulation patterns. The aim is to determine the degree to which the auditory system can implement concurrent across-frequency processes to extract the complex signal and to ascertain the limitations imposed by impairments of frequency and temporal resolution on this ability. The third area of study examines the correspondence between measures of across-frequency processing and auditory grouping. One series of experiments assesses the susceptibility of comodulation masking release (CMR) and modulation detection interference (MDI) to factors which oppose the formation of auditory groupings. A second investigation implements a CMR paradigm to provide an objective measure of the fusion strength of purported auditory grouping factors. The fourth area of study quantifies the ability of cochlear-impaired listeners to segregate simultaneously-present sounds, and to segregate (or stream) sequentially-present sounds. Of primary interest is the relationship between these abilities and the functions of frequency selectivity and temporal resolution in the same listeners. A total of 15 cochlear-impaired listeners and a control group of 12 normally-hearing listeners will be recruited using strict age and audiometric criteria. Testing will take place in a sound-treated room under headphones using computer-controlled adaptive procedures. Data will be analyzed using simple descriptive statistics, correlations, and analyses of variance.