Behavioral measures of frequency selectivity in the chinchilla.

A simultaneous masking procedure was used to derive four measures of frequency selectivity in the chinchilla. The first experiment measured critical masking ratios (CRs) at various signal frequencies. Estimates of the chinchillas' critical bandwidths derived from the CRs were much broader than comparable human estimates, indicating that the chinchilla may have inferior frequency selectivity. The second experiment measured critical bandwidths at 1, 2, and 4 kHz in a band-narrowing experiment. This technique yielded narrower estimates of critical bandwidth; however, chinchillas continued to exhibit poor frequency selectivity compared to man. The third experiment measured auditory-filter shape at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz via rippled noise masking. Results of the rippled noise masking experiment indicate that auditory filters of humans and chinchillas are similar in terms of shape and bandwidth with chinchillas showing only slightly poorer frequency selectivity. The final experiment measured auditory filter shape at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz using notched noise masking. This experiment yielded auditory filter shapes and bandwidths similar to those derived from man. The discrepancy between the indirect estimates of frequency selectivity derived from CR and band-narrowing techniques and the direct estimates derived from rippled noise and notched noise masking are explained by taking into account the processing efficiency of the subjects.     

Masking patterns in the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana). II: Physiological effects

Responses of individual eighth-nerve fibers in the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) were measured to tone bursts at best frequency against a background of continuous, broadband masking noise. These data were used to calculate critical masking ratios to describe the fibers' responses to tones embedded in noise. In the frequency response range of the amphibian papilla (100-1000 Hz), critical ratios increase with tone frequency. Critical ratios of basilar papilla fibers (1000-2000 Hz) are generally higher than those of amphibian papilla fibers. Critical ratios are also significantly related to fiber threshold such that fibers with high thresholds, regardless of their best frequencies, have higher critical ratios and are thus less selective to signals embedded in noise. Critical ratios based on neural responses show a somewhat different frequency-dependent trend than do critical ratios based on psychophysical data presented previously for this species [A. M. Simmons, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 83, 1087-1092 (1988a)]. In addition, these neural critical ratios do not appear to be level independent, as are psychophysical critical ratios. The data suggest that frequency selectivity of hearing in the bullfrog as measured behaviorally is probably not mediated solely by spectral filtering in the auditory periphery.     

NoSo and NoS pi detection as a function of masker bandwidth in normal-hearing and cochlear-impaired listeners

NoSo and NoS pi detection thresholds for a 500-Hz pure-tone signal were measured as a function of masking noise bandwidth in normal-hearing and cochlear hearing-impaired subjects. NoSo and NoS pi critical bands were derived from the bandlimited noise functions. A notched noise measure of the monaural critical band was also obtained for each ear. One hypothesis tested was that an asymmetrical monaural critical band would result in a relatively steep improvement of the NoS pi detection threshold as a function of decreasing masker bandwidth and would, therefore, be associated with a wider binaural critical band. This was hypothesized because the outputs of the left and right auditory filters would be more decorrelated the greater the interaural difference in the monaural critical band. However, as the noise bandwidth was narrowed, the decorrelation would lessen, resulting in a relatively steep improvement in NoS pi detection. Results indicated that the masking level difference (MLD) was smaller and that the monaural critical bands were generally wider in cochlear-impaired listeners. NoSo and NoS pi critical bands were somewhat larger in the cochlear hearing-impaired listeners having relatively wide monaural critical bands. There was a significant correlation between monaural critical band asymmetry and the NoS pi critical band; however, this correlation was insignificant when a control was employed for the critical band in the worse ear. Therefore, the present results did not support a strong association between monaural critical band asymmetry and the width of the NoS pi critical band.     

Cochlear implant speech recognition with speech maskers

Speech recognition performance was measured in normal-hearing and cochlear-implant listeners with maskers consisting of either steady-state speech-spectrum-shaped noise or a competing sentence. Target sentences from a male talker were presented in the presence of one of three competing talkers (same male, different male, or female) or speech-spectrum-shaped noise generated from this talker at several target-to-masker ratios. For the normal-hearing listeners, target-masker combinations were processed through a noise-excited vocoder designed to simulate a cochlear implant. With unprocessed stimuli, a normal-hearing control group maintained high levels of intelligibility down to target-to-masker ratios as low as 0 dB and showed a release from masking, producing better performance with single-talker maskers than with steady-state noise. In contrast, no masking release was observed in either implant or normal-hearing subjects listening through an implant simulation. The performance of the simulation and implant groups did not improve when the single-talker masker was a different talker compared to the same talker as the target speech, as was found in the normal-hearing control. These results are interpreted as evidence for a significant role of informational masking and modulation interference in cochlear implant speech recognition with fluctuating maskers. This informational masking may originate from increased target-masker similarity when spectral resolution is reduced.     

Underwater temporary threshold shift induced by octave-band noise in three species of pinniped.

Pure-tone sound detection thresholds were obtained in water for one harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), two California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), and one northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) before and immediately following exposure to octave-band noise. Additional thresholds were obtained following a 24-h recovery period. Test frequencies ranged from 100 Hz to 2000 Hz and octave-band exposure levels were approximately 60-75 dB SL (sensation level at center frequency). Each subject was trained to dive into a noise field and remain stationed underwater during a noise-exposure period that lasted a total of 20-22 min. Following exposure, three of the subjects showed threshold shifts averaging 4.8 dB (Phoca), 4.9 dB (Zalophus), and 4.6 dB (Mirounga). Recovery to baseline threshold levels was observed in test sessions conducted within 24 h of noise exposure. Control sessions in which the subjects completed a simulated noise exposure produced shifts that were significantly smaller than those observed following noise exposure. These results indicate that noise of moderate intensity and duration is sufficient to induce TTS under water in these pinniped species.     

Comparisons of frequency selectivity in simultaneous and forward masking for subjects with unilateral cochlear impairments

Two experiments are described in which frequency selectivity was estimated, in simultaneous and forward masking, for each ear of subjects with moderate (25-60 dB HL) unilateral cochlear hearing losses. In both experiments, the signal level was fixed for a given ear and type of masking (simultaneous or forward), and the masker level was varied to determine threshold, using an adaptive, two-alternative forced-choice procedure. In experiment I, the masker was a noise with a spectral notch centered at the signal frequency (either 1.0 or 1.5 kHz); threshold was determined as a function of notch width. Signal levels were chosen so that the noise level required at threshold for a notch width of zero was similar for the normal and impaired ear of each subject in both simultaneous and forward masking. The function relating threshold to notch width had a steeper slope for the normal ear than for the impaired ear of each subject. For the normal ears, these functions were steeper in forward masking than in simultaneous masking. This difference was interpreted as resulting from suppression. For the impaired ears, significant differences in the same direction were observed for three of the five subjects, but the differences were smaller. In experiment II, psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) were determined in the presence of a fixed notched noise centered at the signal frequency (1.0 kHz). For the normal ears, the PTCs were sharper in forward masking than in simultaneous masking. For the impaired ears, the PTCs were similar in simultaneous and forward masking, but those in forward masking tended to be sharper at masker frequencies far removed from the signal frequency. Overall, the results suggest that suppression is reduced, but not completely absent in cases of moderate cochlear hearing loss.     

Ipsilateral masking between acoustic and electric stimulations

Residual acoustic hearing can be preserved in the same ear following cochlear implantation with minimally traumatic surgical techniques and short-electrode arrays. The combined electric-acoustic stimulation significantly improves cochlear implant performance, particularly speech recognition in noise. The present study measures simultaneous masking by electric pulses on acoustic pure tones, or vice versa, to investigate electric-acoustic interactions and their underlying psychophysical mechanisms. Six subjects, with acoustic hearing preserved at low frequencies in their implanted ear, participated in the study. One subject had a fully inserted 24 mm Nucleus Freedom array and five subjects had Iowa/Nucleus hybrid implants that were only 10 mm in length. Electric masking data of the long-electrode subject showed that stimulation from the most apical electrodes produced threshold elevations over 10 dB for 500, 625, and 750 Hz probe tones, but no elevation for 125 and 250 Hz tones. On the contrary, electric stimulation did not produce any electric masking in the short-electrode subjects. In the acoustic masking experiment, 125-750 Hz pure tones were used to acoustically mask electric stimulation. The acoustic masking results showed that, independent of pure tone frequency, both long- and short-electrode subjects showed threshold elevations at apical and basal electrodes. The present results can be interpreted in terms of underlying physiological mechanisms related to either place-dependent peripheral masking or place-independent central masking.     

Spatial release from masking of aerial tones in pinnipeds

In most masking experiments, target signals and sound intended to mask are located in the same position. Spatial release from masking (SRM) occurs when signals and maskers are spatially separated, resulting in detection improvement relative to when they are spatially co-located. In this study, SRM was investigated in a harbor seal, who naturally lacks pinnae, and California sea lion, who possesses reduced pinnae. Subjects had to detect aerial tones at 1, 8, and 16 kHz in the presence of octave bands of white noise centered at the tone frequency. While the masker occurred in front of the subject (0 degree), the tone occurred at 0, 45, or 90 degrees in the horizontal plane. Unmasked thresholds were also measured at these angles to determine sensitivity differences based on source azimuth. Compared to when signal and masker where co-located, masked thresholds were lower by as much as 19 and 12 dB in the harbor seal and sea lion, respectively, when signal and masker were separated. Masked threshold differences of the harbor seal were larger than those previously measured under water. Performance was consistent with some measurements collected on terrestrial animals but differences between subjects at the highest frequency likely reflect variations in pinna anatomy.     

Understanding speech in modulated interference: cochlear implant users and normal-hearing listeners

Many competing noises in real environments are modulated or fluctuating in level. Listeners with normal hearing are able to take advantage of temporal gaps in fluctuating maskers. Listeners with sensorineural hearing loss show less benefit from modulated maskers. Cochlear implant users may be more adversely affected by modulated maskers because of their limited spectral resolution and by their reliance on envelope-based signal-processing strategies of implant processors. The current study evaluated cochlear implant users' ability to understand sentences in the presence of modulated speech-shaped noise. Normal-hearing listeners served as a comparison group. Listeners repeated IEEE sentences in quiet, steady noise, and modulated noise maskers. Maskers were presented at varying signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) at six modulation rates varying from 1 to 32 Hz. Results suggested that normal-hearing listeners obtain significant release from masking from modulated maskers, especially at 8-Hz masker modulation frequency. In contrast, cochlear implant users experience very little release from masking from modulated maskers. The data suggest, in fact, that they may show negative effects of modulated maskers at syllabic modulation rates (2-4 Hz). Similar patterns of results were obtained from implant listeners using three different devices with different speech-processor strategies. The lack of release from masking occurs in implant listeners independent of their device characteristics, and may be attributable to the nature of implant processing strategies and/or the lack of spectral detail in processed stimuli.     

The effect of broadband noise on the human brainstem auditory evoked response. II. Frequency specificity

A series of experiments evaluated the effects of broadband noise (ipsilateral) on wave V of the brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) elicited by tone bursts or clicks in the presence of high-pass masking noise. Experiment 1 used 1000- and 4000-Hz, 60-dB nHL tone bursts in the presence of broadband noise. With increasing noise level, wave V latency shift was greater for the 1000-Hz tone bursts, while amplitude decrements were similar for both tone-burst frequencies. Experiment 2 varied high-pass masker cutoff frequency and the level of subtotal masking in the presence of 50-dB nHL clicks. The effects of subtotal masking on wave V (increase in latency and decrease in amplitude) increased with increasing derived-band frequency. Experiment 3 covaried high-pass masker cutoff frequency and subtotal masking level for 1000- and 4000-Hz tone-burst stimuli. The effect of subtotal masking on wave V latency was reduced for both tone-burst frequencies when the response-generating region of the cochlear partition was limited by high-pass maskers. The results of these three experiments suggest that most of the wave V latency shift associated with increasing levels of broadband noise is mediated by a place mechanism when the stimulus is a moderate intensity (60 dB nHL), low-frequency (1000 Hz) tone burst. However, the interpretation of the latency shifts produced by broadband noise for 4000-Hz tone-burst stimuli is made more complex by multiple technical factors discussed herein.     

Binaural critical masking bands.

Current understanding of the relation monaural estimates of the critical bandwidth for masking and those obtained in binaural listening situations is poor. The present study was designed to improve this situation by obtaining estimates of critical bandwich when the signal and masker were presented: (1) monaurally (NmSm), (2) binaurally with both signal and masker in phase at the ears (NoSo), (3) binaurally with masker in phase and signals 180 degrees out of phase (NoSpi). Threshold estimates were obtained in a two-interval forced-choice paradigm as a function of masker bandwidth for signal frequencies of 500 and 2000 Hz for the three conditions mentioned above. Maskers were computer-synthesized and had essentially infinite rejection slopes. For all conditions, as masker bandwidth was narrowed from wide band, threshold remained relatively constant until some critical bandwidth was reached. Further reductions in bandwidth were followed by progressive lowering of threshold, presumably due to removal of masker energy in the critical band. For both signal frequencies, the derived critical bandwidth estimates for the NmSm and NoSo conditions were similar and were smaller than the critical bandwidth estimates obtained in the NoSpi condition.     

Signal-to-noise ratio for source determination and for a comodulated masker in goldfish, Carassius auratus

The masking effects of white and amplitude comodulated noise were studied with respect to simple signal detection and sound source determination in goldfish. A stimulus generalization method was used to determine the signal-to-noise ratio required to completely determine the signal's characteristics. It was found that the S∕N required for this determination is about 4 dB greater than that required for signal detection, or was about 4 dB greater than the critical masking ratio. This means that the potential harm to fish of a given masking noise is at least 4 dB greater than previously thought, based on critical masking ratios. However, for amplitude comodulated noise between 10 and 50 Hz modulation rate, the potential harmful effects are up to 5.3 dB less than would be predicted from the critical masking ratio for unmodulated noise.     

Spectro-temporal analysis in normal-hearing and cochlear-impaired listeners

Detection thresholds for a 1.0-kHz pure tone were determined in unmodulated noise and in noise modulated by a 15-Hz square wave. Comodulation masking release (CMR) was calculated as the difference in threshold between the modulated and unmodulated conditions. The noise bandwidth varied between 100 and 1000 Hz. Frequency selectivity was also examined using an abbreviated notched-noise masking method. The subjects in the main experiment consisted of 12 normal-hearing and 12 hearing-impaired subjects with hearing loss of cochlear origin. The most discriminating conditions were repeated on 16 additional hearing-impaired subjects. The CMR of the hearing-impaired group was reduced for the 1000-Hz noise bandwidth. The reduced CMR at this bandwidth correlated significantly with reduced frequency selectivity, consistent with the hypothesis that the across-frequency difference cue used in CMR is diminished by poor frequency selectivity. The results indicated that good frequency selectivity is a prerequisite, but not a guarantee, of large CMR.     

Psychophysical suppression effects for tonal and speech signals.

This experiment assessed the benefits of suppression and the impact of reduced or absent suppression on speech recognition in noise. Psychophysical suppression was measured in forward masking using tonal maskers and suppressors and band limited noise maskers and suppressors. Subjects were 10 younger and 10 older adults with normal hearing, and 10 older adults with cochlear hearing loss. For younger subjects with normal hearing, suppression measured with noise maskers increased with masker level and was larger at 2.0 kHz than at 0.8 kHz. Less suppression was observed for older than younger subjects with normal hearing. There was little evidence of suppression for older subjects with cochlear hearing loss. Suppression measured with noise maskers and suppressors was larger in magnitude and more prevalent than suppression measured with tonal maskers and suppressors. The benefit of suppression to speech recognition in noise was assessed by obtaining scores for filtered consonant-vowel syllables as a function of the bandwidth of a forward masker. Speech-recognition scores in forward maskers should be higher than those in simultaneous maskers given that forward maskers are less effective than simultaneous maskers. If suppression also mitigated the effects of the forward masker and resulted in an improved signal-to-noise ratio, scores should decrease less in forward masking as forward-masker bandwidth increased, and differences between scores in forward and simultaneous maskers should increase, as was observed for younger subjects with normal hearing. Less or no benefit of suppression to speech recognition in noise was observed for older subjects with normal hearing or hearing loss. In general, as suppression measured with tonal signals increased, the combined benefit of forward masking and suppression to speech recognition in noise also increased.     

Psychophysical correlates of contralateral efferent suppression. I. The role of the medial olivocochlear system in "central masking" in nonhuman primates

An extensive physiological literature, including experimental and clinical studies in humans, demonstrates that activation of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system, by either contralateral sound or electrical stimulation, can produce significant alterations in cochlear function and suggests a role for the MOC system in influencing the auditory behavior of binaural hearing. The present data are from psychophysical studies in nonhuman primates which seek to determine if the noted physiological changes in response to contralateral acoustic stimulation have a perceptual counterpart. Four juvenile Japanese macaques were trained to respond to the presence of 1-s sinusoids, presented to the test ear, in an operant reinforcement paradigm. Thresholds were compared for frequencies ranging from 1.0 to 4.0 kHz in quiet, with thresholds measured when continuous, two octave-band noise, centered on the test tone frequency, was presented in the contralateral ear. Contralateral noise was presented at levels of 10-60 dB above detection threshold for the test-tone frequency. While some variability was evident across subjects, both in the frequency distribution and magnitude (as a function of contralateral noise level), all subjects exhibited an increase, or suppression of thresholds in the presence of contralateral noise. On average, thresholds increased systematically with contralateral noise level, to a peak of 7 dB. In one subject, the threshold increase seen with contralateral noise was significantly reduced when the MOC was surgically sectioned on the floor of the IVth ventricle. The characteristics of the measured shifts in behavioral thresholds, in the presence of contralateral noise reported here, are qualitatively and quantitatively similar to both efferent physiological suppression effects and psychophysical central masking threshold shifts which have been reported previously. These data suggest that at least some aspects of "central masking" are efferent-mediated peripheral processes, and that the term "central masking" may be incorrect.     

A new procedure for measuring peripheral compression in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners.

Forward-masking growth functions for on-frequency (6-kHz) and off-frequency (3-kHz) sinusoidal maskers were measured in quiet and in a high-pass noise just above the 6-kHz probe frequency. The data show that estimates of response-growth rates obtained from those functions in quiet, which have been used to infer cochlear compression, are strongly dependent on the spread of probe excitation toward higher frequency regions. Therefore, an alternative procedure for measuring response-growth rates was proposed, one that employs a fixed low-level probe and avoids level-dependent spread of probe excitation. Fixed-probe-level temporal masking curves (TMCs) were obtained from normal-hearing listeners at a test frequency of 1 kHz, where the short 1-kHz probe was fixed in level at about 10 dB SL. The level of the preceding forward masker was adjusted to obtain masked threshold as a function of the time delay between masker and probe. The TMCs were obtained for an on-frequency masker (1 kHz) and for other maskers with frequencies both below and above the probe frequency. From these measurements, input/output response-growth curves were derived for individual ears. Response-growth slopes varied from >1.0 at low masker levels to <0.2 at mid masker levels. In three subjects, response growth increased again at high masker levels (>80 dB SPL). For the fixed-level probe, the TMC slopes changed very little in the presence of a high-pass noise masking upward spread of probe excitation. A greater effect on the TMCs was observed when a high-frequency cueing tone was used with the masking tone. In both cases, however, the net effects on the estimated rate of response growth were minimal.     

Stimulus intensity and loudness recruitment: neural correlates

An abnormally rapid rate of loudness growth for given increments in stimulus intensity is seen both in patients with cochlear pathology and in normal listeners under conditions of wide-spectrum noise masking. The phenomenological similarity between these psychophysical observations raises the question of whether a single mechanism, or set of mechanisms, underlies them. Recent neurophysiological studies in animals have addressed the effects of cochlear pathology and noise masking on the neural correlates of stimulus intensity in the central auditory nervous system. A comparison of the data presented in those studies reveals that there are sequelae of cochlear pathology seen in the discharges of auditory-nerve fibers that might reasonably be expected to contribute to a steepened loudness function. These sequelae are not seen at the same locus in normal animals studied with noise masking paradigms. Noise masking, however, may have effects on the tonal sensitivity of more central neurons that mimic some of the sequelae of cochlear pathology seen in the auditory nerve. These data suggest that the mechanisms underlying the two manifestations of recruitment may be quite different, one having a uniquely cochlear site, while the other reflects purely central processes.     

Temporal integration, frequency resolution, and off-frequency listening in normal-hearing and cochlear-impaired listeners

Temporal integration for a 1000-Hz signal was determined for normal-hearing and cochlear hearing-impaired listeners in quiet and in masking noise of variable bandwidth. Critical ratio and 3-dB critical band measures of frequency resolution were derived from the masking data. Temporal integration for the normal-hearing listeners was markedly reduced in narrow-band noise, when contrasted with temporal integration in quiet or in wideband noise. The effect of noise bandwidth on temporal integration was smaller for the hearing-impaired group. Hearing-impaired subjects showed both reduced temporal integration and reduced frequency resolution for the 200-ms signal. However, a direct relation between temporal integration and frequency resolution was not indicated. Frequency resolution for the normal-hearing listeners did not differ from that of the hearing-impaired listeners for the 20-ms signal. It was suggested that some of the frequency resolution and temporal integration differences between normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners could be accounted for by off-frequency listening.     

Binaural unmasking with multiple adjacent masking electrodes in bilateral cochlear implant users

Bilateral cochlear implant (BiCI) users gain an advantage in noisy situations from a second implant, but their bilateral performance falls short of normal hearing listeners. Channel interactions due to overlapping electrical fields between electrodes can impair speech perception, but its role in limiting binaural hearing performance has not been well characterized. To address the issue, binaural masking level differences (BMLD) for a 125 Hz tone in narrowband noise were measured using a pair of pitch-matched electrodes while simultaneously presenting the same masking noise to adjacent electrodes, representing a more realistic stimulation condition compared to prior studies that used only a single electrode pair. For five subjects, BMLDs averaged 8.9 ± 1.0 dB (mean ± s.e.) in single electrode pairs but dropped to 2.1 ± 0.4 dB when presenting noise on adjacent masking electrodes, demonstrating a negative impact of the additional maskers. Removing the masking noise from only the pitch-matched electrode pair not only lowered thresholds but also resulted in smaller BMLDs. The degree of channel interaction estimated from auditory nerve evoked potentials in three subjects was significantly and negatively correlated with BMLD. The data suggest that if the amount of channel interactions can be reduced, BiCI users may experience some performance improvements related to binaural hearing.     

Localization of aerial pure tones by pinnipeds

In this study, minimum audible angles (MAAs) of aerial pure tones were measured in and compared between a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), and a California sea lion (Zalophus californianus). Testing was conducted between 0.8 and 16 kHz in the elephant seal and 0.8 and 20 kHz in the harbor seal and sea lion in a hemi-anechoic chamber using a left/right psychophysical procedure. Performance for the same frequencies was also quantified for discrete speaker separation of 5 degrees from the mid-line. For all subjects, MAAs ranged from approximately 3 degrees to 15 degrees and were generally equal to or larger than those previously measured in the same subjects with a broadband signal. Performance at 5 degrees ranged from chance to 97% correct, depending on frequency and subject. Poorest performance in the sea lion and harbor seal occurred at intermediate frequencies, which is consistent with the duplex theory of sound localization. In contrast, the elephant seal's poorest performance occurred at higher frequencies. The elephant seal's result suggests an inferior ability to utilize interaural level differences and is perhaps related to best hearing sensitivity shifted toward lower frequencies in this species relative to other pinnipeds.