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Acta Otorrinolaringologica Espanola 2015Given the relevance of possible hearing losses due to sound overloads and the short list of references of objective procedures for their study, we provide a technique...
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES
Given the relevance of possible hearing losses due to sound overloads and the short list of references of objective procedures for their study, we provide a technique that gives precise data about the audiometric profile and recruitment factor. Our objectives were to determine peripheral fatigue, through the cochlear microphonic response to sound pressure overload stimuli, as well as to measure recovery time, establishing parameters for differentiation with regard to current psychoacoustic and clinical studies.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
We used specific instruments for the study of cochlear microphonic response, plus a function generator that provided us with stimuli of different intensities and harmonic components. In Wistar rats, we first measured the normal microphonic response and then the effect of auditory fatigue on it.
RESULTS
Using a 60dB pure tone acoustic stimulation, we obtained a microphonic response at 20dB. We then caused fatigue with 100dB of the same frequency, reaching a loss of approximately 11dB after 15minutes; after that, the deterioration slowed and did not exceed 15dB. By means of complex random tone maskers or white noise, no fatigue was caused to the sensory receptors, not even at levels of 100dB and over an hour of overstimulation.
CONCLUSIONS
No fatigue was observed in terms of sensory receptors. Deterioration of peripheral perception through intense overstimulation may be due to biochemical changes of desensitisation due to exhaustion. Auditory fatigue in subjective clinical trials presumably affects supracochlear sections. The auditory fatigue tests found are not in line with those obtained subjectively in clinical and psychoacoustic trials.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Animals; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Auditory Fatigue; Cochlear Microphonic Potentials; Equipment Design; Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer; Noise; Rats; Rats, Wistar
PubMed: 25109540
DOI: 10.1016/j.otorri.2014.05.004 -
Handbook of Clinical Neurology 2015Auditory development involves changes in the peripheral and central nervous system along the auditory pathways, and these occur naturally, and in response to... (Review)
Review
Auditory development involves changes in the peripheral and central nervous system along the auditory pathways, and these occur naturally, and in response to stimulation. Human development occurs along a trajectory that can last decades, and is studied using behavioral psychophysics, as well as physiologic measurements with neural imaging. The auditory system constructs a perceptual space that takes information from objects and groups, segregates sounds, and provides meaning and access to communication tools such as language. Auditory signals are processed in a series of analysis stages, from peripheral to central. Coding of information has been studied for features of sound, including frequency, intensity, loudness, and location, in quiet and in the presence of maskers. In the latter case, the ability of the auditory system to perform an analysis of the scene becomes highly relevant. While some basic abilities are well developed at birth, there is a clear prolonged maturation of auditory development well into the teenage years. Maturation involves auditory pathways. However, non-auditory changes (attention, memory, cognition) play an important role in auditory development. The ability of the auditory system to adapt in response to novel stimuli is a key feature of development throughout the nervous system, known as neural plasticity.
Topics: Acoustic Stimulation; Animals; Auditory Pathways; Auditory Perception; Hearing; Humans; Psychoacoustics
PubMed: 25726262
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-62630-1.00003-2 -
Trends in Hearing Apr 2016The growing availability of efficient and relatively inexpensive virtual auditory display technology has provided new research platforms to explore the perception of... (Review)
Review
The growing availability of efficient and relatively inexpensive virtual auditory display technology has provided new research platforms to explore the perception of auditory motion. At the same time, deployment of these technologies in command and control as well as in entertainment roles is generating an increasing need to better understand the complex processes underlying auditory motion perception. This is a particularly challenging processing feat because it involves the rapid deconvolution of the relative change in the locations of sound sources produced by rotational and translations of the head in space (self-motion) to enable the perception of actual source motion. The fact that we perceive our auditory world to be stable despite almost continual movement of the head demonstrates the efficiency and effectiveness of this process. This review examines the acoustical basis of auditory motion perception and a wide range of psychophysical, electrophysiological, and cortical imaging studies that have probed the limits and possible mechanisms underlying this perception.
Topics: Acoustics; Animals; Cues; Electroencephalography; Head Movements; Humans; Motion; Motion Perception; Psychoacoustics; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Sound; Sound Localization; Space Perception; Time Factors
PubMed: 27094029
DOI: 10.1177/2331216516644254 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2014Tinnitus is an interaction of the environment, cognition, and plasticity. The connection between the individual with tinnitus and their world seldom receives attention... (Review)
Review
Tinnitus is an interaction of the environment, cognition, and plasticity. The connection between the individual with tinnitus and their world seldom receives attention in neurophysiological research. As well as changes in cell excitability, an individual's culture and beliefs, and work and social environs may all influence how tinnitus is perceived. In this review, an ecological framework for current neurophysiological evidence is considered. The model defines tinnitus as the perception of an auditory object in the absence of an acoustic event. It is hypothesized that following deafferentation: adaptive feature extraction, schema, and semantic object formation processes lead to tinnitus in a manner predicted by Adaptation Level Theory (1, 2). Evidence from physiological studies is compared to the tenants of the proposed ecological model. The consideration of diverse events within an ecological context may unite seemingly disparate neurophysiological models.
PubMed: 25566177
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2014.00271 -
Neuroscience Oct 2018Music is a curious example of a temporally patterned acoustic stimulus, and a compelling pan-cultural phenomenon. This review strives to bring some insights from decades... (Review)
Review
Music is a curious example of a temporally patterned acoustic stimulus, and a compelling pan-cultural phenomenon. This review strives to bring some insights from decades of music psychology and sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) literature into the mainstream auditory domain, arguing that musical rhythm perception is shaped in important ways by temporal processing mechanisms in the brain. The feature that unites these disparate disciplines is an appreciation of the central importance of timing, sequencing, and anticipation. Perception of musical rhythms relies on an ability to form temporal predictions, a general feature of temporal processing that is equally relevant to auditory scene analysis, pattern detection, and speech perception. By bringing together findings from the music and auditory literature, we hope to inspire researchers to look beyond the conventions of their respective fields and consider the cross-disciplinary implications of studying auditory temporal sequence processing. We begin by highlighting music as an interesting sound stimulus that may provide clues to how temporal patterning in sound drives perception. Next, we review the SMS literature and discuss possible neural substrates for the perception of, and synchronization to, musical beat. We then move away from music to explore the perceptual effects of rhythmic timing in pattern detection, auditory scene analysis, and speech perception. Finally, we review the neurophysiology of general timing processes that may underlie aspects of the perception of rhythmic patterns. We conclude with a brief summary and outlook for future research.
Topics: Animals; Auditory Perception; Humans; Music; Psychoacoustics; Time Factors
PubMed: 29108832
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.10.041 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2023Aeroacoustic noise in multiple rotor drones has been increasingly recognized as a crucial issue, while noise reduction is normally associated with a trade-off between...
Aeroacoustic noise in multiple rotor drones has been increasingly recognized as a crucial issue, while noise reduction is normally associated with a trade-off between aerodynamic performance and sound suppression as well as sound quality improvement. Here, we propose an integrated methodology to evaluate both aeroacoustics and psychoacoustics of a single propeller. For a loop-type propeller, an experimental investigation was conducted in association with its aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics via a hover stand test in an anechoic chamber; the psychoacoustic performance was then examined with psychoacoustic annoyance models to evaluate five psychoacoustic metrics comprising loudness, fluctuation strength, roughness, sharpness, and tonality. A comparison of the figure of merit (FM), the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) and psychoacoustic metrics was undertaken among a two-blade propeller, a four-blade propeller, the loop-type propeller, a wide chord loop-type propeller, and a DJI Phantom III propeller, indicating that the loop-type propeller enables a remarkable reduction in OASPL and a noticeable improvement in sound quality while achieving comparable aerodynamic performance. Furthermore, the psychoacoustic analysis demonstrates that the loop-type propeller can improve the psychological response to various noises in terms of the higher-level broadband and lower-level tonal noise components. It is thus verified that the integrated evaluation methodology of aeroacoustics and psychoacoustics can be a useful tool in the design of low-noise propellers in association with multirotor drones.
Topics: Psychoacoustics; Noise; Sound; Acoustics; Benchmarking
PubMed: 36767321
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031955 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2017There are several established, and an increasing number of putative, therapies using sound to treat tinnitus. There appear to be few guidelines for sound therapy... (Review)
Review
There are several established, and an increasing number of putative, therapies using sound to treat tinnitus. There appear to be few guidelines for sound therapy selection and application. To review current approaches to personalizing sound therapy for tinnitus. A "state-of-the-art" review (Grant and Booth, 2009) was undertaken to answer the question: how do current sound-based therapies for tinnitus adjust for tinnitus heterogeneity? Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase and PubMed were searched for the 10-year period 2006-2016. The search strategy used the following key words: "tinnitus" AND "sound" AND "therapy" AND "guidelines" OR "personalized" OR "customized" OR "individual" OR "questionnaire" OR "selection." The results of the review were cataloged and organized into themes. In total 165 articles were reviewed in full, 83 contained sufficient details to contribute to answering the study question. The key themes identified were hearing compensation, pitched-match therapy, maskability, reaction to sound and psychosocial factors. Although many therapies mentioned customization, few could be classified as being personalized. Several psychoacoustic and questionnaire-based methods for assisting treatment selection were identified. Assessment methods are available to assist clinicians to personalize sound-therapy and empower patients to be active in therapy decision-making. Most current therapies are modified using only one characteristic of the individual and/or their tinnitus.
PubMed: 28970812
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01599 -
Hearing Research Jun 2017For decades, we have presumed the death of hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons are the main cause of hearing loss and difficulties understanding speech in noise, but... (Review)
Review
For decades, we have presumed the death of hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons are the main cause of hearing loss and difficulties understanding speech in noise, but new findings suggest synapse loss may be the key contributor. Specifically, recent preclinical studies suggest that the synapses between inner hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons with low spontaneous rates and high thresholds are the most vulnerable subcellular structures, with respect to insults during aging and noise exposure. This cochlear synaptopathy can be "hidden" because this synaptic loss can occur without permanent hearing threshold shifts. This new discovery of synaptic loss opens doors to new research directions. Here, we review a number of recent studies and make suggestions in two critical future research directions. First, based on solid evidence of cochlear synaptopathy in animal models, it is time to apply molecular approaches to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms; improved understanding is necessary for developing rational, effective therapies against this cochlear synaptopathy. Second, in human studies, the data supporting cochlear synaptopathy are indirect although rapid progress has been made. To fully identify changes in function that are directly related this hidden synaptic damage, we argue that a battery of tests including both electrophysiological and behavior tests should be combined for diagnosis of "hidden hearing loss" in clinical studies. This new approach may provide a direct link between cochlear synaptopathy and perceptual difficulties.
Topics: Animals; Auditory Perception; Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner; Hearing; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced; Hearing Tests; Humans; Noise; Predictive Value of Tests; Psychoacoustics; Spiral Ganglion; Synapses; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 28007526
DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2016.12.008 -
Scientific Reports May 2021Misophonia is a condition where a strong arousal response is triggered when hearing specific human generated sounds, like chewing, and/or repetitive tapping noises, like...
Misophonia is a condition where a strong arousal response is triggered when hearing specific human generated sounds, like chewing, and/or repetitive tapping noises, like pen clicking. It is diagnosed with clinical interviews and questionnaires since no psychoacoustic tools exist to assess its presence. The present study was aimed at developing and testing a new assessment tool for misophonia. The method was inspired by an approach we have recently developed for hyperacusis. It consisted of presenting subjects (n = 253) with misophonic, pleasant, and unpleasant sounds in an online experiment. The task was to rate them on a pleasant to unpleasant visual analog scale. Subjects were labeled as misophonics (n = 78) or controls (n = 55) by using self-report questions and a misophonia questionnaire, the MisoQuest. There was a significant difference between controls and misophonics in the median global rating of misophonic sounds. On the other hand, median global rating of unpleasant, and pleasant sounds did not differ significantly. We selected a subset of the misophonic sounds to form the core discriminant sounds of misophonia (CDS). A metric: the CDS score, was used to quantitatively measure misophonia, both with a global score and with subscores. The latter could specifically quantify aversion towards different sound sources/events, i.e., mouth, breathing/nose, throat, and repetitive sounds. A receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the method accurately classified subjects with and without misophonia (accuracy = 91%). The present study suggests that the psychoacoustic test we have developed can be used to assess misophonia reliably and quickly.
Topics: Adult; Affective Symptoms; Arousal; Emotions; Female; Humans; Hyperacusis; Male; Psychoacoustics; Self Report; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34040061
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90355-8 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Nov 2019What is universal about music, and what varies? We built a corpus of ethnographic text on musical behavior from a representative sample of the world's societies, as well...
What is universal about music, and what varies? We built a corpus of ethnographic text on musical behavior from a representative sample of the world's societies, as well as a discography of audio recordings. The ethnographic corpus reveals that music (including songs with words) appears in every society observed; that music varies along three dimensions (formality, arousal, religiosity), more within societies than across them; and that music is associated with certain behavioral contexts such as infant care, healing, dance, and love. The discography-analyzed through machine summaries, amateur and expert listener ratings, and manual transcriptions-reveals that acoustic features of songs predict their primary behavioral context; that tonality is widespread, perhaps universal; that music varies in rhythmic and melodic complexity; and that elements of melodies and rhythms found worldwide follow power laws.
Topics: Anthropology, Cultural; Auditory Perception; Behavior; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Dancing; Humans; Infant Care; Infant, Newborn; Love; Music; Psychoacoustics; Religion; Singing
PubMed: 31753969
DOI: 10.1126/science.aax0868