A case for auditory temporal processing as an evolutionary precursor to speech processing and language function

1995 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roslyn Holly Fitch ◽  
Paula Tallal
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Language Development ◽  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Auditory Information ◽  
Language Function ◽  
Auditory Temporal Processing ◽  
Human Speech ◽  
Communication Processes ◽  
Contrary Evidence

AbstractWilkins & Wakefield suggest that changes in the hominid brain made it uniquely “preadaptive” for language, yet no precursor functions served as adaptive substrates to the emergence of language. We present contrary evidence that the ability to discriminate and process rapid and complex auditory information is a cross-species function subserving communication processes including, but not limited to, human speech perception. We suggest that auditory temporal processing served as an evolutionary precursor to speech processing and consequent language development in humans.

scholarly journals Auditory Phenotypic Variability in Friedreich’s Ataxia Patients

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nehzat Koohi ◽  
Gilbert Thomas-Black ◽  
Paola Giunti ◽  
Doris-Eva Bamiou
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Friedreich’S Ataxia ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Friedreich's Ataxia ◽  
Spatial Processing ◽  
Auditory Temporal Processing ◽  
Processing Ability ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Auditory Impairment

AbstractAuditory neural impairment is a key clinical feature of Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA). We aimed to characterize the phenotypical spectrum of the auditory impairment in FRDA in order to facilitate early identification and timely management of auditory impairment in FRDA patients and to explore the relationship between the severity of auditory impairment with genetic variables (the expansion size of GAA trinucleotide repeats, GAA1 and GAA2), when controlled for variables such as disease duration, severity of the disease and cognitive status. Twenty-seven patients with genetically confirmed FRDA underwent baseline audiological assessment (pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emissions, auditory brainstem response). Twenty of these patients had additional psychophysical auditory processing evaluation including an auditory temporal processing test (gaps in noise test) and a binaural speech perception test that assesses spatial processing (Listening in Spatialized Noise-Sentences Test). Auditory spatial and auditory temporal processing ability were significantly associated with the repeat length of GAA1. Patients with GAA1 greater than 500 repeats had more severe auditory temporal and spatial processing deficits, leading to poorer speech perception. Furthermore, the spatial processing ability was strongly correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between genotype and auditory spatial processing phenotype in patients with FRDA. Auditory temporal processing, neural sound conduction, spatial processing and speech perception were more severely affected in patients with GAA1 greater than 500 repeats. The results of our study may indicate that auditory deprivation plays a role in the development of mild cognitive impairment in FRDA patients.

scholarly journals Effects of Meditation on Temporal Processing and Speech Perceptual Skills in Younger and Older Adults

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uppunda Ajith Kumar ◽  
A. V. Sangamanatha ◽  
Jai Vikas
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Speech Processing ◽  
Detection Task ◽  
Gap Detection ◽  
Backward Masking ◽  
Modulation Detection ◽  
Age Range

The purpose of this study was to assess the temporal processing and speech perception abilities in older adults who were practicing meditation for more than five years. Participants were comprised of three groups, 30 young adults (“YA”) in the age range of 20–30 years, 30 older adults in the age range of 50–65 years who practiced meditation for a period of five years or more (effective meditators “EM”), and 51 age matched older adults who did not have any experience of meditation (non-meditators “NM”). Temporal processing was evaluated using gap detection in noise, duration discrimination, modulation detection, and backward masking and duration pattern tests. Speech perception was measured in presence of a four-talker babble at −5 dB signal to noise ratio and with the vocoded stimuli. Results revealed that EM group performed significantly better than NM group in all psychophysical and speech perception tasks except in gap detection task. In the gap detection task, two groups did not differ significantly. Furthermore, EM group showed significantly better modulation detection thresholds compared to YA. Results of the study demonstrate that the practice of meditation not only offsets the decline in temporal and speech processing abilities due to aging process but also improves the ability to perceive the modulations compared to young adults.

Reference values of selected auditory temporal processing tests for Polish school children

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Włodarczyk ◽  
Agata Szkiełkowska ◽  
Adam Piłka
Keyword(s):  
Reference Values ◽  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Normative Values ◽  
Auditory Information ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Frequency Pattern ◽  
Auditory Temporal Processing ◽  
Sound Sensitivity

Introduction: Distorted processing of auditory information has a negative impact on the child’s cognitive development. There are only a few studies conducted by Polish researchers determining the normative values of psychoacoustic tests in auditory processing disorders. They are inconsistent due to different methodologies and different research protocols. Objective: The aim of the work was to determine the reference values of selected psychoacoustic tests for the population of Polish children between 7 and 12 years of age. Material and method: The study group consisted of 213 healthy children from 7 to 12 years of age. The condition for including the child in the study was an intellectual norm, proper sound sensitivity, proper development of children’s voice and speech. All children underwent two auditory temporal processing tests. The diagnostic procedure used a standardized Frequency Pattern Test (FPT) and Duration Pattern Test (DPT). The tests were carried out in accordance with the authors' recommendations, using the original versions available on the CD for 60 dB SL intensity, simultaneously for the right and left ear. Results: The reference values for FPT and DPT tests were determined at various age ranges in children aged 7-12. It has been shown that auditory functions change with age and development of the child. Reference values including age, language, cultural and educational differences were prepared. Conclusions: The development of reference values for individual tests for the Polish children population is a key element in the reliable diagnosis of auditory processing.

scholarly journals Ahead of Maturation: Enhanced Speech Envelope Training Boosts Rise Time Discrimination in Pre-Readers at Cognitive Risk for Dyslexia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shauni Van Herck ◽  
Femke Vanden Bempt ◽  
Maria Economou ◽  
Jolijn Vanderauwera ◽  
Toivo Glatz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Rise Time ◽  
Temporal Structure ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Auditory Temporal Processing ◽  
Time Discrimination ◽  
Cognitive Risk ◽  
Speech Envelope

Dyslexia has frequently been related to atypical auditory temporal processing and speech perception. Results of studies emphasizing speech onset cues and reinforcing the temporal structure of the speech envelope, i.e. envelope enhancement, demonstrated reduced speech perception deficits in individuals with dyslexia. The use of this strategy as an auditory intervention might thus reduce some of the deficits related to dyslexia. Importantly, interventions are most effective when they are provided during kindergarten and first grade. Hence, we provided a tablet-based 12-week preventive auditory and phonics-based intervention to pre-readers at cognitive risk for dyslexia and investigated the effect on auditory temporal processing with a rise time discrimination task. Ninety-one pre-readers at cognitive risk for dyslexia (aged 5-6) were assigned to two groups receiving a phonics-based intervention and playing a story listening game either with (n = 31) or without (n = 31) envelope enhancement or a third group playing control games and listening to non-enhanced stories (n = 29). Rise time discrimination was measured directly before, directly after and one year after the intervention. While the groups listening to non-enhanced stories mainly improved after the intervention during first grade, the group listening to enhanced stories improved during the intervention in kindergarten and subsequently remained stable during first grade. Hence, an envelope enhancement intervention improves auditory processing skills important for the development of phonological skills. This occurred before the onset of reading instruction, preceding the maturational improvement of these skills, hence giving at risk children a head start when learning to read.

Auditory Training to Improve Speech Perception and Self-Efficacy in Aging Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 1270-1281
Author(s):  
Leah Fostick ◽  
Riki Taitelbaum-Swead ◽  
Shulamith Kreitler ◽  
Shelly Zokraut ◽  
Miriam Billig
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Temporal Order Judgment ◽  
Auditory Training ◽  
Intensity Discrimination ◽  
Training Design ◽  
Auditory Temporal Processing ◽  
Temporal Properties ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Aging Adults

Purpose Difficulty in understanding spoken speech is a common complaint among aging adults, even when hearing impairment is absent. Correlational studies point to a relationship between age, auditory temporal processing (ATP), and speech perception but cannot demonstrate causality unlike training studies. In the current study, we test (a) the causal relationship between a spatial–temporal ATP task (temporal order judgment [TOJ]) and speech perception among aging adults using a training design and (b) whether improvement in aging adult speech perception is accompanied by improved self-efficacy. Method Eighty-two participants aged 60–83 years were randomly assigned to a group receiving (a) ATP training (TOJ) over 14 days, (b) non-ATP training (intensity discrimination) over 14 days, or (c) no training. Results The data showed that TOJ training elicited improvement in all speech perception tests, which was accompanied by increased self-efficacy. Neither improvement in speech perception nor self-efficacy was evident following non-ATP training or no training. Conclusions There was no generalization of the improvement resulting from TOJ training to intensity discrimination or generalization of improvement resulting from intensity discrimination training to speech perception. These findings imply that the effect of TOJ training on speech perception is specific and such improvement is not simply the product of generally improved auditory perception. It provides support for the idea that temporal properties of speech are indeed crucial for speech perception. Clinically, the findings suggest that aging adults can be trained to improve their speech perception, specifically through computer-based auditory training, and this may improve perceived self-efficacy.

Induced Microgyria and Auditory Temporal Processing in Rats: A Model for Language Impairment?

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Fitch ◽  
P. Tallal ◽  
C. P. Brown ◽  
A. M. Galaburda ◽  
G. D. Rosen
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Language Impairment ◽  
Auditory Temporal Processing
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