Attention, Memory, and Auditory Processing in 10- to 15-Year-Old Children With Listening Difficulties

2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 2308-2321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mridula Sharma ◽  
Imran Dhamani ◽  
Johahn Leung ◽  
Simon Carlile
Keyword(s):  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Stream Segregation ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Attention Switching ◽  
Attention Memory ◽  
Structure Perception

PurposeThe aim of this study was to examine attention, memory, and auditory processing in children with reported listening difficulty in noise (LDN) despite having clinically normal hearing.MethodTwenty-one children with LDN and 15 children with no listening concerns (controls) participated. The clinically normed auditory processing tests included the Frequency/Pitch Pattern Test (FPT; Musiek, 2002), the Dichotic Digits Test (Musiek, 1983), the Listening in Spatialized Noise—Sentences (LiSN–S) test (Dillon, Cameron, Glyde, Wilson, & Tomlin, 2012), gap detection in noise (Baker, Jayewardene, Sayle, & Saeed, 2008), and masking level difference (MLD; Wilson, Moncrieff, Townsend, & Pillion, 2003). Also included were research-based psychoacoustic tasks, such as auditory stream segregation, localization, sinusoidal amplitude modulation (SAM), and fine structure perception. All were also evaluated on attention and memory test batteries.ResultsThe LDN group was significantly slower switching their auditory attention and had poorer inhibitory control. Additionally, the group mean results showed significantly poorer performance on FPT, MLD, 4-Hz SAM, and memory tests. Close inspection of the individual data revealed that only 5 participants (out of 21) in the LDN group showed significantly poor performance on FPT compared with clinical norms. Further testing revealed the frequency discrimination of these 5 children to be significantly impaired.ConclusionThus, the LDN group showed deficits in attention switching and inhibitory control, whereas only a subset of these participants demonstrated an additional frequency resolution deficit.

scholarly journals Central auditory processing in bilinguals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamileh Chupani ◽  
Mohanna Javanbakht ◽  
Yones Lotfi
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Processing ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Dichotic Listening ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Attention And Memory ◽  
Auditory Information ◽  
Central Auditory Processing ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Listening Studies

Background and Aim: The majority of the world’s population is bilingual. Bilingualism is a form of sensory enrichment that translates to gains in cognitive abilities; these cognitive gains in attention and memory are known to modulate subcortical processing of auditory stimuli. Sec­ond language acquisition has a broad impact on various psychological, cognitive, memory, and linguistic processes. Central auditory processing (CAP) is the perceptual processing of auditory information. Due to its importance in bilingu­alism, this study aimed to review the CAP of bilinguals. Recent Findings: The CAP was studied in three areas: dichotic listening, temporal processing, and speech in noise perception. Regarding dicho­tic listening, studies have shown that bilinguals have better performance in staggered spondaic word (SSW) test, consonant-vowel dichotic test, dichotic digits test (DDT), and disyllable dichotic test than monolinguals, although similar results have also been reported in SSW and DDT. Reg­arding temporal processing, the results of bilin­guals do not differ from those of monolinguals, although in some cases, it is better in bilinguals. Regarding speech in noise perception, the results between bilinguals and monolinguals are varied depending on the amount of linguistic infor­mation available in the stimuli. Conclusion: Bilingualism has a positive effect on dichotic processing, no effect on temporal processing, and varied effect on speech in noise perception. Bilinguals have poor performance using meaningful speech and better performance using meaningless speech. Keywords: Central auditory processing; bilingual; dichotic listening; temporal processing; speech in noise perception

scholarly journals Task-dependent effects of nicotine treatment on auditory performance in young-adult and elderly human nonsmokers

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuping Sun ◽  
Michelle R. Kapolowicz ◽  
Matthew Richardson ◽  
Raju Metherate ◽  
Fan-Gang Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Modulation ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Intensity Discrimination ◽  
Modulation Identification ◽  
Baseline Performance ◽  
Auditory Performance ◽  
Pre Treatment

AbstractElectrophysiological studies show that nicotine enhances neural responses to characteristic frequency stimuli. Previous behavioral studies partially corroborate these findings in young adults, showing that nicotine selectively enhances auditory processing in difficult listening conditions. The present work extended previous work to include both young and older adults and assessed the nicotine effect on sound frequency and intensity discrimination. Hypotheses were that nicotine improves auditory performance and that the degree of improvement is inversely proportional to baseline performance. Young (19–23 years old) normal-hearing nonsmokers and elderly (61–80) nonsmokers with normal hearing between 500 and 2000 Hz received nicotine gum (6 mg) or placebo gum in a single-blind, randomized crossover design. Participants performed three experiments (frequency discrimination, frequency modulation identification, and intensity discrimination) before and after treatment. The perceptual differences were analyzed between pre- and post-treatment, as well as between post-treatment nicotine and placebo conditions as a function of pre-treatment baseline performance. Compared to pre-treatment performance, nicotine significantly improved frequency discrimination. Compared to placebo, nicotine significantly improved performance for intensity discrimination, and the improvement was more pronounced in the elderly with lower baseline performance. Nicotine had no effect on frequency modulation identification. Nicotine effects are task-dependent, reflecting possible interplays of subjects, tasks and neural mechanisms.

scholarly journals Evaluation of working memory in relation to cochlear implant consonant speech discrimination

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mai M. El Ghazaly ◽  
Mona I. Mourad ◽  
Nesrine H. Hamouda ◽  
Mohamed A. Talaat
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Speech Perception ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Word List ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Place Of Articulation ◽  
Strong Positive Relationship ◽  
Speech And Language Development

Abstract Background Speech perception in cochlear implants (CI) is affected by frequency resolution, exposure time, and working memory. Frequency discrimination is especially difficult in CI. Working memory is important for speech and language development and is expected to contribute to the vast variability in CI speech reception and expression outcome. The aim of this study is to evaluate CI patients’ consonants discrimination that varies in voicing, manner, and place of articulation imparting differences in pitch, time, and intensity, and also to evaluate working memory status and its possible effect on consonant discrimination. Results Fifty-five CI patients were included in this study. Their aided thresholds were less than 40 dBHL. Consonant speech discrimination was assessed using Arabic consonant discrimination words. Working memory was assessed using Test of Memory and Learning-2 (TOMAL-2). Subjects were divided according to the onset of hearing loss into prelingual children and postlingual adults and teenagers. Consonant classes studied were fricatives, stops, nasals, and laterals. Performance on the high frequency CVC words was 64.23% ± 17.41 for prelinguals and 61.70% ± 14.47 for postlinguals. These scores were significantly lower than scores on phonetically balanced word list (PBWL) of 79.94% ± 12.69 for prelinguals and 80.80% ± 11.36 for postlinguals. The lowest scores were for the fricatives. Working memory scores were strongly and positively correlated with speech discrimination scores. Conclusions Consonant discrimination using high frequency weighted words can provide a realistic tool for assessment of CI speech perception. Working memory skills showed a strong positive relationship with speech discrimination abilities in CI.

scholarly journals Functional Role of Auditory Cortex in Frequency Processing and Pitch Perception

2002 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Jude Tramo ◽  
Gaurav D. Shah ◽  
Louis D. Braida
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Frequency Selectivity ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Frequency Change ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Difference Thresholds ◽  
Frequency Processing

Microelectrode studies in nonhuman primates and other mammals have demonstrated that many neurons in auditory cortex are excited by pure tone stimulation only when the tone's frequency lies within a narrow range of the audible spectrum. However, the effects of auditory cortex lesions in animals and humans have been interpreted as evidence against the notion that neuronal frequency selectivity is functionally relevant to frequency discrimination. Here we report psychophysical and anatomical evidence in favor of the hypothesis that fine-grained frequency resolution at the perceptual level relies on neuronal frequency selectivity in auditory cortex. An adaptive procedure was used to measure difference thresholds for pure tone frequency discrimination in five humans with focal brain lesions and eight normal controls. Only the patient with bilateral lesions of primary auditory cortex and surrounding areas showed markedly elevated frequency difference thresholds: Weber fractions for frequency direction discrimination (“higher”—“lower” pitch judgments) were about eightfold higher than Weber fractions measured in patients with unilateral lesions of auditory cortex, auditory midbrain, or dorsolateral frontal cortex; Weber fractions for frequency change discrimination (“same”—“different” pitch judgments) were about seven times higher. In contrast, pure-tone detection thresholds, difference thresholds for pure tone duration discrimination centered at 500 ms, difference thresholds for vibrotactile intensity discrimination, and judgments of visual line orientation were within normal limits or only mildly impaired following bilateral auditory cortex lesions. In light of current knowledge about the physiology and anatomy of primate auditory cortex and a review of previous lesion studies, we interpret the present results as evidence that fine-grained frequency processing at the perceptual level relies on the integrity of finely tuned neurons in auditory cortex.

scholarly journals Psychophysical Estimates of Frequency Discrimination: More than Just Limitations of Auditory Processing

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1023-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Barry ◽  
Benjamin Weiss ◽  
Beate Sabisch
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Frequency Discrimination

scholarly journals Perception of Small Frequency Differences in Children with Auditory Processing Disorder or Specific Language Impairment

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (06) ◽  
pp. 489-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Rota-Donahue ◽  
Richard G. Schwartz ◽  
Valerie Shafer ◽  
Elyse S. Sussman
Keyword(s):  
Language Impairment ◽  
Specific Language Impairment ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Auditory Processing Disorder ◽  
Sensitivity Index ◽  
Small Frequency ◽  
Discrimination Ability ◽  
Frequency Changes

Background: Frequency discrimination is often impaired in children developing language atypically. However, findings in the detection of small frequency changes in these children are conflicting. Previous studies on children’s auditory perceptual abilities usually involved establishing differential sensitivity thresholds in sample populations who were not tested for auditory deficits. To date, there are no data comparing suprathreshold frequency discrimination ability in children tested for both auditory processing and language skills. Purpose: : This study examined the perception of small frequency differences (Δf) in children with auditory processing disorder (APD) and/or specific language impairment (SLI). The aim was to determine whether children with APD and children with SLI showed differences in their behavioral responses to frequency changes. Results were expected to identify different degrees of impairment and shed some light on the auditory perceptual overlap between pediatric APD and SLI. Research Design: An experimental group design using a two-alternative forced-choice procedure was used to determine frequency discrimination ability for three magnitudes of Δf from the 1000-Hz base frequency. Study Sample: Thirty children between 10 years of age and 12 years, 11 months of age: 17 children with APD and/or SLI, and 13 typically developing (TD) peers participated. The clinical groups included four children with APD only, four children with SLI only, and nine children with both APD and SLI. Data Collection and Analysis: Behavioral data collected using headphone delivery were analyzed using the sensitivity index d′, calculated for three Δf was 2%, 5%, and 15% of the base frequency or 20, 50, and 150 Hz. Correlations between the dependent variable d′ and the independent variables measuring auditory processing and language skills were also obtained. A stepwise regression analysis was then performed. Results: TD children and children with APD and/or SLI differed in the detection of small-tone Δf. In addition, APD or SLI status affected behavioral results differently. Comparisons between auditory processing test scores or language test scores and the sensitivity index d′ showed different strengths of correlation based on the magnitudes of the Δf. Auditory processing scores showed stronger correlation to the sensitivity index d′ for the small Δf, while language scores showed stronger correlation to the sensitivity index d′ for the large Δf. Conclusion: Although children with APD and/or SLI have difficulty with behavioral frequency discrimination, this difficulty may stem from two different levels: a basic auditory level for children with APD and a higher language processing level for children with SLI; the frequency discrimination performance seemed to be affected by the labeling demands of the same versus different frequency discrimination task for the children with SLI.

UM2000 Spectrum Estimation Using Multiple Signal Classification Method

2013 ◽  
Vol 734-737 ◽  
pp. 2622-2629
Author(s):  
Shen Liu ◽  
Fu Ping Wang ◽  
Xiu Cheng Liu
Keyword(s):  
Minimum Description Length ◽  
Spectral Estimation ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Signal Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Estimation ◽  
Music Algorithm ◽  
Multiple Signal Classification ◽  
Signal Simulation

This paper focused on UM2000 signal spectrum estimation using MUSIC algorithm. Because of the limitation of data window length, traditional frequency discrimination methods fail to meet the requirement of high frequency resolution. In this paper, the influence of SNR on MUSIC spectrum estimation is analyzed and MDL (minimum description length) principle is used to determine the dimension of the signal. Simulation results based on several other modern spectral estimation methods are also presented and compared with that of MUSIC method, from which the superiority of MUSIC method is verified.

scholarly journals Visual attention and inhibitory control in children, teenagers and adults with autism without intellectual disability: results of oculomotor tasks from a 2-year longitudinal follow-up study (InFoR)

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anouck Amestoy ◽  
Etienne Guillaud ◽  
Giulia Bucchioni ◽  
Tiziana Zalla ◽  
Daniel Umbricht ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Attention Switching ◽  
Follow Up Study

Abstract Background Inhibitory control and attention processing atypicalities are implicated in various diseases, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These cognitive functions can be tested by using visually guided saccade-based paradigms in children, adolescents and adults to determine the time course of such disorders. Methods In this study, using Gap, Step, Overlap and Antisaccade tasks, we analyzed the oculomotor behavior of 82 children, teenagers and adults with high functioning ASD and their peer typically developing (TD) controls in a two-year follow-up study under the auspices of the InFoR-Autism project. Analysis of correlations between oculomotors task measurements and diagnostic assessment of attentional (ADHD-RS and ADHD comorbidity indices) and executive functioning (BRIEF scales) were conducted in order to evaluate their relationship with the oculomotor performance of participants with ASD. Results As indicated by the presence of a Gap and Overlap effects in all age groups, the oculomotor performances of ASD participants showed a preserved capability in overt attention switching. In contrast, the difference in performances of ASD participants in the Antisaccade task, compared to their TD peers, indicated an atypical development of inhibition and executive functions. From correlation analysis between our oculomotor data and ADHD comorbidity index, and scores of attention and executive function difficulties, our findings support the hypothesis that a specific dysfunction of inhibition skills occurs in ASD participants that is independent of the presence of ADHD comorbidity. Limitations These include the relatively small sample size of the ASD group over the study’s two-year period, the absence of an ADHD-only control group and the evaluation of a TD control group solely at the study’s inception. Conclusions Children and teenagers with ASD have greater difficulty in attention switching and inhibiting prepotent stimuli. Adults with ASD can overcome these difficulties, but, similar to teenagers and children with ASD, they make more erroneous and anticipatory saccades and display a greater trial-to-trial variability in all oculomotor tasks compared to their peers. Our results are indicative of a developmental delay in the maturation of executive and attentional functioning in ASD and of a specific impairment in inhibitory control.

scholarly journals Acoustically Enriched Environment during the Critical Period of Postnatal Development Positively Modulates Gap Detection and Frequency Discrimination Abilities in Adult Rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Kateryna Pysanenko ◽  
Natalia Rybalko ◽  
Zbyněk Bureš ◽  
Daniel Šuta ◽  
Jiří Lindovský ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Period ◽  
Acoustic Startle ◽  
Acoustic Startle Response ◽  
Frequency Discrimination ◽  
Enriched Environment ◽  
Frequency Resolution ◽  
Gap Detection ◽  
Behavioral Tests ◽  
Adult Rats ◽  
Acoustic Environment

Throughout life, sensory systems adapt to the sensory environment to provide optimal responses to relevant tasks. In the case of a developing system, sensory inputs induce changes that are permanent and detectable up to adulthood. Previously, we have shown that rearing rat pups in a complex acoustic environment (spectrally and temporally modulated sound) from postnatal day 14 (P14) to P28 permanently improves the response characteristics of neurons in the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex, influencing tonotopical arrangement, response thresholds and strength, and frequency selectivity, along with stochasticity and the reproducibility of neuronal spiking patterns. In this study, we used a set of behavioral tests based on a recording of the acoustic startle response (ASR) and its prepulse inhibition (PPI), with the aim to extend the evidence of the persistent beneficial effects of the developmental acoustical enrichment. The enriched animals were generally not more sensitive to startling sounds, and also, their PPI of ASR, induced by noise or pure tone pulses, was comparable to the controls. They did, however, exhibit a more pronounced PPI when the prepulse stimulus was represented either by a change in the frequency of a background tone or by a silent gap in background noise. The differences in the PPI of ASR between the enriched and control animals were significant at lower (55 dB SPL), but not at higher (65-75 dB SPL), intensities of background sound. Thus, rearing pups in the acoustically enriched environment led to an improvement of the frequency resolution and gap detection ability under more difficult testing conditions, i.e., with a worsened stimulus clarity. We confirmed, using behavioral tests, that an acoustically enriched environment during the critical period of development influences the frequency and temporal processing in the auditory system, and these changes persist until adulthood.

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