Learning to recognize foreign speech sounds: Strategies of auditory processing

In this paper, we describe domain-general auditory processes that we believe are prerequisite to the linguistic analysis of speech. We discuss biological evidence for these processes and how they might relate to processes that are specific to human speech and language. We begin with a brief review of (i) the anatomy of the auditory system and (ii) the essential properties of speech sounds. Section 4 describes the general auditory mechanisms that we believe are applied to all communication sounds, and how functional neuroimaging is being used to map the brain networks associated with domain-general auditory processing. Section 5 discusses recent neuroimaging studies that explore where such general processes give way to those that are specific to human speech and language.

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Preprint: What are you waiting for? Real-time integration of cues for fricatives suggests encapsulated auditory memory.

10.31234/osf.io/5cwvx ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Marcus Galle ◽

Jamie Klein-Packard ◽

Kayleen Schreiber ◽

Bob McMurray

Keyword(s):

Auditory Processing ◽

Temporal Integration ◽

Time Integration ◽

Auditory Memory ◽

Auditory Information ◽

Sufficient Information ◽

Speech Sounds ◽

Lexical Representations ◽

Integration Strategy ◽

Memory Buffer

Speech unfolds over time and the cues for even a single phoneme are rarely available simultaneously. Consequently, to recognize a single phoneme listeners must integrate material over several hundred milliseconds. Prior work contrasts two accounts: 1) a memory buffer account in which listeners accumulate auditory information in memory and only access higher level representations (i.e. lexical representations) when sufficient information has arrived; and 2) an immediate integration strategy in which lexical representations can be partially activated on the basis of early cues and then updated when more information arises. These studies have uniformly shown evidence for immediate integration for a variety of phonetic distinctions. We attempted to extend this to fricatives, a class of speech sounds which requires not only temporal integration of asynchronous cues (the frication, followed by the formant transitions 150-350 msec later), but also integration across different frequency bands, and compensation for contextual factors like coarticulation. Experiments employed eye-movements in the visual world paradigm and showed clear evidence for a memory buffer. Results were replicated in five experiments, ruling out methodological factors and tying the release of the buffer to the onset of the vowel. These findings support a general auditory account for speech by suggesting that the acoustic nature of particular speech sounds may have large effects on how they are processed. It also has major implications for theories of auditory and speech perception by raising the possibility of an encapsulated memory buffer in early auditory processing.

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Speech evoked auditory brainstem responses in children with learning disability

International Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery ◽

10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20185294 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 101

Author(s):

Sachin . ◽

Sanjay Munjal ◽

Adarsh Kohli ◽

Naresh Panda ◽

Shantanu Arya

Keyword(s):

Learning Disability ◽

Auditory Processing ◽

Pure Tone Audiometry ◽

Biological Marker ◽

Auditory Brainstem ◽

Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽

Control Group ◽

Speech Sounds ◽

Speech Discrimination ◽

Efficient Tool

Background: Learning disabilities are characterized by significant impairments in acquisition of reading, spelling or arithmetic skills. A growing number of studies have used speech sounds to assess auditory processing to linguistic elements in children with learning disability. The present study seeks to report whether speech evoked Auditory Brainstem Responses can be used as a biological marker of deficient sound encoding in children with learning disability. The study aims to establish relationship between click evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and speech evoked ABR in children with learning disability; to report whether speech evoked auditory brainstem responses can be used as a biological marker of deficient sound encoding in children with learning disability.Methods: Pure tone audiometry, immitance audiometery, click and speech evoked brainstem responses were obtained in 25 children diagnosed with learning disability and the data was compared with the responses in the control group. Results: Statistical differences were seen in speech recognition threshold, speech discrimination scores, latencies and amplitude of speech evoked auditory brainstem responses between control and study group. This poor representation of significant components of speech sounds in children with learning disability could be due to synaptic efficacy distortion and poor synaptic transmission. Other reasons may be activation of fewer auditory nerve fibres in the auditory brainstem in response to speech stimulus.Conclusions: The speech evoked auditory brainstem responses can serve as an efficient tool in identifying underlying auditory processing difficulties in children with learning disability and can help in early intervention.

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Charting speech with bats without requiring maps

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x98361178 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 272-273 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jagmeet S. Kanwal

Keyword(s):

Speech Perception ◽

Speech Production ◽

Sound Localization ◽

Auditory Processing ◽

Speech Sounds ◽

Acoustic Parameters ◽

The Common

The effort to understand speech perception on the basis of relationships between acoustic parameters of speech sounds is to be recommended. Neural specializations (combination-sensitivity) for echolocation, communication, and sound localization probably constitute the common mechanisms of vertebrate auditory processing and may be essential for speech production as well as perception. There is, however, no need for meaningful maps.

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Basic auditory processes involved in the analysis of speech sounds

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2007.2152 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 363 (1493) ◽

pp. 947-963 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Brian C.J Moore

Keyword(s):

Speech Perception ◽

Auditory System ◽

Temporal Resolution ◽

Auditory Processing ◽

Internal Representation ◽

Speech Sounds ◽

Impaired Hearing ◽

Temporal Integrator ◽

Excitation Pattern ◽

Auditory Processes

This paper reviews the basic aspects of auditory processing that play a role in the perception of speech. The frequency selectivity of the auditory system, as measured using masking experiments, is described and used to derive the internal representation of the spectrum (the excitation pattern) of speech sounds. The perception of timbre and distinctions in quality between vowels are related to both static and dynamic aspects of the spectra of sounds. The perception of pitch and its role in speech perception are described. Measures of the temporal resolution of the auditory system are described and a model of temporal resolution based on a sliding temporal integrator is outlined. The combined effects of frequency and temporal resolution can be modelled by calculation of the spectro-temporal excitation pattern, which gives good insight into the internal representation of speech sounds. For speech presented in quiet, the resolution of the auditory system in frequency and time usually markedly exceeds the resolution necessary for the identification or discrimination of speech sounds, which partly accounts for the robust nature of speech perception. However, for people with impaired hearing, speech perception is often much less robust.

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Comparison of Auditory, Language, Memory, and Attention Abilities in Children With and Without Listening Difficulties

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2020_aja-20-00018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 710-727

Author(s):

Beula M. Magimairaj ◽

Naveen K. Nagaraj ◽

Alexander V. Sergeev ◽

Natalie J. Benafield

Keyword(s):

Auditory Processing ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Group Differences ◽

Long Term Memory ◽

Short Term ◽

Significant Group ◽

Term Memory ◽

Memory And Attention ◽

Speed And Accuracy

Objectives School-age children with and without parent-reported listening difficulties (LiD) were compared on auditory processing, language, memory, and attention abilities. The objective was to extend what is known so far in the literature about children with LiD by using multiple measures and selective novel measures across the above areas. Design Twenty-six children who were reported by their parents as having LiD and 26 age-matched typically developing children completed clinical tests of auditory processing and multiple measures of language, attention, and memory. All children had normal-range pure-tone hearing thresholds bilaterally. Group differences were examined. Results In addition to significantly poorer speech-perception-in-noise scores, children with LiD had reduced speed and accuracy of word retrieval from long-term memory, poorer short-term memory, sentence recall, and inferencing ability. Statistically significant group differences were of moderate effect size; however, standard test scores of children with LiD were not clinically poor. No statistically significant group differences were observed in attention, working memory capacity, vocabulary, and nonverbal IQ. Conclusions Mild signal-to-noise ratio loss, as reflected by the group mean of children with LiD, supported the children's functional listening problems. In addition, children's relative weakness in select areas of language performance, short-term memory, and long-term memory lexical retrieval speed and accuracy added to previous research on evidence-based areas that need to be evaluated in children with LiD who almost always have heterogenous profiles. Importantly, the functional difficulties faced by children with LiD in relation to their test results indicated, to some extent, that commonly used assessments may not be adequately capturing the children's listening challenges. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12808607

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Sensory and Cognitive Components of Auditory Processing in Individuals With Tinnitus

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2019_aja-19-0011 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 834-842

Author(s):

Harini Vasudevan ◽

Hari Prakash Palaniswamy ◽

Ramaswamy Balakrishnan

Keyword(s):

Selective Attention ◽

Auditory Processing ◽

Function Analysis ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Oscillatory Activity ◽

Default Mode ◽

Auditory Selective Attention ◽

Cognitive Components ◽

Mode Function ◽

Related Potentials

Purpose The main purpose of the study is to explore the auditory selective attention abilities (using event-related potentials) and the neuronal oscillatory activity in the default mode network sites (using electroencephalogram [EEG]) in individuals with tinnitus. Method Auditory selective attention was measured using P300, and the resting state EEG was assessed using the default mode function analysis. Ten individuals with continuous and bothersome tinnitus along with 10 age- and gender-matched control participants underwent event-related potential testing and 5 min of EEG recording (at wakeful rest). Results Individuals with tinnitus were observed to have larger N1 and P3 amplitudes along with prolonged P3 latency. The default mode function analysis revealed no significant oscillatory differences between the groups. Conclusion The current study shows changes in both the early sensory and late cognitive components of auditory processing. The change in the P3 component is suggestive of selective auditory attention deficit, and the sensory component (N1) suggests an altered bottom-up processing in individuals with tinnitus.

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