scholarly journals Neural Measures of Pitch Processing in EEG Responses to Running Speech

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florine L. Bachmann ◽  
Ewen N. MacDonald ◽  
Jens Hjortkjær
Keyword(s):  
Speech Signal ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Relative Pitch ◽  
Cortical Responses ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Signal Yield ◽  
Model Predictor

Linearized encoding models are increasingly employed to model cortical responses to running speech. Recent extensions to subcortical responses suggest clinical perspectives, potentially complementing auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) or frequency-following responses (FFRs) that are current clinical standards. However, while it is well-known that the auditory brainstem responds both to transient amplitude variations and the stimulus periodicity that gives rise to pitch, these features co-vary in running speech. Here, we discuss challenges in disentangling the features that drive the subcortical response to running speech. Cortical and subcortical electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to running speech from 19 normal-hearing listeners (12 female) were analyzed. Using forward regression models, we confirm that responses to the rectified broadband speech signal yield temporal response functions consistent with wave V of the ABR, as shown in previous work. Peak latency and amplitude of the speech-evoked brainstem response were correlated with standard click-evoked ABRs recorded at the vertex electrode (Cz). Similar responses could be obtained using the fundamental frequency (F0) of the speech signal as model predictor. However, simulations indicated that dissociating responses to temporal fine structure at the F0 from broadband amplitude variations is not possible given the high co-variance of the features and the poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of subcortical EEG responses. In cortex, both simulations and data replicated previous findings indicating that envelope tracking on frontal electrodes can be dissociated from responses to slow variations in F0 (relative pitch). Yet, no association between subcortical F0-tracking and cortical responses to relative pitch could be detected. These results indicate that while subcortical speech responses are comparable to click-evoked ABRs, dissociating pitch-related processing in the auditory brainstem may be challenging with natural speech stimuli.

Comparisons of Auditory Brainstem Responses Between a Laboratory and Simulated Home Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 3877-3892
Author(s):  
Ashley Parker ◽  
Candace Slack ◽  
Erika Skoe
Keyword(s):  
Home Environment ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Adult Participants ◽  
Simulated Home Environment ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Research Populations ◽  
Response Consistency

Purpose Miniaturization of digital technologies has created new opportunities for remote health care and neuroscientific fieldwork. The current study assesses comparisons between in-home auditory brainstem response (ABR) recordings and recordings obtained in a traditional lab setting. Method Click-evoked and speech-evoked ABRs were recorded in 12 normal-hearing, young adult participants over three test sessions in (a) a shielded sound booth within a research lab, (b) a simulated home environment, and (c) the research lab once more. The same single-family house was used for all home testing. Results Analyses of ABR latencies, a common clinical metric, showed high repeatability between the home and lab environments across both the click-evoked and speech-evoked ABRs. Like ABR latencies, response consistency and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were robust both in the lab and in the home and did not show significant differences between locations, although variability between the home and lab was higher than latencies, with two participants influencing this lower repeatability between locations. Response consistency and SNR also patterned together, with a trend for higher SNRs to pair with more consistent responses in both the home and lab environments. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining high-quality ABR recordings within a simulated home environment that closely approximate those recorded in a more traditional recording environment. This line of work may open doors to greater accessibility to underserved clinical and research populations.

Auditory Brainstem Response, Middle Latency Response, and Late Cortical Evoked Potentials in Children with Learning Disabilities

2002 ◽  
Vol 13 (07) ◽  
pp. 367-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne C. Purdy ◽  
Andrea S. Kelly ◽  
Merren G. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Evoked Potentials ◽  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Auditory Evoked Potentials ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Memory ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cortical Responses ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Middle Latency

Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) and behavioral tests were used to evaluate auditory processing in 10 children aged 7 to 11 years who were diagnosed as learning disabled (LD). AEPs included auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), middle latency responses (MLRs), and late cortical responses (P1, N1, P2, P3). Late cortical responses were recorded using an active listening oddball procedure. Auditory processing disorders were suspected in the LD children after a psychologist found phonologic processing and auditory memory problems. A control group of 10 age- and gender-matched children with no hearing or reported learning difficulties was also tested. Teacher ratings of classroom listening and SCAN Competing Words and Staggered Spondaic Word scores were poorer in the LD children. There were minor ABR latency differences between the two groups. Wave Na of the MLR was later and Nb was smaller in the LD group. The main differences in cortical responses were that P1 was earlier and P3 was later and smaller in the LD group.

scholarly journals Speech Evoked Auditory Brainstem Response in Stuttering

Scientifica ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Akbar Tahaei ◽  
Hassan Ashayeri ◽  
Akram Pourbakht ◽  
Mohammad Kamali
Keyword(s):  
Auditory Processing ◽  
Auditory Pathway ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Central Auditory Processing ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Processing Deficits

Auditory processing deficits have been hypothesized as an underlying mechanism for stuttering. Previous studies have demonstrated abnormal responses in subjects with persistent developmental stuttering (PDS) at the higher level of the central auditory system using speech stimuli. Recently, the potential usefulness of speech evoked auditory brainstem responses in central auditory processing disorders has been emphasized. The current study used the speech evoked ABR to investigate the hypothesis that subjects with PDS have specific auditory perceptual dysfunction.Objectives. To determine whether brainstem responses to speech stimuli differ between PDS subjects and normal fluent speakers.Methods. Twenty-five subjects with PDS participated in this study. The speech-ABRs were elicited by the 5-formant synthesized syllable/da/, with duration of 40 ms.Results. There were significant group differences for the onset and offset transient peaks. Subjects with PDS had longer latencies for the onset and offset peaks relative to the control group.Conclusions. Subjects with PDS showed a deficient neural timing in the early stages of the auditory pathway consistent with temporal processing deficits and their abnormal timing may underlie to their disfluency.

scholarly journals Exposing distinct subcortical components of the auditory brainstem response evoked by continuous naturalistic speech

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa J Polonenko ◽  
Ross K Maddox
Keyword(s):  
Speech Processing ◽  
Auditory Nerve ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Clinical Applications ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Subcortical Structures ◽  
Deconvolution Analysis ◽  
Speech Stimuli ◽  
Eeg Data ◽  
Brainstem Response

ABSTRACTThe auditory brainstem is important for processing speech, yet we have much to learn regarding the contributions of different subcortical structures. These deep neural generators respond quickly, making them difficult to study during dynamic, ongoing speech. Recently developed techniques have paved the way to use natural speech stimuli, but the auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) they provide are temporally broad and thus have ambiguous neural sources. Here we describe a new method that uses re-synthesized “peaky” speech stimuli and deconvolution analysis of EEG data to measure canonical ABRs to continuous naturalistic speech of male and female narrators. We show that in adults with normal hearing, peaky speech quickly yields robust ABRs that can be used to investigate speech processing at distinct subcortical structures from auditory nerve to rostral brainstem. We further demonstrate the versatility of peaky speech by simultaneously measuring bilateral and ear-specific responses across different frequency bands. Thus, the peaky speech method holds promise as a powerful tool for investigating speech processing and for clinical applications.

The Effect of Kalman-Weighted Averaging and Artifact Rejection on Residual Noise During Auditory Brainstem Response Testing

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-124
Author(s):  
Linda W. Norrix ◽  
Julie Thein ◽  
David Velenovsky
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Weighted Averaging ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Residual Noise ◽  
Electrophysiological Recordings ◽  
Artifact Rejection ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Active Motor ◽  
Averaging Time

Purpose Low residual noise (RN) levels are critically important when obtaining electrophysiological recordings of threshold auditory brainstem responses. In this study, we examine the effectiveness and efficiency of Kalman-weighted averaging (KWA) implemented on the Vivosonic Integrity System and artifact rejection (AR) implemented on the Intelligent Hearing Systems SmartEP system for obtaining low RN levels. Method Sixteen adults participated. Electrophysiological measures were obtained using simultaneous recordings by the Vivosonic and Intelligent Hearing Systems for subjects in 2 relaxed conditions and 4 active motor conditions. Three averaging times were used for the relaxed states (1, 1.5, and 3 min) and for the active states (1.5, 3, and 6 min). Repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to examine RN levels as a function of noise reduction strategy (i.e., KWA, AR) and averaging time. Results Lower RN levels were obtained using KWA than AR in both the relaxed and active motor states. Thus, KWA was more effective than was AR under the conditions examined in this study. Using KWA, approximately 3 min of averaging was needed in the relaxed condition to obtain an average RN level of 0.025 μV. In contrast, in the active motor conditions, approximately 6 min of averaging was required using KWA. Mean RN levels of 0.025 μV were not attained using AR. Conclusions When patients are not physiologically quiet, low RN levels are more likely to be obtained and more efficiently obtained using KWA than AR. However, even when using KWA, in active motor states, 6 min of averaging or more may be required to obtain threshold responses. Averaging time needed and whether a low RN level can be attained will depend on the level of motor activity exhibited by the patient.

scholarly journals Auditory Brainstem Responses to Successive Sounds: Effects of Gap Duration and Depth

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Fan-Yin Cheng ◽  
Craig A. Champlin
Keyword(s):  
Background Noise ◽  
Tone Burst ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Physical Parameters ◽  
Temporal Acuity ◽  
Harmonic Complex ◽  
Rapid Changes ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Physiological Correlate

Temporal acuity is the ability to differentiate between sounds based on fluctuations in the waveform envelope. The proximity of successive sounds and background noise diminishes the ability to track rapid changes between consecutive sounds. We determined whether a physiological correlate of temporal acuity is also affected by these factors. We recorded the auditory brainstem response (ABR) from human listeners using a harmonic complex (S1) followed by a brief tone burst (S2) with the latter serving as the evoking signal. The duration and depth of the silent gap between S1 and S2 were manipulated, and the peak latency and amplitude of wave V were measured. The latency of the responses decreased significantly as the duration or depth of the gap increased. The amplitude of the responses was not affected by the duration or depth of the gap. These findings suggest that changing the physical parameters of the gap affects the auditory system’s ability to encode successive sounds.

scholarly journals Comparison of auditory steady state response (ASSR) & auditory brainstem response (ABR) hearing thresholds in young children.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-21
Author(s):  
Adil Munir ◽  
Nazia Mumtaz ◽  
Ghulam Saqulain ◽  
Munir Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Hearing Threshold ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Steady State Response ◽  
Female Ratio ◽  
State Response ◽  
Hearing Thresholds ◽  
Auditory Steady State Response ◽  
Brainstem Response

Objective: Hearing loss (HL) with a local prevalence of 5.7%, is the commonest childhood disability, requiring Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs to reduce the disability burden. Knowing the degree, type and configuration of HL is prerequisite for appropriate amplification, with Automated Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) being commonly used for this purpose, however Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR) has been recently introduced in the region. This study was conducted to compare ABR to ASSR, as an early diagnostic tool in children under five years of age. Methodology: This cross-sectional comparative study was performed at the Auditory Verbal Institute of Audiology and Speech (AVIAS) clinics in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, from December 2016 to September 2017. It included thirty-two cases (n=32) who visited AVIAS clinics for hearing assessment and conformed to the investigative protocol using non probability convenient sampling technique, and subjected to both ABR and ASSR for comparative purposes. Correlations were calculated between the thresholds obtained by ABR and ASSR. Results: N=32 children (64 ears) with male female ratio of 2.2:1 and mean age of 33.50±17.73 months were tested with ABR and ASSR for hearing thresholds and correlation coefficient between 2KHz, 4KHz ASSR and average of both with ABR was calculated to be 0.92 and 0.90 and 0.94 respectively. Conclusion: ASSR provides additional frequency specific hearing threshold estimation compared to C-ABR, essentially required for proper setting of amplification devices. 

scholarly journals Cochlear Synaptopathy: A Primary Factor Affecting Speech Recognition Performance in Presbycusis

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Zhe Chen ◽  
Yanmei Zhang ◽  
Junbo Zhang ◽  
Rui Zhou ◽  
Zhen Zhong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Action Potential ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Recognition Performance ◽  
Auditory Pathway ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Hearing Ability ◽  
Summating Potential

The results of recent animal studies have suggested that cochlear synaptopathy may be an important factor involved in presbycusis. Therefore, here, we aimed to examine whether cochlear synaptopathy frequently exists in patients with presbycusis and to describe the effect of cochlear synaptopathy on speech recognition in noise. Based on the medical history and an audiological examination, 94 elderly patients with bilateral, symmetrical, sensorineural hearing loss were diagnosed as presbycusis. An electrocochleogram, auditory brainstem responses, auditory cortical evoked potentials, and speech audiometry were recorded to access the function of the auditory pathway. First, 65 ears with hearing levels of 41-50 dB HL were grouped based on the summating potential/action potential (SP/AP) ratio, and the amplitudes of AP and SP were compared between the two resulting groups. Second, 188 ears were divided into two groups: the normal SP/AP and abnormal SP/AP groups. The speech recognition abilities in the two groups were compared. Finally, the relationship between abnormal electrocochleogram and poor speech recognition (signal-to-noise ratio loss ≥7 dB) was analyzed in 188 ears. The results of the present study showed: (1) a remarkable reduction in the action potential amplitude was observed in patients with abnormal SP/AP ratios; this suggests that cochlear synaptopathy was involved in presbycusis. (2) There was a large proportion of patients with poor speech recognition in the abnormal SP/AP group. Furthermore, a larger number of cases with abnormal SP/AP ratios were confirmed among patients with presbycusis and poor speech recognition. We concluded that cochlear synaptopathy is not uncommon among elderly individuals who have hearing ability deficits, and it may have a more pronounced effect on ears with declining auditory performance in noisy environments.

Auditory Brainstem Responses and Clinical Follow-up of High-Risk Infants

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-392
Author(s):  
Steven J. Kramer ◽  
Dianne R. Vertes ◽  
Marie Condon
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Auditory Brainstem ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Auditory Brainstem Responses ◽  
Hearing Level ◽  
Hearing Impairments ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Infant Program ◽  
High Risk Infants

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) evaluations were performed on 667 high-risk infants from an infant special care unit. Of these infants, 82% passed the ABR. Those infants who failed the ABR were classified into two groups, those who failed at 30 dB hearing level and those who failed at 45 dB hearing level. All of the infants were encouraged to return for otologic/audiologic follow-up in 1, 3, or 6 months, depending on the initial ABR results. All of the infants with severe hearing impairments came from the group who failed at 45 dB hearing level. The incidence of severe sensorineural hearing impairment in this population was estimated to be 2.4%. For the group that failed at 30 dB hearing level, 80% of those who were abnormal at follow-up were considered to have conductive hearing disorders and 20% had mild sensorineural hearing impairments. In addition, infants enrolled in a parent-infant program for hearing impaired by 6 months of age were from the ABR program; however, several infants entered the parent-infant program at a relatively late age because they did not meet the high-risk criteria, they were from other hospitals, or they were not detected by the ABR program.

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