Consequences of Neural Asynchrony: A Case of Auditory Neuropathy

Consequences of neural asynchrony: A case of auditory neuropathy

Abstract
The neural representation of sensory events depends upon neural synchrony. Auditory neuropathy, a disorder of stimulus-timing-related neural synchrony, provides a model for studying the role of synchrony in auditory perception. This article presents electrophysiological and behavioral data from a rare case of auditory neuropathy in a woman with normal hearing thresholds, making it possible to separate audibility from neuropathy. The experimental results, which encompass a wide range of auditory perceptual abilities and neurophysiologic responses to sound, provide new information linking neural synchrony with auditory perception. Findings illustrate that optimal eighth nerve and auditory brainstem synchrony do not appear to be essential for understanding speech in quiet listening situations. However, synchrony is critical for understanding speech in the presence of noise.

Full text:

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s101620010004.pdf

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Lately I have read several posts in which people complain about not being able to understand sounds well even if their audiometric tests look normal.

I am posting this (old) article to insist again on the difference between measuring sound input (as shown on an audiometric test) and measuring the ability to understand speech, to hear sounds at the right pitch or to be able to understand a conversation in a complex hearing environment (cocktail party effect, reverberation, echo, overlapping conversations, or listening to a discourse at high speed etc)

 

Salzburg Brain Dynamics Lab - Online Experiment (headphone-use required)

You suffer from tinnitus or know the complaints it can cause? Then contribute now to the further research of this phenomenon by participating in our online experiment. Who are we looking for? Everyone with or without tinnitus (18-65).

The online experiment is offered in German and English.

General Information
The aim of the following study is to examine if there is a difference in the perception of a certain auditory illusion.
Therefore we want to find out if people who suffer from tinnitus have a different perception of this illusion as people who do not suffer from tinnitus.

Procedure
The following study consists of an experiment which will last for about 20-40 minutes and is split into two parts. In the first part, we need to ask you some questions about yourself, your hearing and experience with loud sounds as well as restrictions regarding your hearing.

In the second part of the experiment you will perform the actual experimental task where you will hear several sound sequences. First of all we will measure your discomfort level regarding sounds to ensure that the volume in the task will be set to a comfortable level for you. Then we will alternately play a tone and white noise. White noise is a combination of different sound frequencies and is similar to the sound that can be heard from a radio if no channel is selected. The volume of the white noise will vary across the different trials.

At the end of each trial we will ask you to rate if you perceived the played tone as continuous or discontinuous. For the auditory task it is of great importance to wear headphones and that you perform the task in a quiet environment.

Spoiler

Exclusion Criteria
You can not participate in this study if you are younger than 18 or older than 65 and if you do not have access to any headphones.

Rights
The participation in this study is voluntary. You do not enter any commitment with your consent. You can retract your consent for the study at any time without any resulting drawbacks. You can also cancel the examination at any time without any drawbacks resulting for you. To cancel the study simply close the regarding tab in your browser. Your data will only be saved if you finish the study.

Obligation
As a participant in this study you are obligated to inform us if any of the exclusion criteria apply to you. To ensure a smooth procedure of the study we need your collaboration which means that it is of great importance to strictly follow the procedure of the study, to read the instructions carefully and to answer all questions truthfully.

Profit
The resulting scientific findings potentially contribute to a further understanding of the neurological cause of tinnitus.
Furthermore it will be examined which factors differ between people with different hearing profiles regarding the performance in the auditory task.

Risks
The described tasks are not harmful in any way and follow the international standards of psychological research. There are no risks in participating the study because it consists only of presented sounds which are adapted to the individual level of auditory perception and several questionnaires.

You can cancel the experiment at any point before and during the presentation of auditory stimuli without any drawbacks resulting for you.

Privacy and processing of personal data
All recorded data from you will be saved only by an anonymized code and will be processed in anonymous manner. The results of this study will be evaluated anonymously and will be reported to public and other researchers in an anonymous way. This is done by generating an anonymous code which can not be associated with any person. The extent of collection and processing of personal data serves the purpose of getting a bigger overview over relationships between personal traits and the measured parameters.

After completion of this research project your data can be stored by the University of Salzburg for up to 30 years. Regarding personal data that is stored at the university you have the right to disclosure, rectification, deletion and restriction. If you believe that we violate any data privacy laws you are free to sent your complaint to the data security officer of the University of Salzburg (datenschutz@sbg.ac.at) or to any other data security agency. For more information please visit www.uni-salzburg.at/impressum.

Contact
If any questions occur during or after the experiment please contact:
Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Nathan Weisz, Department Psychologie,
University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, A-5020 Salzburg,

• Contact person: Lukas Ortner BSc. (Email: lukas.ortner@stud.sbg.ac.at)
• Contact person: Chandra Haider BSc. (Email: chandra.haider@stud.sbg.ac.at)

This study was evaluated by the ethics committee of the University of Salzburg.

Contact person: Mag.a Clara Gröblacher, Kapitelgasse 4, A-5020 Salzburg, Tel: +43-662-8044 2391, clara.groeblacher@sbg.ac.at