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Sound localization in noise in hearing-impaired listeners.
C Lorenzi1, S Gatehouse, C Lever
1MRC Institute of Hearing Research (Scottish Section), Royal Glasgow Infirmary, Scotland, United Kingdom.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|June 25, 1999
Summary
Listeners with high-frequency hearing loss show slightly poorer sound localization in noise. Performance degrades significantly with noise at side locations, linked to reduced signal detection and audibility.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Psychoacoustics
- Auditory Neuroscience
Background:
- Sound localization is crucial for auditory scene analysis.
- Sensorineural hearing loss, particularly high-frequency, impacts auditory perception.
- Understanding the effects of hearing loss on spatial hearing is vital for rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess sound localization and detection abilities in individuals with high-frequency hearing loss.
- To investigate the influence of noise and hearing loss on spatial hearing.
- To explore the relationship between audibility, signal detection, and localization accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Four listeners with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss localized a broadband click train.
- Stimuli were presented in quiet and with white noise at 0 or +/- 90 degrees azimuth.
- Normal-hearing listeners underwent low-pass filtered click localization and attenuation tests.
Main Results:
- Hearing-impaired listeners showed slightly reduced localization in noise at 0 degrees azimuth.
- Localization accuracy decreased at higher signal-to-noise ratios for noise at +/- 90 degrees azimuth.
- Poorer localization correlated with reduced click detectability in hearing-impaired listeners.
Conclusions:
- High-frequency hearing loss impacts sound localization, especially in the presence of noise.
- Reduced audibility and signal detectability contribute to impaired spatial hearing.
- Findings suggest potential targets for auditory rehabilitation strategies.