Measurement of first- and second-order modulation detection thresholds in listeners with cochlear hearing loss

First- and second-order modulation detection thresholds were measured in normal hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. 'First-order' modulation detection thresholds correspond to the ability of listeners to detect sinusoidal amplitude modulation (SAM); they are measured as a function of the frequency of that modulation, f(m). 'Second-order' modulation detection thresholds correspond to the ability to detect sinusoidal modulation applied to the modulation depth of a SAM signal; they are measured as a function of the frequency of the modulation applied to the modulation depth (referred to as f(m)'). In this case, the SAM signal acts as a 'carrier' stimulus of frequency f(m) and sinusoidal modulation of the SAM-signal's modulation depth (at rate f(m)') generates two additional components in the modulation spectrum at f(m)-f(m)' and f(m)+f(m)'. In both groups of listeners, first-order modulation detection thresholds were measured for modulation frequencies f(m) ranging between 4 Hz and 32 Hz, and second-order modulation detection thresholds were measured for second-order modulation frequencies f(m)' ranging between 1 Hz and 11 Hz, using a fixed first-order modulation frequency f(m) of 16 Hz. The results showed that, in hearing-impaired listeners: first-order modulation detection thresholds were within the normal range up to f(m) = 16 Hz and poorer than normal at f(m) = 32 Hz; second-order modulation detection thresholds were within the normal range at f(m)' = 3, 5 and 11 Hz, and poorer than normal at f(m)' = 1 Hz and 7 Hz. These results suggest that cochlear damage has little effect on the detection of both sinusoidal and complex temporal envelopes.