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Using individual differences to test the role of temporal and place cues in coding frequency modulation
Kelly L Whiteford1, Andrew J Oxenham1
1Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|December 3, 2015
Summary
The study investigated how the auditory system codes frequency changes. Results suggest peripheral auditory coding mechanisms may not differ for slow versus fast frequency modulations in young, normal-hearing listeners.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Psychoacoustics
- Signal Processing
Background:
- The coding of frequency information in the peripheral auditory system is not fully understood.
- Existing hypotheses propose distinct coding mechanisms for slow (temporal/phase-locking) versus fast (rate-place/tonotopic) frequency modulations (FM).
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis of distinct peripheral coding mechanisms for slow and fast FM.
- To correlate psychoacoustic performance in FM detection with independent measures of auditory nerve function.
Main Methods:
- 100 young normal-hearing listeners participated.
- Sensitivity to 1-Hz and 20-Hz FM at 500 Hz carrier frequency was measured.
- Phase-locking (dynamic interaural time difference discrimination), level coding (amplitude modulation detection), and frequency selectivity (forward-masking) were assessed.
Main Results:
- All FM and amplitude modulation (AM) detection thresholds were highly correlated.
- No specific correlations were found between measures supporting phase-locking (slow FM, ITD sensitivity) or tonotopic coding (fast FM, forward-masking).
Conclusions:
- Psychoacoustic performance in young normal-hearing listeners may not be limited by peripheral auditory coding.
- Similar peripheral mechanisms might underlie both high- and low-rate frequency modulation coding.

