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Stimulus intensity and loudness recruitment: neural correlates
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|July 1, 1987
Summary
Abnormal loudness growth, or recruitment, can occur with cochlear damage or noise masking. Neurophysiological data suggest distinct mechanisms for each, with cochlear pathology affecting the auditory nerve and noise masking impacting central auditory pathways.
Area of Science:
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Psychoacoustics
- Neurophysiology
Background:
- Abnormal loudness growth, termed recruitment, is observed in cochlear pathology and noise masking.
- Phenomenological similarity suggests potential shared underlying mechanisms.
- Neurophysiological studies investigate neural correlates of intensity processing in the auditory system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare neurophysiological effects of cochlear pathology and noise masking on auditory nerve and central auditory system.
- To determine if shared mechanisms underlie recruitment in both conditions.
Main Methods:
- Review of animal neurophysiological studies on cochlear pathology.
- Review of animal neurophysiological studies using noise masking paradigms.
- Comparison of neural discharge patterns and sensitivity changes.
Main Results:
- Cochlear pathology shows sequelae in auditory-nerve fiber discharges potentially causing steepened loudness function.
- These specific sequelae are absent in normal animals under noise masking.
- Noise masking affects central auditory neurons, mimicking some cochlear pathology effects.
Conclusions:
- Mechanisms for recruitment likely differ between cochlear pathology and noise masking.
- Cochlear pathology's recruitment appears to have a cochlear origin.
- Noise masking's recruitment reflects central auditory processing changes.