Interaural time discrimination ability of listeners with sensorineural hearing loss

Interaural time just noticeable differences (JNDs) were obtained with a low-frequency (450-550 Hz) and high-frequency (3 750-4 250 Hz) narrow-band noise for 3 normally hearing subjects and 8 subjects with sensorineural hearing loss. Results for the hearing-impaired subjects were compared to those of the subjects with normal hearing at the same sound pressure level (85 dB SPL) and sensation level (30 dB SL). Although large individual differences were present, when considered as a group, interaural time discrimination for the subjects with sensorineural hearing loss was significantly poorer than that of the normal subjects for both signals at both intensity levels. There was no apparent relationship between configuration of hearing loss and time discrimination, but correlations of +0.8 were found between degree of hearing loss and time JNDs. Normal interaural intensity JNDs were obtained from 2 subjects with sensorineural hearing loss whose time JNDs were very poor, thus providing further evidence against the latency hypothesis.