Auditory Timing

William J. Campbell M.S.
Audiologist
Benbrook Medical II
104 Technology Drive
Suite 102
Butler, Pa., 16001
724-482-0028
www.campbellaudiology.com

2012                 

Auditory Timing

Hearing test results are often explained by showing the amount of decibel loss at each tone frequency and comparing it to a normal range.  In addition, the residual ability to understand words in quiet conditions at various sound levels is measured.  Although this tried and true approach has been quite useful over the years, research in the areas of psychological and physiological acoustics have shown that hearing is much more involved than a simple tone test or single word repetition would suggest.  The importance of timing cues cannot be underestimated.  Time of arrivals and their differences at each ear during everyday listening enhance our ability to segregate sources, and thus understand conversation in the presence of unwanted sounds such as multiple talkers, vacuum cleaner, radios, refrigerator,  microwave oven, water running from a faucet,…… just to name a few.  Understanding speech in such conditions  is intimately related to the ear’s neural clock!  A normal hearing mechanism uses timing of sounds with such precision (on the order of microseconds) that  scientists marvel at the complexity.  An ear with cochlear damage such as missing ‘inner hair cells’ and/or distorted excitation patterns will compromise the accuracy of  information regarding voice locations and characteristics,  potentially reducing one’s ability to separate voices of family members and/or strangers. Such spatial auditory scene perception  requires precise temporal analysis in terms of sound onset. Though a properly adjusted hearing aid can provide a higher volume which enhances selected speech patterns , it may also distort rapid timing cues and hence adversely affect loudness, sound quality , and speech/noise separation. There is great variability among the hearing impaired as to the use of time information.  Training can be an important factor in the final result.   An audiologist with background in such matters will be able to counsel an individual regarding the potential benefits as well as limitations of amplification.

 

Suggested Reading

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