'Cocktail party effect' in hearing impairment explained in new study

Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Published On 2021-04-26 00:43 GMT | Update On 2021-04-26 07:20 GMT

Recent research published in the Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology states that binaural tone fusion range was significantly correlated with vowel fusion rates in both Normal-hearing (NH) listeners and hearing-impaired (HI) individuals.

Normal-hearing (NH) listeners use frequency cues, such as fundamental frequency (voice pitch), to segregate sounds into discrete auditory streams. However, many hearing-impaired (HI) individuals have abnormally broad binaural pitch fusion which leads to fusion and averaging of the original monaural pitches into the same stream instead of segregating the two streams and may similarly lead to fusion and averaging of speech streams across ears.

Hence, Lina A.J Reiss and colleagues from the Department of Otolaryngology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, USA carried out the present study to examine the relationship between speech fusion and vowel identification using dichotic speech stimuli.

Dichotic vowel perception was measured in NH and HI listeners, with across-ear fundamental frequency differences varied. Synthetic vowels /i/, /u/, /a/, and /ae/ were generated with three fundamental frequencies (F₀) of 106.9, 151.2, and 201.8 Hz and presented dichotically through headphones.

For HI listeners, stimuli were shaped according to NAL-NL2 prescriptive targets. Although the dichotic vowels presented were always different across ears, listeners were not informed that there were no single vowel trials and could identify one vowel or two different vowels on each trial.

The results showed that-

a. When there was no F₀ difference between the ears, both NH and HI listeners were more likely to fuse the vowels and identify only one vowel.

b. As ΔF₀ increased, NH listeners increased the percentage of two-vowel responses, but HI listeners were more likely to continue to fuse vowels even with large ΔF₀.

c. Binaural tone fusion range was significantly correlated with vowel fusion rates in both NH and HI listeners.

d. Confusion patterns with dichotic vowels differed from those seen with concurrent monaural vowels, suggesting different mechanisms behind the errors.

Therefore, the authors concluded that "broad fusion leads to spectral blending across ears, even for different ΔF₀, and may hinder the stream segregation and understanding of speech in the presence of competing talkers."

Article Source : Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology

Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.

NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.

Dr. Nandita Mohan

Dr. Nandita Mohan is a practicing pediatric dentist with more than 5 years of clinical work experience. Along with this, she is equally interested in keeping herself up to date about the latest developments in the field of medicine and dentistry which is the driving force for her to be in association with Medical Dialogues. She also has her name attached with many publications; both national and international. She has pursued her BDS from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore and later went to enter her dream specialty (MDS) in the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry from Pt. B.D. Sharma University of Health Sciences. Through all the years of experience, her core interest in learning something new has never stopped. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751

Comments Policy

Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .

'Cocktail party effect' in hearing impairment explained in new study

Similar News

Addressing hearing loss may reduce isolation among the elderly: Study

Poor sleep quality worsens vertigo in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: Study

Switch to Dry-Powder Inhalers Tied to Higher ED Visits and Hospitalizations in COPD and Asthma Patients: JAMA

Socioeconomic Status Influences Communication Outcomes in Children with Cochlear Implants: Study

Hearing loss in middle age may accelerate cognitive decline: Study

Poor Oral Health Linked to Greater Severity of Peritonsillar and Cervical Infections: Study Shows

Early Antibiotic Exposure in early childhood Linked to Higher Infection Risk and asthma later: Study

Silent Lung Risk: 4 Percent of Indian Teens Show Asymptomatic Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness, APEAL Study Finds