Re: High-frequency hearing in humans ("Shahnaz, Navid" )


Subject: Re: High-frequency hearing in humans
From:    "Shahnaz, Navid"  <nshahnaz@xxxxxxxx>
Date:    Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:20:45 -0800
List-Archive:<http://lists.mcgill.ca/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=AUDITORY>

Hi For many years extended high frequencies (> 8 kHz) were believed to have limited value in speech perception. Recent studies have shown that extended high frequencies and extended bandwidth in hearing aids may play an important role in improving sound quality (Ricketts, Ditt­berner, & Johnson, 2008); music quality (Moore & Tan, 2003); speech perception (Pittman, 2008; Stelmachowicz, Lewis, Choi, & Hoover, 2007; Stelmachowicz, Pittman, Hoover, & Lewis, 2001; Stelmachowicz, Pittman, Hoover, Lewis, & Moeller, 2004); spatial awareness (Best et al., 2005; Kidd, Arbogast, Mason, & Gallun, 2005; Behrens, Neher, Burmand, Johannesson, 2007); and loudness perception (Soeta, & Nakagawa, 2008). Considering the additional information provided by extended high frequency acoustical information, it is logical to assume that significant differences in this region may impact speech localization, sound quality, and understanding. There are other important clinical reasons why we are interested in assessing human thresholds at extended high frequencies (> 8kHz). Interest in establishing thresholds at high frequencies is based on the fact that most commonly encountered sensorineural hearing losses affect the high frequencies first. It has been suggested that extended high frequency audiometry (8-16 kHz) might be more sensitive than conventional frequencies (250-8000 Hz) in detecting the early sign of hearing impairment in the most commonly occurring otological conditions such as presbycusis (Ahmed et al., 2001; Wiley et al., 1998), noise induced hearing loss (Ahmed et al, 2001; Somma, et al., 2008) and ototoxicity (Fausti, Henry, Hayden, Phillips, & Frey, 1998). Early detection of these commonly occurring hearing impairments through extended high frequency audiometry may allow more effective measures for protection and prevention of hearing loss. The effect of middle-ear pathologies on extended high frequencies rather than conventional frequencies has also been investigated. It has been shown that children with histories of otitis media have hearing loss at extended high frequencies (Ahonen & McDermott, 1984; Dieroff & Schuhmann, 1986; Lopponen, Sorri, Pekkala, & Penna, 1992; Margolis, Saly, & Hunter, 2000; McDermott, Fausti, & Frey, 1986). This is due to transmission of OM-related toxins through the round window membrane (Margolis et al., 2000). Best Navid --------------------------------------- Navid Shahnaz, Ph.D., Aud. (C) Associate Professor School of Audiology & Speech Sciences Faculty of Medicine University of British Columbia 2177 Wesbrook Mall, Friedman Building Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z3 Tel. 604- 822-5953 Fax.604-822-6569 E-mail: nshahnaz@xxxxxxxx Website: http://www.courses.audiospeech.ubc.ca/navid “U.S. News and World Report” profiles Audiology as one of the Best Careers for 2009. http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/best-careers/2008/12/11/best-careers-2009-audiologist.html ________________________________________ From: AUDITORY - Research in Auditory Perception [AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx On Behalf Of Piotr Majdak [piotr@xxxxxxxx Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 1:27 AM To: AUDITORY@xxxxxxxx Subject: High-frequency hearing in humans Dear list, I'm looking for the reasons for the good high-frequency* hearing in humans. The reasons I have until now are actually the obvious ones: * Pinna localization cues * Interaural level cues (ILD, they actually start to work from around 2 kHz) What do you think: if there were no need for the ILD and pinna cues, would there be any other reasons? Thanks, Piotr *) say, above 8 kHz -- Piotr Majdak Psychoacoustics and Experimental Audiology Acoustics Research Institute <http://www.kfs.oeaw.ac.at> Austrian Academy of Sciences <http://www.oeaw.ac.at/> Wohllebengasse 12-14, 1040 Vienna, Austria Tel.: +43 1 51581-2511 Fax: +43 1 51581-2530


This message came from the mail archive
/home/empire6/dpwe/public_html/postings/2011/
maintained by:
DAn Ellis <dpwe@ee.columbia.edu>
Electrical Engineering Dept., Columbia University