Biomaterial Database

Detecting dead regions using psychophysical tuning curves: a comparison of simultaneous and forward masking. 2006

Karolina Kluk, and Brian C J Moore

Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. kk278@cam.ac.uk

A dead region (DR) is a region of the cochlea where there are no functioning inner hair cells and/or neurones. We compared the edge frequencies, fe, of DRs estimated using four methods: the TEN(HL) test; psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) measured in simultaneous masking (320-Hz wide noise masker) using a 'fast' method (sweeping masker) and a 'classical' method; and PTCs measured in forward masking (sinusoidal masker) using a 'classical' method. Fourteen subjects with high-frequency DRs were tested. For measurement of PTCs, the signal frequency was chosen to fall inside the DR; the tip frequencies of the PTCs were taken as indicating the values of fe. The values of fe obtained from the PTCs in forward and simultaneous masking (both fast and classical methods) were similar and were usually close to, but somewhat above, the values of fe estimated from the TEN(HL) test. Fast PTCs measured in simultaneous masking are recommended for use in clinical practice, as they give a precise estimate of fe and are quick to administer.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010470	Perceptual Masking	The interference of one perceptual stimulus with another causing a decrease or lessening in perceptual effectiveness.	Masking, Perceptual,Maskings, Perceptual,Perceptual Maskings
D011601	Psychophysics	The science dealing with the correlation of the physical characteristics of a stimulus, e.g., frequency or intensity, with the response to the stimulus, in order to assess the psychologic factors involved in the relationship.	Psychophysic
D003051	Cochlea	The part of the inner ear (LABYRINTH) that is concerned with hearing. It forms the anterior part of the labyrinth, as a snail-like structure that is situated almost horizontally anterior to the VESTIBULAR LABYRINTH.	Cochleas
D006199	Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner	Auditory sensory cells of organ of Corti, usually placed in one row medially to the core of spongy bone (the modiolus). Inner hair cells are in fewer numbers than the OUTER AUDITORY HAIR CELLS, and their STEREOCILIA are approximately twice as thick as those of the outer hair cells.	Auditory Hair Cell, Inner,Auditory Hair Cells, Inner,Cochlear Inner Hair Cell,Cochlear Inner Hair Cells,Hair Cell, Auditory, Inner,Inner Auditory Hair Cell,Inner Auditory Hair Cells,Inner Hair Cells,Cell, Inner Hair,Cells, Inner Hair,Hair Cell, Inner,Hair Cells, Inner,Inner Hair Cell
D006319	Hearing Loss, Sensorineural	Hearing loss resulting from damage to the COCHLEA and the sensorineural elements which lie internally beyond the oval and round windows. These elements include the AUDITORY NERVE and its connections in the BRAINSTEM.	Deafness Neurosensory,Deafness, Neurosensory,Deafness, Sensoryneural,Neurosensory Deafness,Sensorineural Hearing Loss,Sensoryneural Deafness,Cochlear Hearing Loss,Hearing Loss, Cochlear,Deafnesses, Neurosensory,Deafnesses, Sensoryneural,Neurosensory Deafnesses,Sensoryneural Deafness,Sensoryneural Deafnesses
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000158	Acoustic Impedance Tests	Objective tests of middle ear function based on the difficulty (impedance) or ease (admittance) of sound flow through the middle ear. These include static impedance and dynamic impedance (i.e., tympanometry and impedance tests in conjunction with intra-aural muscle reflex elicitation). This term is used also for various components of impedance and admittance (e.g., compliance, conductance, reactance, resistance, susceptance).	Audiometry, Impedance,Electroacoustic Impedance Tests,Impedance Tests, Acoustic,Tympanometry,Acoustic Impedance Test,Electroacoustic Impedance Test,Impedance Audiometry,Impedance Test, Acoustic,Impedance Test, Electroacoustic,Impedance Tests, Electroacoustic,Test, Acoustic Impedance,Test, Electroacoustic Impedance,Tests, Acoustic Impedance,Tests, Electroacoustic Impedance
D001299	Audiometry	The testing of the acuity of the sense of hearing to determine the thresholds of the lowest intensity levels at which an individual can hear a set of tones. The frequencies between 125 and 8000 Hz are used to test air conduction thresholds and the frequencies between 250 and 4000 Hz are used to test bone conduction thresholds.	Audiometries
D012720	Severity of Illness Index	Levels within a diagnostic group which are established by various measurement criteria applied to the seriousness of a patient's disorder.	Illness Index Severities,Illness Index Severity