Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom.
Published: August 2019
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Some environmental sounds have strong amplitude fluctuations that may affect their perceived loudness and annoyance. This study assessed the effect of beat rate (f) and center frequency (f) on the loudness of low-frequency beating tones. The loudness of two-tone complexes (TTCs) with f = 40, 63, 80, and 1000 Hz was matched with that of unmodulated tones (UTs). Frequency differences between the TTC components, corresponding to f = 1, 2, 5, and 12 Hz, were used. To compensate for the steep decline in hearing sensitivity below 100 Hz, prior to the loudness match, subjects adjusted the relative levels (ΔL) of the TTC components to give maximum beat perception. Twenty-four normal-hearing subjects were tested. The values of ΔL giving best beats were well predicted from the transfer function of the middle ear and the estimated shapes of the auditory filters, assuming that the auditory filter whose output dominated the beat percept was centered somewhat above f. At the same root-mean-square level and independent of f, TTCs were perceived as louder than UTs for f ≤ 2 Hz, had roughly equal loudness to UTs for f = 5 Hz, and were less loud than UTs for f = 12 Hz.
The study explores how adjusting voice focus affects oronasal balance and the control of speech feedback by analyzing vocal sounds during phonation and reading.
Twenty-five speech-language pathologists participated, producing vocal sounds in various conditions, and their acoustic feedback was measured through different analytical methods.
Results showed that forward-focused voices improved nasal vibration and audio-vocal feedback control, especially in noisy environments, highlighting the importance of voice focus on speech acoustics.
Preservation of residual hearing and vestibular function is a crucial factor in cochlear implantation (CI), especially in patients with residual low-frequency hearing thresholds. We report a case of a patient who underwent unilateral endoscope-assisted CI with a challenging surgical view following rigorous posterior tympanotomy. A 53-year-old male presented with left-sided intractable tinnitus due to sudden sensorineural hearing loss that had occurred 10 years prior.
Objective: This study examines the therapeutic impact and prognosis of acoustic therapy in patients with chronic subjective tinnitus across different tinnitus frequencies.
Methods: A total of 135 patients with subjective tinnitus were selected and categorized based on their primary tone frequency into three groups: high frequency (43 patients, 4-8 kHz), mid frequency (40 patients, 1-3 kHz), and low frequency (42 patients, < 1 kHz). All patients received acoustic therapy customized to their specific frequency and loudness levels, along with tinnitus cognitive behavioral therapy.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore the electrophysiological characteristics of patients with chronic tinnitus through electrocochleography (ECochG) findings and determine if these findings correlate with specific audiological patterns that could differentiate tinnitus patients from those without this condition.
Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of medical records from patients who visited a tinnitus clinic at a tertiary university hospital between March 2020 and December 2023 was conducted. Inclusion criteria were non-pulsatile subjective tinnitus lasting over three months, and ECochG performed at initial evaluation.
Objective: Chronic subjective tinnitus is a worldwide intractable problem. In our previous studies, customized music therapy combined with a follow-up system can reduce tinnitus perception and improve anxiety/depression. This study aims to explore which characteristics of tinnitus patients are more likely to benefit from our therapy.
