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PubMed1983

The determination of tinnitus loudness considering the effects of recruitment.

We have attempted to determine a meaningful measure of tinnitus loudness that considers loudness recruitment. Sixteen subjects with sensorineural tinnitus adjusted the level of a pure tone so that it was (a) at threshold, (b) equal in loudness to the tinnitus, and (c) uncomfortably loud. The pure-tone frequency was (a) at the frequency of the tinnitus pitch, and (b) at the octave frequency between 500 and 4000 Hz having the pure-tone threshold closest to 0 dB HL. In addition, the subjects adjusted the level of a broadband noise so that it (a) was at threshold, (b) just masked the tinnitus, and (c) was uncomfortably loud. These measurements were performed both in the ear ipsilateral and in the ear contralateral to the tinnitus. Formulae based on abnormal loudness functions and uncomfortable loudness levels are presented that convert equal-loudness matches in dB sensation level (SL) into loudness in sones. The level of broadband noise (in dB SL) required to mask tinnitus was about the same in the ipsilateral and in the contralateral ear for most of our subjects, regardless of the ear in which the tinnitus was localized. This noise level (in dB SL) required to mask the tinnitus correlated well with the level (in dB SL) of a tone at the most normal frequency judged equal in loudness to the tinnitus.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The annoyance of tinnitus and the noise required to mask it.

For 11 patients with tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss, the intensity of bilateral broad-band noise required to mask the tinnitus increased by as much as 41 dB over a 30-minute period. A significant correlation was obtained between the rate of change in the noise over time and reported annoyance of the tinnitus as measured on a 5-point rating scale. The total change in the noise level and the initial noise level required to mask the tinnitus were not significantly correlated with the annoyance of the tinnitus.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1984

Masking of tinnitus compared to masking of pure tones.

In 10 subjects with sensorineural tinnitus (associated with a sensorineural hearing loss and no apparent source for a tinnitus originating elsewhere), the minimum level required to mask the tinnitus was determined for tonal maskers at several masker frequencies. This tinnitus masking pattern was compared to a psychoacoustical tuning curve (PTC) in which the signal frequency and level were determined from tinnitus pitch and loudness matching. Different patterns emerged. One subject showed a near-normal PTC but required high-level maskers across the frequency range to mask the tinnitus. Another subject showed some frequency resolution in the PTC but required low-level maskers across the frequency range to mask the tinnitus. For the remaining eight subjects, the masker levels required to mask the tone were generally higher than those levels required to mask the tinnitus. In addition, it was noted that the tinnitus pitch-match frequency was sometimes associated with an increase or a decrease in threshold sensitivity, or it was found at the low-frequency edge of a steep high-frequency threshold loss. In other subjects there was no apparent relationship between the tinnitus pitch and the audiogram shape.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Factors influencing the masking level difference in cochlear hearing-impaired and normal-hearing listeners.

The masking level difference (MLD) at 500 Hz was examined in wide-band (960 Hz) and narrow-band (50 Hz) noise for normal-hearing subjects and subjects with symmetrical mild-to-moderate cochlear hearing loss. Monaural tasks of intensity discrimination, temporal resolution, and frequency resolution were performed in order to examine relationships between monaural dysfunction and MLD performance. Interaural time discrimination for a 500-Hz pure tone also was examined. The performance of the hearing-impaired subjects was poorer than that of the normal-hearing subjects for MLD, interaural delta t, and most monaural tasks. However, no significant relationships were found between monaural and MLD performance when effects of threshold were taken into account. MLDs were more reduced in wide-band noise than in narrow-band noise for the hearing-impaired subjects (when contrasted with normal-hearing subjects). MLD performance was correlated with interaural time discrimination, and it is suggested that one reason for poor MLD performance with hearing impairment may be poor temporal coding of stimulus-fine structure.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Magnitude estimation of loudness. I: Application to hearing aid selection.

Three experiments were conducted to explore the utility of magnitude estimation of loudness for hearing aid selection. In Experiment 1 the loudness discomfort level (LDL), most comfortable loudness (MCL), and magnitude estimations (MEs) of loudness were obtained from normal-hearing subjects. MCLs fell within a range of loudness that was relatively low on the loudness function. The LDLs were lower than previously published values. Experiment 2 was performed to identify the source of disparity between our LDL data and previously reported results. The effects of instructions are demonstrated and discussed. In Experiment 3 magnitude estimations of loudness were used to determine the loudness of tonal stimuli selected to represent 1/3 octave band levels of speech. Over the 500-4000 Hz range, the contributions of the various frequency regions to the loudness of speech appears to be nearly constant. Methods are proposed for (a) predicting the frequency-gain response of a hearing aid that restores normal loudness for speech for the hearing-impaired listener and (b) psychophysically evaluating the compression characteristic of a hearing aid.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗
PubMed1984

Masking-level difference in filtered-random and amplitude-modulated noise.

The masking characteristics of filtered-random noise and amplitude-modulated noise (40-dB pressure-spectrum level) were studied in a series of four experiments using a masking-level difference paradigm, that is, 500-Hz thresholds in S0N0 and SpiN0 binaural conditions. In Experiment 1 a filtered noise (200-800 Hz) and an amplitude-modulated noise (425-575 Hz) produced equal thresholds in S0N0; for SpiN0, however, the thresholds in amplitude-modulated noise were 1.6 dB lower than were the thresholds in filtered noise. In Experiment 2 S0N0 and SpiN0 thresholds were established in three filtered noise bandwidths (200-800 Hz, 335-685 Hz, and 410-600 Hz) and in the amplitude-modulated noise (425-575 Hz). When the bandwidths of the filtered-random and amplitude-modulated noises were similar, the SpiN0 thresholds were the same but the S0N0 thresholds were different. Experiments 3 and 4 indicated that with amplitude-modulated noise when the zero amplitude crossings of the tone and the noise coincided, the S0N0, SpiN0, and SmNm thresholds were 1.2-2.0 dB higher than were the thresholds when the zero crossings of the tone and noise did not coincide. The data indicate that the masking characteristics of filtered-random noise and amplitude-modulated noise are different. The findings are interpreted as an indication that perceptual phenomena depend on the temporal characteristics as well as the power spectrum of the signal and masker.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Equal-loudness contours using subjective tinnitus as the standard.

For six patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, we determined the level of comparison tones (Co) of various frequencies that were judged to be as loud as the tinnitus (i.e., an equal-loudness contour was obtained). To prevent interactions of the Co and the tinnitus, the Co was chosen to lie outside of the region of pitch matches made to the tinnitus. If the loudness of the tinnitus is assumed to be fixed at L sones, then the level, P, of the Co is nearly predicted from the equation, L = K(P - p0).6 where p0 is the absolute threshold of the Co used for the match. The rate of increase of loudness therefore depends on the threshold of the Co: For constant loudness, the larger the absolute threshold of the Co, the smaller is its sensation level. For persons with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, therefore, the sensation level of the Co is always smaller in the region of loss than in the normal region. It follows that the sensation level of the Co does not reflect the loudness of the tinnitus; thus, tinnitus cannot be viewed as a weak tone simply because it is matched to a tone at low sensation level.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗
PubMed1984

Relation between reaction time and loudness.

The loudness of one-third octave bands of noise centered at either 1, 2, or kHz was measured in 10 normal-hearing young adults for sound levels of 50-90 dB SPL. Reaction times (RT) in response to these same stimuli were also measured in the same subjects. A moderate-to-strong correspondence was observed between the slopes for functions depicting the growth of loudness with sound level and comparable slopes for the reaction-time data. The correlation between slopes for the RT-intensity function and the loudness-growth function was comparable in magnitude to the test-retest correlation for the loudness-growth function except at 1 kHz.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Magnitude estimation of loudness. III: Performance of selected hearing aid users.

Aided and unaided loudness functions for narrow-band noise stimuli were obtained from hearing-impaired listeners with a magnitude estimation procedure. A comparison of aided loudness functions with those obtained from normal-hearing subjects suggests that the hearing aids did not restore normal loudness relations among the spectral components of speech stimuli. Instead, aided loudness functions tend to reflect an interaction between the abnormal loudness growth that frequently characterizes sensorineural hearing loss and the saturation characteristics of the hearing aid.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Diotic loudness summation in normal and impaired hearing.

Diotic loudness summation at 500 and 2000 Hz was measured in 10 normal-hearing and 10 cochlear-impaired listeners. Diotic stimuli were matched in loudness to monaural "standards" of 70, 80, and 90 dB SPL. Diotic loudness summation averaged about 9 dB at 500 Hz for both groups. At 2000 Hz, the hearing-impaired listeners showed reduced diotic loudness summation at the 70-and 80-dB levels, but showed normal diotic loudness summation (about 9 dB) at the 90-dB level. The results indicate that diotic loudness summation is normal in cochlear-impaired ears, provided that the stimuli are presented sufficiently above threshold.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1986

Acoustic-reflex growth for multitone complexes.

The effects of activator spectral density on the growth characteristics of the acoustic reflex were evaluated in normal-hearing subjects. Reflex-growth dynamics were evaluated for computer-synthesized activators composed of 2 to 50 components and bandwidths wider and more narrow than the reported critical band for loudness summation. Although acoustic-reflex characteristics varied with activator bandwidth, there were no significant differences in reflex-growth patterns as a function of activator density (number of components). The findings suggest that, like loudness summation, growth or magnitude characteristics of the acoustic reflex are unaffected by the spectral density of the signal.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed1986

Damping the hearing aid frequency response: effects on speech clarity and preferred listening level.

Damped hearing aid frequency responses were compared with undamped responses to determine the effect of response smoothing on speech clarity and on gain received when the hearing aid was adjusted to the preferred listening level (PLL). Damping elements were located in the hearing aid's earhook. Three commercially available hearing aids, two bandwidths, and two speech input levels were evaluated in a completely crossed experimental design. Data were collected using a paired comparison method and 10 hearing-impaired subjects. Results indicated that the undamped frequency responses were judged to produce more clear, pleasant, natural sounding speech than the damped responses (p = .09). Although significant midfrequency peak reduction was achieved through earhook damping, the effects on gain at PLL were negligible.

Acoustics↗
PubMed1986

Tinnitus as a source of internal noise.

For 7 patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, pitch and loudness matches were made to the tinnitus. These matches were followed by measurement of three psychometric functions (probability of a correct response as a function of signal level) for pure tones, one in the presumed tinnitus region (i.e., at the average frequency matching the pitch of the tinnitus), one below the minimum frequency of the matches, and one above the maximum frequency of the matches. The data reveal that pitch-loudness matches are usually quite variable and that the slope of the psychometric function is flattest in the presumed tinnitus region. The first result is consistent with the idea that tinnitus is an unstable signal. The second result is consistent with the notion that the unstable tinnitus acts as a source of "internal" noise.

Hearing Loss, Sensorineural↗
PubMed1986

Magnitude estimation and the "paradoxical" loudness of tinnitus.

Ten patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus matched external tones to the tinnitus pitch. These matches were followed by magnitude estimates to measure the loudness function of tones at 1 kHz at the presumed tinnitus frequency (i.e., at the average frequency matching the pitch of the tinnitus), magnitude estimates of the tinnitus itself, and loudness matches of external tones to the tinnitus. The slope of the loudness function at 1 kHz is substantially smaller than the slope at the presumed tinnitus frequency. Most importantly, the magnitude estimates of the tinnitus coupled with intensity matches to the tinnitus provide coordinates that typically lie near the loudness function of the external tone used in the intensity match. Because the slope of the loudness function is much greater at the tinnitus frequency than at 1 kHz, the magnitude estimate of tinnitus loudness corresponds to a lower sensation level at that frequency than at 1 kHz. This finding favors the conclusion that rapid changes in loudness of external tones at the tinnitus frequency account for the "paradoxical" loudness of the tinnitus. The conclusion is independent of any mathematical description of the loudness function.

Hearing Loss, Sensorineural↗
PubMed1987

Binaural loudness summation in the hearing impaired.

Binaural loudness summation was measured using three different paradigms with 10 normally hearing and 20 bilaterally symmetrical high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss subjects. An adaptive paradigm and a loudness matching procedure measured summation at the lower and upper level of comfortable loudness and the loudness discomfort level (LDL). Monaural and binaural LDLs also were obtained with a clinical procedure designed to select maximum output of hearing aids. Stimuli for all three tasks consisted of 500- and 4000-Hz pure tones and a speech spectrum noise. Binaural summation increased with presentation level using the loudness matching procedure, with values in the 6-10 dB range. Summation decreased with level using the adaptive paradigm, and no summation was present with the clinical LDL task. The hearing-impaired subjects demonstrated binaural summation that was not significantly different from the normally hearing subjects. The results suggest that a bilaterally symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss does not affect binaural loudness summation. The monaural and binaural dynamic range widths were similar, and the LDL results suggest that binaural loudness summation may not be an important factor in selecting maximum output of hearing aids.

Acoustics↗
PubMed1987

Frequency modulation detection by normally hearing and profoundly hearing-impaired listeners.

The ability of normally hearing and profoundly hearing-impaired subjects to detect frequency modulations was evaluated under conditions where the amplitudes of the test signals were either constant (CA), sinusoidally modulated (SAM), or randomly modulated (RAM). Results for hearing-impaired listeners showed larger frequency difference limens (DLFM) than those for normally hearing listeners for all test frequencies (100 to 1000 Hz) and for all amplitude conditions. For both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired subjects, the DFLM was smallest for the constant amplitude condition and largest for the randomly modulated condition. Differences in performance between the RAM and CA conditions were generally much larger for impaired listeners than for normally hearing listeners. With random amplitude modulation, DLFMs for the hearing-impaired subjects were approximately 36 times larger than those for normally hearing subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The effect of continuous monaural noise on loudness matches to tinnitus.

Data from two psychophysical tasks are presented. In the first, 8 subjects with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus adjusted the intensity of a continuous monaural noise to mask the tinnitus. In the second, in the presence of continuous monaural noise, the same subjects adjusted the intensity of a pulsed monaural tone to match the loudness of the tinnitus. The tone was either ipsilateral or contralateral to the noise. Although the noise level required to mask the tinnitus increased substantially, as did the level of the ipsilateral matching tone, the change in the level of the contralateral matching tone was minimal. One possible explanation of these findings is related to the functioning of the peripheral auditory system.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1988

Prediction of individual loudness exponents from cross-modality matching.

An investigation of the relation among individual power-function exponents for 51 adults with normal hearing was undertaken. Three different psychophysical procedures were employed: absolute magnitude estimation (AME), absolute magnitude production (AMP), and cross-modality matching (CMM) between loudness and perceived length. From these procedures, loudness exponents obtained directly from measurements of AME and AMP of loudness were compared to exponents predicted from CMM and AME of perceived length. The means of the distributions of measured and predicted exponents were found to have an identical value of 0.56. Moreover, more than half of the differences between the predicted and measured exponents ranged from -.07 to +.09, giving measured deviations that extend from -12.5 to 16%. The close agreement between the measured and predicted means, ranges, and distributions of exponent values implies that CMM combined with line-length information can be used with success to determine an individual's rate of loudness growth.

Hearing Tests↗