Modeling Responses in the Superior Paraolivary Nucleus: Implications for Forward Masking in the Inferior Colliculus

Abstract

A phenomenological model of the responses of neurons in the superior paraolivary nucleus (SPON) of the rodent is presented in this study. Pure tones at the characteristic frequency (CF) and broadband noise stimuli evoke offset-type responses in these neurons. SPON neurons also phase-lock to the envelope of sinusoidally amplitude-modulated (SAM) stimuli for a range of modulation frequencies. Model SPON neuron received inhibitory input that was relayed by the ipsilateral medial nucleus of the trapezoid body from the contralateral model ventral cochlear nucleus neuron. The SPON model response was simulated by detecting the slope of its inhibitory postsynaptic potential. Responses of the proposed model to pure tones at CF and broadband noise were offset-type independent of the duration of the input stimulus. SPON model responses were also synchronized to the envelope of SAM stimuli with precise timing for a range of modulation frequencies. Modulation transfer functions (MTFs) obtained from the model response to SAM stimuli resemble the physiological MTFs. The output of the proposed SPON model provides an input for models of physiological responses at higher levels of the ascending auditory pathway and can also be utilized to infer possible mechanisms underlying gap detection and duration encoding as well as forward masking at the level of the auditory midbrain.

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Adding simultaneous stimulating channels to reduce power consumption in cochlear implants

Publication date: Available online 16 January 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Florian Langner, Aniket Saoji, Andreas Büchner, Waldo Nogueira
Sound coding strategies for Cochlear Implant (CI) listeners can be used to control the trade-off between speech performance and power consumption. Most commercial CI strategies use non-simultaneous channel stimulation, stimulating only one electrode at a time. One could add parallel simultaneous stimulating channels such that the electrical interaction between channels is increased. This would produce spectral smearing, because the electrical fields of the simultaneous stimulated channels interact, but also power savings. The parallel channels produce a louder sensation than sequential stimulation. To test this hypothesis we implemented different sound coding strategies using a research interface from Advanced Bionics: the commercial F120 strategy using sequential channel stimulation (one channel equals two electrodes with current steering) and the Paired strategy, consisting of simultaneous stimulation with two channels. Here, the electrical field of both channels will interact, requiring less current on each channel to perceive the same loudness as with F120. However, channel interaction between the independent channels may reduce speech recognition or understanding. This can be diminished by adding an inverse-polarity stimulation channel between both channels. This strategy is termed Paired with Flanks. Additionally, Triplet with three channels and an adjacent Flank style was investigated. For each strategy we measured speech intelligibility with the Hochmair-Schulz-Moser sentence test. Spectral resolution was assessed using a spectral modulation depth detection task. Results show that Paired without Flanks obtains similar performance while reducing the current by 20% on average compared to F120. Triplet with and without Flanks shows overall poorer performance when compared to F120. All strategies inhibit the option to increase the pulse width which would result in even further decreased power consumption.



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Adding simultaneous stimulating channels to reduce power consumption in cochlear implants

Publication date: Available online 16 January 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Florian Langner, Aniket Saoji, Andreas Büchner, Waldo Nogueira
Sound coding strategies for Cochlear Implant (CI) listeners can be used to control the trade-off between speech performance and power consumption. Most commercial CI strategies use non-simultaneous channel stimulation, stimulating only one electrode at a time. One could add parallel simultaneous stimulating channels such that the electrical interaction between channels is increased. This would produce spectral smearing, because the electrical fields of the simultaneous stimulated channels interact, but also power savings. The parallel channels produce a louder sensation than sequential stimulation. To test this hypothesis we implemented different sound coding strategies using a research interface from Advanced Bionics: the commercial F120 strategy using sequential channel stimulation (one channel equals two electrodes with current steering) and the Paired strategy, consisting of simultaneous stimulation with two channels. Here, the electrical field of both channels will interact, requiring less current on each channel to perceive the same loudness as with F120. However, channel interaction between the independent channels may reduce speech recognition or understanding. This can be diminished by adding an inverse-polarity stimulation channel between both channels. This strategy is termed Paired with Flanks. Additionally, Triplet with three channels and an adjacent Flank style was investigated. For each strategy we measured speech intelligibility with the Hochmair-Schulz-Moser sentence test. Spectral resolution was assessed using a spectral modulation depth detection task. Results show that Paired without Flanks obtains similar performance while reducing the current by 20% on average compared to F120. Triplet with and without Flanks shows overall poorer performance when compared to F120. All strategies inhibit the option to increase the pulse width which would result in even further decreased power consumption.



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Adding simultaneous stimulating channels to reduce power consumption in cochlear implants

Publication date: Available online 16 January 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Florian Langner, Aniket Saoji, Andreas Büchner, Waldo Nogueira
Sound coding strategies for Cochlear Implant (CI) listeners can be used to control the trade-off between speech performance and power consumption. Most commercial CI strategies use non-simultaneous channel stimulation, stimulating only one electrode at a time. One could add parallel simultaneous stimulating channels such that the electrical interaction between channels is increased. This would produce spectral smearing, because the electrical fields of the simultaneous stimulated channels interact, but also power savings. The parallel channels produce a louder sensation than sequential stimulation. To test this hypothesis we implemented different sound coding strategies using a research interface from Advanced Bionics: the commercial F120 strategy using sequential channel stimulation (one channel equals two electrodes with current steering) and the Paired strategy, consisting of simultaneous stimulation with two channels. Here, the electrical field of both channels will interact, requiring less current on each channel to perceive the same loudness as with F120. However, channel interaction between the independent channels may reduce speech recognition or understanding. This can be diminished by adding an inverse-polarity stimulation channel between both channels. This strategy is termed Paired with Flanks. Additionally, Triplet with three channels and an adjacent Flank style was investigated. For each strategy we measured speech intelligibility with the Hochmair-Schulz-Moser sentence test. Spectral resolution was assessed using a spectral modulation depth detection task. Results show that Paired without Flanks obtains similar performance while reducing the current by 20% on average compared to F120. Triplet with and without Flanks shows overall poorer performance when compared to F120. All strategies inhibit the option to increase the pulse width which would result in even further decreased power consumption.



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Adding simultaneous stimulating channels to reduce power consumption in cochlear implants

Publication date: Available online 16 January 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Florian Langner, Aniket Saoji, Andreas Büchner, Waldo Nogueira
Sound coding strategies for Cochlear Implant (CI) listeners can be used to control the trade-off between speech performance and power consumption. Most commercial CI strategies use non-simultaneous channel stimulation, stimulating only one electrode at a time. One could add parallel simultaneous stimulating channels such that the electrical interaction between channels is increased. This would produce spectral smearing, because the electrical fields of the simultaneous stimulated channels interact, but also power savings. The parallel channels produce a louder sensation than sequential stimulation. To test this hypothesis we implemented different sound coding strategies using a research interface from Advanced Bionics: the commercial F120 strategy using sequential channel stimulation (one channel equals two electrodes with current steering) and the Paired strategy, consisting of simultaneous stimulation with two channels. Here, the electrical field of both channels will interact, requiring less current on each channel to perceive the same loudness as with F120. However, channel interaction between the independent channels may reduce speech recognition or understanding. This can be diminished by adding an inverse-polarity stimulation channel between both channels. This strategy is termed Paired with Flanks. Additionally, Triplet with three channels and an adjacent Flank style was investigated. For each strategy we measured speech intelligibility with the Hochmair-Schulz-Moser sentence test. Spectral resolution was assessed using a spectral modulation depth detection task. Results show that Paired without Flanks obtains similar performance while reducing the current by 20% on average compared to F120. Triplet with and without Flanks shows overall poorer performance when compared to F120. All strategies inhibit the option to increase the pulse width which would result in even further decreased power consumption.



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Adding simultaneous stimulating channels to reduce power consumption in cochlear implants

Publication date: Available online 16 January 2017
Source:Hearing Research
Author(s): Florian Langner, Aniket Saoji, Andreas Büchner, Waldo Nogueira
Sound coding strategies for Cochlear Implant (CI) listeners can be used to control the trade-off between speech performance and power consumption. Most commercial CI strategies use non-simultaneous channel stimulation, stimulating only one electrode at a time. One could add parallel simultaneous stimulating channels such that the electrical interaction between channels is increased. This would produce spectral smearing, because the electrical fields of the simultaneous stimulated channels interact, but also power savings. The parallel channels produce a louder sensation than sequential stimulation. To test this hypothesis we implemented different sound coding strategies using a research interface from Advanced Bionics: the commercial F120 strategy using sequential channel stimulation (one channel equals two electrodes with current steering) and the Paired strategy, consisting of simultaneous stimulation with two channels. Here, the electrical field of both channels will interact, requiring less current on each channel to perceive the same loudness as with F120. However, channel interaction between the independent channels may reduce speech recognition or understanding. This can be diminished by adding an inverse-polarity stimulation channel between both channels. This strategy is termed Paired with Flanks. Additionally, Triplet with three channels and an adjacent Flank style was investigated. For each strategy we measured speech intelligibility with the Hochmair-Schulz-Moser sentence test. Spectral resolution was assessed using a spectral modulation depth detection task. Results show that Paired without Flanks obtains similar performance while reducing the current by 20% on average compared to F120. Triplet with and without Flanks shows overall poorer performance when compared to F120. All strategies inhibit the option to increase the pulse width which would result in even further decreased power consumption.



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Acoustic Analyses of the Singing Vibrato in Traditional Peking Opera

Publication date: Available online 16 January 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Qichao Han, Ruifeng Zhang
China's traditional Peking Opera has four standard categories of roles: Sheng, Dan, Jing, and Chou, the singing vibrato of each displaying a different auditory effect. The audio and respiratory signals were recorded for two performers of the Qing Yi role, one of the Jing role, one of the Chou role, one of the Lao Sheng role, one of the Xiao Sheng role, and one of the Lao Dan role. The recordings gained eventually consisted of 24 representative songs from six roles. The rates and extents of vibrato, fundamental frequency, and rib cage signals were analyzed. Two findings were obtained: (1) the classical opera singing vibratos of China and Western countries are acoustically different from each other; and (2) in Peking Opera, the singing vibratos of different roles show significant acoustic differences.



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[Neonatal Hearing Screening and Early Intervention, a screening program to evaluate all infants to identify the hearing impaired].

[Neonatal Hearing Screening and Early Intervention, a screening program to evaluate all infants to identify the hearing impaired].

Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2017 Jan-Feb;55(1):40-46

Authors: González-Jiménez B, Delgado-Mendoza E, Rojano-González R, Valdez-Izaguirre F, Gutiérrez-Aguilar P, Márquez-Celedonio FG, González-Santes M

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Neonatal Hearing Screening and Early Intervention (NHSEI) is a screening program to evaluate all infants and identify those with hearing impairment. The objective of this work was to determine the factors associated with hearing loss in NHSEI program.
METHODS: Analytical cross-sectional study was performed. 234 infants were included in the NHSEI program, hearing was evaluated with transitory evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOE) at frequencies of 1.5 to 4.5 kHz, and intensity of stimuli of 40-60 dB. The variables were: age from one to 28 days, sex, gestational age and perinatal history. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.
RESULTS: The presence of risk factors in newborns resulted in significant omnibus test (p < 0.05) predicted value by Nagelkerke R square model of 77%. The background inherited family acquired infection, craniofacial abnormalities, low birth weight, respiratory distress at birth and genetic syndromes were factors significantly associated (p < 0.05) to hearing loss in infants.
CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of hearing impairment in infants diagnosed by newborn hearing program was higher (5/234 newborns) than the reported in the literature.

PMID: 28092246 [PubMed - in process]

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X-linked elliptocytosis with impaired growth is related to mutated AMMECR1.

Related Articles

X-linked elliptocytosis with impaired growth is related to mutated AMMECR1.

Gene. 2017 Jan 09;:

Authors: Basel-Vanagaite L, Pillar N, Isakov O, Smirin-Yosef P, Lagovsky I, Orenstein N, Salmon-Divon M, Tamary H, Zaft T, Bazak L, Meyerovitch J, Pelli T, Botchan S, Farberov L, Weissglas D, Shomron N

Abstract
In this study, we report a family with X-linked recessive syndrome caused by mutated AMMECR1 and characterized by elliptocytosis with or without anemia, midface hypoplasia, proportionate short stature and hearing loss. Recently, mutations in AMMECR1 were reported in two maternal half-brothers, presenting with nephrocalcinosis, midface hypoplasia and, in one of the siblings, deafness and elliptocytosis. AMMECR1 gene is localized in the critical region of contiguous deletion syndrome on Xq22.3 implicated in Alport syndrome, mental retardation, midface hypoplasia, and elliptocytosis (AMME complex). Interestingly, alternative splicing of exon 2, the same exon harboring the truncating mutation, was observed in the proband and in his unaffected mother. Alternative splicing of this exon is predicted to lead to an in-frame deletion. We provide further evidence that mutated AMMECR1 gene is responsible for this clinically recognizable X-linked condition with variable expressivity.

PMID: 28089922 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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Postural responses applied in a control model in cochlear implant users with pre-lingual hearing loss.

Related Articles

Postural responses applied in a control model in cochlear implant users with pre-lingual hearing loss.

Acta Otolaryngol. 2016;136(4):344-50

Authors: Suarez H, Ferreira E, Alonso R, Arocena S, San Roman C, Herrera T, Lapilover V

Abstract
Conclusions The assessment of postural responses (PR) based in a feedback control system model shows selective gains in different bands of frequencies adaptable with child development. Objective PR characterization of pre-lingual cochlear implant users (CIU) in different sensory conditions. Methods Total energy consumption of the body's center of pressure signal (ECCOP) and its distribution in three bands of frequencies: band 1 (0-0.1 Hz), band 2 (0.1-0.7 Hz), and band 3 (0.7-20 Hz) was measured in a sample of 18 CIU (8-16 years old) and in a control group (CG) (8-15 years old). They were assessed in a standing position on a force platform in two sensory conditions: 1 = Eyes open. 2 = Eyes closed and standing on foam. Results In condition 1, total ECCOP of PR and its proportion of energy consumption in the three bands of frequencies were similar between CIU and CG (p > 0.05). In condition 2, CIU have significantly higher ECCOP, mainly in high frequencies (bands 2 and 3) (p < 0.05). ECCOP values decreased with age also, mainly in bands 2 and 3. This behavior is interpreted in the control system model proposed as an adaptation process related with child development.

PMID: 26824633 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Postural responses applied in a control model in cochlear implant users with pre-lingual hearing loss.

Related Articles

Postural responses applied in a control model in cochlear implant users with pre-lingual hearing loss.

Acta Otolaryngol. 2016;136(4):344-50

Authors: Suarez H, Ferreira E, Alonso R, Arocena S, San Roman C, Herrera T, Lapilover V

Abstract
Conclusions The assessment of postural responses (PR) based in a feedback control system model shows selective gains in different bands of frequencies adaptable with child development. Objective PR characterization of pre-lingual cochlear implant users (CIU) in different sensory conditions. Methods Total energy consumption of the body's center of pressure signal (ECCOP) and its distribution in three bands of frequencies: band 1 (0-0.1 Hz), band 2 (0.1-0.7 Hz), and band 3 (0.7-20 Hz) was measured in a sample of 18 CIU (8-16 years old) and in a control group (CG) (8-15 years old). They were assessed in a standing position on a force platform in two sensory conditions: 1 = Eyes open. 2 = Eyes closed and standing on foam. Results In condition 1, total ECCOP of PR and its proportion of energy consumption in the three bands of frequencies were similar between CIU and CG (p > 0.05). In condition 2, CIU have significantly higher ECCOP, mainly in high frequencies (bands 2 and 3) (p < 0.05). ECCOP values decreased with age also, mainly in bands 2 and 3. This behavior is interpreted in the control system model proposed as an adaptation process related with child development.

PMID: 26824633 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Book Review.

No abstract available

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