Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Chao-yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
J Neurophysiol. 2024 Oct 1;132(4):1265-1277. doi: 10.1152/jn.00279.2024. Epub 2024 Sep 11.
The central auditory system encompasses two primary functions: identification and localization. Spatial release from masking (SRM) highlights speech recognition in competing noise and improves the listening experience when a spatial cue is introduced between noise and target speech. This assessment focuses on the integrity of auditory function and holds clinical significance. However, infants or pre-lingual subjects sometimes provide less reliable results. This study investigates the value of cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) onset and acoustic change complex (ACC) as an objective measurement of SRM. Thirty normal-hearing young adults (11 males) were recruited. We found the spatial separation of signals and noise (±90° symmetrically) resulted in a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improvement of 9.00 ± 1.71 dB behaviorally. It significantly enhanced cortical processing at all SNR levels, shortened CAEP latencies, and increased amplitudes, resulting in a greater number of measurable peaks for ACC. SRM showed mild to moderate correlations with the differences between two conditions in CAEP measures. The regression model combining N1'-P2' amplitude at 5 dB SNR ( = 0.26), P1 amplitude at 0 dB SNR ( = 0.14), and P1 latency at -5 dB SNR ( = 0.15), explained 45.3% of the variance in SRM. Our study demonstrates that introducing spatial cues can improve speech perception and enhance central auditory processing in normal-hearing young adults. CAEPs may contribute to predictions about SRM and hold potential for practical application. The neural encoding of spatial release from masking (SRM) can be observed in normal-hearing young adults. Spatial separation between target and masker improves speech perception in noise and enhances central auditory processing. The behavioral results showed mild-to-moderate correlations with electrophysiological measures, with acoustic change complex (ACC) amplitude being a better indicator than onset components. Cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) may contribute to predictions about spatial release from masking, especially when behavioral tests are less reliable.
识别和定位。掩蔽释放（SRM）空间强调在竞争噪声中识别语音，并在噪声和目标语音之间引入空间线索时改善聆听体验。这种评估侧重于听觉功能的完整性，具有临床意义。然而，婴儿或语言前受试者有时提供的结果不太可靠。本研究调查了皮质听觉诱发电位（CAEPs）起始和声学变化复合（ACC）作为 SRM 客观测量的价值。招募了 30 名听力正常的年轻成年人（11 名男性）。我们发现，信号和噪声的空间分离（±90°对称）导致行为 SNR 提高 9.00±1.71dB。它在所有 SNR 水平上显著增强了皮质处理，缩短了 CAEP 潜伏期，并增加了幅度，从而为 ACC 产生了更多可测量的峰值。SRM 与 CAEP 测量中两种条件之间的差异呈轻度至中度相关。结合 5dB SNR 时 N1'-P2'幅度（ = 0.26）、0dB SNR 时 P1 幅度（ = 0.14）和-5dB SNR 时 P1 潜伏期（ = 0.15）的回归模型，解释了 SRM 方差的 45.3%。我们的研究表明，引入空间线索可以提高听力正常的年轻成年人的语音感知能力，并增强中枢听觉处理。CAEPs 可能有助于对 SRM 的预测，并具有实际应用的潜力。正常听力的年轻成年人可以观察到空间掩蔽释放（SRM）的神经编码。目标和掩蔽器之间的空间分离可提高噪声中的语音感知能力，并增强中枢听觉处理。行为结果与电生理测量呈轻度至中度相关，其中声学变化复合（ACC）幅度比起始成分更能作为指示。皮质听觉诱发电位（CAEPs）可能有助于预测空间掩蔽释放，特别是当行为测试不太可靠时。
