Effect of Audiometric Configuration on Binaural Temporal Fine Structure Sensitivity in Adults with Sensorineural Hearing Loss
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Abstract
Background and Aim: Temporal Fine Structure (TFS) cues are crucial for pitch perception, sound localization, and speech understanding in noise. Hearing loss can impair TFS sensitivity, but the role of audiogram configuration remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to compare binaural TFS sensitivity in adults with Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL) having different audiogram configurations.
Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study included 47 adults (32 with sloping audiograms, 15 with rising/flat audiograms) aged 18–50 with bilateral mild to moderate SNHL (26–55 dB HL). All participants had normal outer and middle ear status, were righthanded, and had no cognitive impairment. TFS sensitivity was measured using the TFSLow Frequency (TFS-LF) test at 250, 500, and 750 Hz, and the TFS-Adaptive Frequency (TFS-AF) test at Interaural Phase Differences (IPDs) of 45° and 135°.
Results: For the TFS-LF test, average thresholds were lower in the sloping group at all frequencies, but the difference between the two groups was not significant (p>0.05). For the TFS-AF test, thresholds at IPD 135° were significantly higher than at IPD 45° (p<0.001), but the difference between the two groups was not significant. Significant correlations were observed between the TFS-LF and the TFS-AF thresholds (r=–0.783, p<0.001).
Conclusion: There is no significant difference in TFS sensitivity between adults with sloping and rising/flat audiograms. Absolute hearing thresholds at various frequencies do not solely influence TFS sensitivity; factors such as cochlear health, neural timing, and individual variability may also affect the outcome.
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2. Lorenzi C, Gilbert G, Carn H, Garnier S, Moore BC. Speech perception problems of the hearing impaired reflect inability to use temporal fine structure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2006;103(49):18866-9. [DOI:10.1073/pnas.0607364103]
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5. Ardoint M, Sheft S, Fleuriot P, Garnier S, Lorenzi C. Perception of temporal fine-structure cues in speech with minimal envelope cues for listeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. International journal of audiology. 2010;49(11):823-31. [DOI:10.3109/14992027.2010.492402]
6. Rosen S. Temporal information in speech: acoustic, auditory and linguistic aspects. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences. 1992;336(1278):367-73. [DOI:10.1098/rstb.1992.0070]
7. Moore BC. The role of temporal fine structure processing in pitch perception, masking, and speech perception for normalhearing and hearing-impaired people. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2008;9(4):399-406. [DOI:10.1007/s10162-008-0143-x]
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10. Verschooten E, Shamma S, Oxenham AJ, Moore BC, Joris PX, Heinz MG, et al. The upper frequency limit for the use of phase locking to code temporal fine structure in humans: A compilation of viewpoints. Hearing research. 2019;377:109-21. [DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2019.03.011]
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12. Moore BCJ. Effects of hearing loss and age on the binaural processing of temporal envelope and temporal fine structure information. Hear Res. 2021;402:107991. [DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2020.107991]
13. World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/hearing-loss#tab=tab_2.
14. Zirn S, Arndt S, Aschendorff A, Laszig R, Wesarg T. Perception of interaural phase differences with envelope and fine structure coding strategies in bilateral cochlear implant users. Trends in Hearing. 2016;20:2331216516665608. [DOI:10.1177/2331216516665608]
15. Sęk A, Moore BC. Implementation of two tests for measuring sensitivity to temporal fine structure. Int J Audiol. 2012;51(1):58-63. [DOI:10.3109/14992027.2011.605808]
16. Füllgrabe C, Harland AJ, Sęk AP, Moore BCJ. Development of a method for determining binaural sensitivity to temporal fine structure. Int J Audiol. 2017;56(12):926-35. [DOI:10.1080/14992027.2017.1366078]
17. Smoski WJ, Trahiotis C. Discrimination of interaural temporal disparities by normal-hearing listeners and listeners with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. J Acoust Soc Am. 1986;79(5):1541-7. [DOI:10.1121/1.393680]
18. Strelcyk O, Dau T. Relations between frequency selectivity, temporal fine-structure processing, and speech reception in impaired hearing. J Acoust Soc Am. 2009;125(5):3328-45. [DOI:10.1121/1.3097469]
19. Li B, Hou L, Xu L, Wang H, Yang G, Yin S, et al. Effects of steep high-frequency hearing loss on speech recognition using temporal fine structure in low-frequency region. Hear Res. 2015;326:66-74. [DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2015.04.004]
20. Hopkins K, Moore BC. The effects of age and cochlear hearing loss on temporal fine structure sensitivity, frequency selectivity, and speech reception in noise. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2011;130(1):334-49. [DOI:10.1121/1.3585848]
21. King A, Hopkins K, Plack CJ. The effects of age and hearing loss on interaural phase difference discrimination. J Acoust Soc Am. 2014;135(1):342-51. [DOI:10.1121/1.4838995]
22. Moore BC, Sęk A. Preferred compression speed for speech and music and its relationship to sensitivity to temporal fine structure. Trends in Hearing. 2016;20:2331216516640486. [DOI:10.1177/2331216516640486]
23. Mathew DS, Sreenivasan A, Alexander A, Palani S. Measuring Binaural Temporal-Fine-Structure Sensitivity in Hearing-Impaired Listeners, Using the TFS-AF Test. J Am Acad Audiol. 2020;31(2):105-10. [DOI:10.3766/jaaa.18068]
24. Hopkins K, Moore BC. Development of a fast method for measuring sensitivity to temporal fine structure information at low frequencies. Int J Audiol. 2010;49(12):940-6. [DOI:10.3109/14992027.2010.512613]
25. Zeng FG, Kong YY, Michalewski HJ, Starr A. Perceptual consequences of disrupted auditory nerve activity. J Neurophysiol. 2005;93(6):3050-63. [DOI:10.1152/jn.00985.2004]
26. Füllgrabe C, Moore BCJ. Evaluation of a Method for Determining Binaural Sensitivity to Temporal Fine Structure (TFS-AF Test) for Older Listeners with Normal and Impaired Low-Frequency Hearing. Trends Hear. 2017;21:2331216517737230. [DOI:10.1080/14992027.2017.1366078]
27. Füllgrabe C, Moore BCJ. The Association Between the Processing of Binaural Temporal-Fine-Structure Information and Audiometric Threshold and Age: A Meta-Analysis. Trends in Hearing. 2018;22:2331216518797259. [DOI:10.1177/2331216518797259]
2. Lorenzi C, Gilbert G, Carn H, Garnier S, Moore BC. Speech perception problems of the hearing impaired reflect inability to use temporal fine structure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2006;103(49):18866-9. [DOI:10.1073/pnas.0607364103]
3. Hopkins K, Moore BC, Stone MA. Effects of moderate cochlear hearing loss on the ability to benefit from temporal fine structure information in speech. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2008;123(2):1140-53. [DOI:10.1121/1.2824018]
4. Lorenzi C, Debruille L, Garnier S, Fleuriot P, Moore BC. Abnormal processing of temporal fine structure in speech for frequencies where absolute thresholds are normal. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2009;125(1):27-30. [DOI:10.1121/1.2939125]
5. Ardoint M, Sheft S, Fleuriot P, Garnier S, Lorenzi C. Perception of temporal fine-structure cues in speech with minimal envelope cues for listeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. International journal of audiology. 2010;49(11):823-31. [DOI:10.3109/14992027.2010.492402]
6. Rosen S. Temporal information in speech: acoustic, auditory and linguistic aspects. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences. 1992;336(1278):367-73. [DOI:10.1098/rstb.1992.0070]
7. Moore BC. The role of temporal fine structure processing in pitch perception, masking, and speech perception for normalhearing and hearing-impaired people. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2008;9(4):399-406. [DOI:10.1007/s10162-008-0143-x]
8. Rasouli Fard P, Jarollahi F, Sameni SJ, Kamali M. Effects of rehabilitation training on an elderly population with mild to moderate hearing loss: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial. F1000Res. 2020;9:582. [DOI:10.12688/f1000research.23332.3]
9. Young ED, Sachs MB. Representation of steady‐state vowels in the temporal aspects of the discharge patterns of populations of auditory‐nerve fibers. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 1979;66(5):1381-403. [DOI:10.1121/1.383532]
10. Verschooten E, Shamma S, Oxenham AJ, Moore BC, Joris PX, Heinz MG, et al. The upper frequency limit for the use of phase locking to code temporal fine structure in humans: A compilation of viewpoints. Hearing research. 2019;377:109-21. [DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2019.03.011]
11. Ellis RJ, Rönnberg J. Temporal fine structure: associations with cognition and speech-in-noise recognition in adults with normal hearing or hearing impairment. Int J Audiol. 2022;61(9):778-86. [DOI:10.1080/14992027.2021.1948119]
12. Moore BCJ. Effects of hearing loss and age on the binaural processing of temporal envelope and temporal fine structure information. Hear Res. 2021;402:107991. [DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2020.107991]
13. World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/hearing-loss#tab=tab_2.
14. Zirn S, Arndt S, Aschendorff A, Laszig R, Wesarg T. Perception of interaural phase differences with envelope and fine structure coding strategies in bilateral cochlear implant users. Trends in Hearing. 2016;20:2331216516665608. [DOI:10.1177/2331216516665608]
15. Sęk A, Moore BC. Implementation of two tests for measuring sensitivity to temporal fine structure. Int J Audiol. 2012;51(1):58-63. [DOI:10.3109/14992027.2011.605808]
16. Füllgrabe C, Harland AJ, Sęk AP, Moore BCJ. Development of a method for determining binaural sensitivity to temporal fine structure. Int J Audiol. 2017;56(12):926-35. [DOI:10.1080/14992027.2017.1366078]
17. Smoski WJ, Trahiotis C. Discrimination of interaural temporal disparities by normal-hearing listeners and listeners with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss. J Acoust Soc Am. 1986;79(5):1541-7. [DOI:10.1121/1.393680]
18. Strelcyk O, Dau T. Relations between frequency selectivity, temporal fine-structure processing, and speech reception in impaired hearing. J Acoust Soc Am. 2009;125(5):3328-45. [DOI:10.1121/1.3097469]
19. Li B, Hou L, Xu L, Wang H, Yang G, Yin S, et al. Effects of steep high-frequency hearing loss on speech recognition using temporal fine structure in low-frequency region. Hear Res. 2015;326:66-74. [DOI:10.1016/j.heares.2015.04.004]
20. Hopkins K, Moore BC. The effects of age and cochlear hearing loss on temporal fine structure sensitivity, frequency selectivity, and speech reception in noise. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2011;130(1):334-49. [DOI:10.1121/1.3585848]
21. King A, Hopkins K, Plack CJ. The effects of age and hearing loss on interaural phase difference discrimination. J Acoust Soc Am. 2014;135(1):342-51. [DOI:10.1121/1.4838995]
22. Moore BC, Sęk A. Preferred compression speed for speech and music and its relationship to sensitivity to temporal fine structure. Trends in Hearing. 2016;20:2331216516640486. [DOI:10.1177/2331216516640486]
23. Mathew DS, Sreenivasan A, Alexander A, Palani S. Measuring Binaural Temporal-Fine-Structure Sensitivity in Hearing-Impaired Listeners, Using the TFS-AF Test. J Am Acad Audiol. 2020;31(2):105-10. [DOI:10.3766/jaaa.18068]
24. Hopkins K, Moore BC. Development of a fast method for measuring sensitivity to temporal fine structure information at low frequencies. Int J Audiol. 2010;49(12):940-6. [DOI:10.3109/14992027.2010.512613]
25. Zeng FG, Kong YY, Michalewski HJ, Starr A. Perceptual consequences of disrupted auditory nerve activity. J Neurophysiol. 2005;93(6):3050-63. [DOI:10.1152/jn.00985.2004]
26. Füllgrabe C, Moore BCJ. Evaluation of a Method for Determining Binaural Sensitivity to Temporal Fine Structure (TFS-AF Test) for Older Listeners with Normal and Impaired Low-Frequency Hearing. Trends Hear. 2017;21:2331216517737230. [DOI:10.1080/14992027.2017.1366078]
27. Füllgrabe C, Moore BCJ. The Association Between the Processing of Binaural Temporal-Fine-Structure Information and Audiometric Threshold and Age: A Meta-Analysis. Trends in Hearing. 2018;22:2331216518797259. [DOI:10.1177/2331216518797259]
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| Issue | Vol 35 No 2 (2026) | |
| Section | Research Article(s) | |
| Keywords | ||
| Temporal fine structure sensorineural hearing loss configuration interaural phase difference | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Bagheri S, Rasouli Fard P, Akbarzadeh Baghban A. Effect of Audiometric Configuration on Binaural Temporal Fine Structure Sensitivity in Adults with Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Aud Vestib Res. 2025;35(2):184-191.
