.) The objective of the proposed research continues to be a comprehensive, systematic and parametric evaluation of the roles that spectral locus and temporal variation play in selected binaural experiments. By producing interaural temporal and intensive stimuli, we hope to extend greatly knowledge of how the human's ability to lateralize, to discriminate and to detect is affected by the spectral region and spectral compositions of sounds that are processed via binaural interactions. One subset of experiments concerns lateralization and will evaluate, as a function of spectral locus and temporal variations, how extent of laterality is affected by combinations of interaural time-delays, phase-shifts, and intensive differences. These data will be used to extend a new model, the """"""""weighted-image"""""""" model to incorporate interaural intensive differences across spectral regions. Other lateralization experiments will assess the relative potency of onset/offset and ongoing interaural delays in combination with interaural intensive differences and how each affects the intracranial locus of acoustic images. Another subset concerns the detection and discrimination of interaural delay when a narrow spectral region containing the delay is known vs. when the listener is uncertain with respect to its spectral location. Another group is designed to assess discrimination of interaural delay when the base or initial delay is varied. Narrow bands of noise will serve as targets and these experiments are crucial for determining how well relative discriminations can be performed for high-frequency stimuli. The potential health benefits are a better understanding of how the ear and brain process information and a potential for """"""""better"""""""" diagnostic procedures that may, eventually, have clinical significance.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC000234-15
Application #
2377559
Study Section
Hearing Research Study Section (HAR)
Project Start
1987-06-01
Project End
1998-02-28
Budget Start
1997-03-01
Budget End
1998-02-28
Support Year
15
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
City
Farmington
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06030