Age-related differences in modulation detection interference and interference release

Abstract

Age-related declines have been observed in auditory tasks related to temporal processing, but less work has been conducted in middle-aged listeners and in auditory sound segregation tasks. This experiment addresses these issues by evaluating modulation detection interference (MDI) and release from MDI using streaming in young, middle-aged and older listeners. Using a standard MDI paradigm, we measured amplitude modulation detection thresholds of a high-frequency tone in different conditions: in quiet, in the presence of a low-impact unmodulated interferer, and in the presence of a high-impact modulated interferer. Then, we measured streaming-based release from MDI using four modulated precursors designed to perceptually capture the interferer and therefore reduce the amount of interference. Preliminary data suggest that middle-aged normal-hearing listeners experience similar MDI to young listeners and also receive a large release from interference when precursors are present. Additional data will be presented from older listeners, who experience slightly greater MDI than younger listeners.