Auditory perceptual learning in hypothetically psychosis-prone subjects

Abstract

Individuals with non-clinical anhedonia use unusual strategies to achieve normal performances, as shown by the atypical physiological pattern observed since the earlier stages of information processing. In this study, we explored the relationships between emotional and perceptual processes. Few studies have explored perception mechanisms in anhedonic individuals, particularly for auditory stimuli. We used psychoacoustic procedures to estimate auditory sensitivity in anhedonics, and dynamic-induced evolution in this sensitivity during a perceptual training paradigm. Frequency discrimination thresholds (FDTs) and absolute detection thresholds (ADTs) for pure 1-kHz tones lasting 40, 100, and 200 ms were measured for the left and right ears before and after six 2-h frequency discrimination training sessions involving exclusively 200-ms tones in the right ear. Overall, the training involved 4500 repeated measures of FDTs. No difference was found between anhedonics and control participants for the dynamic frequency discrimination thresholds improvement induced by training. Frequency and level stimulation sensibility was not different between the two groups, despite an unusual instability across measurements in the pre-training session for anhedonic subjects. The results are discussed in terms of dynamic information processing strategies modifications in the anhedonic personality trait .