Abstract
In noisy backgrounds, listeners perform the auditory scene analysis: they parse the different auditory streams (“stream segregation”), and selectively focus on one stream as it unfolds over time (“selective attention”). Auditory scene analysis is thought to mature slowly. Here, we sought to investigate developmental changes in the neural signature of auditory stream segregation. Children (n = 17, aged 8 to 17) and young adults (n = 10) were presented with sequences of sounds consisting in stochastic variations of figures and backgrounds. These figure-ground sequences have been shown to elicit distinct “signature” EEG responses, including the object-related negativity (ORN) and P400, which reflect the processing concurrent auditory objects. Participants were also presented with a consonant identification task, where the consonant was presented in quiet, in the presence of one interfering talker, and in the presence of speech-shaped-noise. Preliminary results indicate a developmental effect on figure-ground segregation. Interestingly, we observe a significant correlation (r = 0.45) between stream segregation and speech perception in noise. However, we do not observe a developmental effect on the ORN/P400. Results will be discussed in light with the literature on the topic of auditory scene analysis and the development of the central auditory pathways.
Published Version
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