Noise exposure, binaural envelope processing, and spatial release from masking in student musicians with normal hearing

Abstract

Musicians are at risk of cochlear synaptopathy, because they are frequently exposed to hazardous sound levels that exceed the daily dose of noise exposure. In this study, we evaluated the effects of noise exposure on physiological, and perceptual correlates of cochlear synaptopathy in student musicians and non-musicians with normal audiometric thresholds. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded at various click rates to investigate the physiological findings consistent with synaptopathy. Sensitivity to interaural envelope time difference, and spatial release from speech-on-speech masking, were measured to characterize the perceptual deficits consistent with those expected from cochlear synaptopathy. Preliminary analyses suggested that rate-dependent ABR wave I amplitude reductions and wave V latency shifts were greater in the musicians, compared to their non-musician counterparts. However, performance on the two perceptual tasks did not differ across the two groups. These results suggest that there may be sub-clinical effects of excessive noise exposure in student musicians, but the effects are too subtle or too diffuse to precipitate perceptual deficits.