Impact of Auditory Attention on the Efferent Auditory System in the Absence of Real Auditory Targets

Authors

  • Wing Yiu Stephanie Wong University of Toronto
  • Aravind Kumar Namasivayam University of Toronto, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
  • Pascal van Lieshout University of Toronto

Keywords:

AUDITORY ATTENTION, VISUAL ATTENTION, CONTRALATERAL SUPPRESSION, TRANSIENT-EVOKED OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS, EFFERENT, ATTENTION AUDITIVE, ATTENTION VISUELLE, SUPPRESSION CONTROLATÉRALE, OTOÉMISSIONS ACOUSTIQUES PROVOQUÉES, EFFÉRENT

Abstract

Previous studies have compared visual and auditory attention to no-task conditions and have demonstrated an attention driven modulation of the efferent auditory system (De Boer & Thornton, 2007; Maison, Micheyl, & Collet, 2001). However, it is unclear whether these effects are modality-specific or a result of generalized attentional processes. In the present study, 16 young adults observed facial speech gestures related to productions of vowels /a/ and /u/ in the presence of contralateral broad band noise (BBN) under two instructions: (a) visually count the number of /a/ productions and ignore BBN (visual attention) and (b) to listen carefully and count target sound /a/ embedded in BBN (sham condition; auditory attention). These “sham” trials did not have any acoustic targets and investigated the effect of auditory attention in the absence of real auditory targets. The influence of visual and auditory attention on the efferent auditory system were indirectly assessed by examining their effects on contralateral suppression of Transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CS-TEOAE paradigm; Collet et al., 1990). The Mean change from baseline for visual attention and auditory attention were 2.19 and 1.88 dB SPL, respectively. Cohen’s d for the mean difference between the two conditions yielded a moderate positive effect size = 0.52. 12 out of 16 participants (75%; exact binomial test significant at one tailed p = 0.03) demonstrated a greater suppression of TEOAEs amplitudes (mean difference = 0.31 dB SPL) in the visual attention condition relative to the auditory attention condition. These effects are similar to those reported in the literature, wherein attention to stimuli in the contralateral ear increased OAE suppression (Harkrider & Bowers, 2009). Our results show that these effects are obtainable even in the absence of real auditory targets (i.e. without stimulus confound). Overall, finding a difference in suppression of TEOAEs for visual and auditory attention conditions provide preliminary evidence for a modality-specific rather than a generalized attentional modulation in the efferent auditory system. 

 

Author Biographies

Wing Yiu Stephanie Wong, University of Toronto

M.H.Sc. Candidate
Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto

Aravind Kumar Namasivayam, University of Toronto, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute

Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto

Adjunct Scientist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute

Pascal van Lieshout, University of Toronto

Professor and Chair, Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto

Additional Files

Published

2015-12-15

How to Cite

1.
Wong WYS, Namasivayam AK, van Lieshout P. Impact of Auditory Attention on the Efferent Auditory System in the Absence of Real Auditory Targets. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2015 Dec. 15 [cited 2024 Nov. 8];43(4):25-9. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2667

Issue

Vol. 43 No. 4 (2015)

Section

Article - Hearing Sciences

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