The Influence of Semantic Context on the Intelligibility Benefit From Speech Glimpses in Younger and Older Adults

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 68(05), P. 2499 - 2516

Published: April 15, 2025

Speech is often masked by background sound that fluctuates over time. Fluctuations in masker intensity can reveal glimpses of speech support intelligibility, but older adults have frequently been shown to benefit less from than younger when listening sentences. Recent work, however, suggests may leverage as much, or more, naturalistic stories, potentially because the availability semantic context stories. The current study directly investigated whether helps released a fluctuating (modulated) more adults. In two experiments, we reduced and extended information sentence stimuli modulated unmodulated maskers for intelligibility was assessed. We found improves both Both age groups also exhibit better an (stationary) masker, compared Semantic amplified gained glimpses, there no indication amplification led greater If anything, benefitted more. results suggest deficit masking-release generalizes situations which available. That previous research during story other factors, such thematic knowledge, motivation, cognition, amplify under conditions.

Language: Английский

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Aging Impacts Basic Auditory and Timing Processes

European Journal of Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 61(5)

Published: March 1, 2025

Deterioration in the peripheral and central auditory systems is common older adults often leads to hearing speech comprehension difficulties. Even when remains intact, electrophysiological data of frequently exhibit altered neural responses along pathway, reflected variability phase alignment activity sound onsets. However, it unclear whether challenges processing aging stem from more fundamental deficits timing processes. Here, we investigated if how individuals encoded temporal regularities isochronous sequences presented at 1.5Hz, they employed adaptive mechanisms anticipation next We recorded EEG young listening simple tone sequences. show that displayed larger event-related responses, an increased 1/F slope, but reduced phase-coherence stimulation frequency (1.5Hz) a slope over time delta theta frequency-bands. These observations suggest top-down modulatory inhibition repeated predictable sounds sequence continuous phase-alignment expected onsets aging. Given deteriorations these basic capacities may affect other higher-order cognitive processes (e.g., attention, perception, action), results underscore need for future research examining link between abilities general cognition across lifespan.

Language: Английский

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Eye movements of younger and older adults decrease during story listening in background noise

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 20, 2025

Abstract Assessments of listening effort are increasingly relevant to understanding the speech-comprehension difficulties experienced by older adults. Pupillometry is most common tool assess but has limitations. Recent research shown that eye movements decrease when effortful and proposed indicators as alternative measures. However, much work was conducted in younger adults trial-based sentence-listening paradigm, during concurrent visual stimulation. The extent which index con tinuous speech listening, independently stimuli, adults, unknown. In current study, listened continuous stories with varying degrees background noise under free moving-dot viewing conditions. Eye decreased (as indexed fixation duration, gaze dispersion, saccade rate) increasing masking. reduction did not depend on age group or conditions, indicating can be used effects masking different situations people ages. pupil area only sensitive early experiment. sum, study suggests a potential listening.

Language: Английский

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Age-related differences in the impact of background noise on neural speech tracking

Neurobiology of Aging, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 153, P. 10 - 20

Published: June 3, 2025

Language: Английский

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Neural signatures of task-related fluctuations in auditory attention and age-related changes

NeuroImage, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 268, P. 119883 - 119883

Published: Jan. 16, 2023

Listening in everyday life requires attention to be deployed dynamically – when listening is expected difficult and relevant information occur conserve mental resources. Conserving resources may particularly important for older adults who often experience difficulties understanding speech. In the current study, we use electro- magnetoencephalography investigate neural behavioral mechanics of regulation during effects that aging has on these. We first show younger (17–31 years) alpha oscillatory activity indicates time (Experiment 1) deployment depends difficulty 2). Experiment 3 investigated age-related changes auditory regulation. Middle-aged (54–72 successful but appear utilize timing differently compared (20–33 years). a notable age-group dissociation recruited brain regions. adults, superior parietal cortex underlies power regulation, whereas, middle-aged emerges from more ventro-lateral areas (posterior temporal cortex). This difference sources between age groups only occurred task performance was absent rest S1). sum, our study suggests employ different control strategies regulate under challenges.

Language: Английский

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Effect of internal and external chaotic stimuli on synchronization of piezoelectric auditory neurons in coupled time-delay systems

Cognitive Neurodynamics, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(4), P. 2111 - 2126

Published: Dec. 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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A novel method for estimating properties of attentional oscillators reveals an age-related decline in flexibility

eLife, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: Nov. 28, 2023

Dynamic attending theory proposes that the ability to track temporal cues in auditory environment is governed by entrainment, synchronization between internal oscillations and regularities external signals. Here, we focused on two key properties of oscillators: their preferred rate, default rate absence any input; flexibility, how they adapt changes rhythmic context. We developed methods estimate oscillator (Experiment 1) compared estimates across tasks individuals 2). Preferred rates, estimated as stimulus rates with peak performance, showed a harmonic relationship measurements were correlated individuals'

Language: Английский

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Pupil size and eye movements differently index effort in both younger and older adults

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 15, 2024

Abstract The assessment of mental effort is increasingly relevant in neuro-cognitive and lifespan domains. Pupillometry, the measure pupil size, often used to assess but has disadvantages. Analysis eye movements may provide an alternative, research been limited easy difficult task demands younger adults. An must be sensitive whole profile, including ‘giving up’ investment, capture different age groups. current study comprised three experiments which (N=66) older adults (N=44) listened speech masked by background babble at signal-to-noise ratios associated with easy, difficult, impossible comprehension. We expected individuals invest little for (‘giving up’) exert speech. Indeed, size was largest lower In contrast, gaze dispersion decreased increasing masking both Critically, during returned levels similar after sentence offset, when acoustic stimulation across conditions, whereas continued reduced. These findings show that a reduction not byproduct factors, instead suggest processes, from arousal-related systems regulating drive reduced high demands. data thus one sensory domain (audition) differentially impacts distinct functional properties another (vision). Significance statement many Here, we investigated sensitivity novel - spatial compared it pupillometry, more common effort-assessment tool. Individuals Pupil conditions (giving up listening). masking, this effect independent factors. Instead, results

Language: Английский

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Pupil Size and Eye Movements Differently Index Effort in Both Younger and Older Adults

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 36(7), P. 1325 - 1340

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Abstract The assessment of mental effort is increasingly relevant in neurocognitive and life span domains. Pupillometry, the measure pupil size, often used to assess but has disadvantages. Analysis eye movements may provide an alternative, research been limited easy difficult task demands younger adults. An must be sensitive whole profile, including “giving up” investment, capture different age groups. current study comprised three experiments which (n = 66) older 44) adults listened speech masked by background babble at signal-to-noise ratios associated with easy, difficult, impossible comprehension. We expected individuals invest little for (giving up) exert speech. Indeed, size was largest lower In contrast, gaze dispersion decreased increasing masking both Critically, during returned levels similar after sentence offset, when acoustic stimulation across conditions, whereas continued reduced. These findings show that a reduction not byproduct factors, instead suggest processes, from arousal-related systems regulating drive reduced high demands. data thus one sensory domain (audition) differentially impacts distinct functional properties another (vision).

Language: Английский

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Individual differences in internal oscillator properties that impact perception and production of rhythms

Published: Nov. 28, 2023

Auditory tasks such as understanding speech and making music rely on our ability to track those sounds adjust attention based the temporal cues they contain. An entrainment approach proposes that internal oscillatory mechanisms underlie these abilities by synchronizing rhythms in external world. Here, we aimed understand factors facilitate impede rhythm processing investigating interplay between properties of rhythms. We focused two key an oscillator: its preferred rate, default rate at which it oscillates absence input; flexibility, adapt changes rhythmic context. hypothesized flexibility would be diminished with advancing age. Experiment 1 was a two-session duration discrimination paradigm where developed methods estimate assessed their reliability. 2 involved shorter version this paced tapping task matched stimulus conditions, addition spontaneous motor tempo (SMT), perceptual (PPT) measured preferences, respectively. Preferred rates, estimated rates best performance for each individual were showed harmonic relationship across sessions (Experiment 1), correlated SMT 2). Interestingly, estimates from slower than task, degree slowing consistent individual. In order challenge individuals’ maximized differences consecutive trials tasks. As result, both decreased, indicated gravitation towards presented preceding trial. Critically, quantified faster-than-previous decreased Overall, findings support system domain-specific preferences underlies perception production rhythms, loses flexibly context ageing.

Language: Английский

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