Effects of Off-Frequency Detection in Brief-Tone Audiometry
Many studies of auditory temporal integration by pathological ears have used listeners with an abrupt high-frequency hearing loss. While this configuration may lend itself to use of the listener as his own control, it presents the opportunity for detection of the low-frequency energy of the brief-tone bursts. This study was designed to assess the role of low-frequency energy in the determination of brief-tone thresholds of listeners with such abrupt high-frequency losses. Low-frequency energy was reduced to subthreshold levels by passing the brief tones through a filter system which had a sharp high-pass characteristic. For both normal and impaired listeners, no significant differences in threshold were found between filtered and unfiltered brief tones. Thus, we must conclude that although the opportunity for off-frequency detection is present, the abnormal temporal integration functions cannot be attributed to stimulus artifact.