Abstract
Different models of the binaural system make different predictions for the just-detectable interaural time difference (ITD) for sine tones. To test these models, ITD thresholds were measured for human listeners focusing on high- and low-frequency regions. The measured thresholds exhibited a minimum between 700 and 1,000 Hz. As the frequency increased above 1,000 Hz, thresholds rose faster than exponentially. Although finite thresholds could be measured at 1,400 Hz, experiments did not converge at 1,450 Hz and higher. A centroid computation along the interaural delay axis, within the context of the Jeffress model, can successfully simulate the minimum and the high-frequency dependence. In the limit of medium-low frequencies (f), where f . ITD << 1, mathematical approximations predict low-frequency slopes for the centroid model and for a rate-code model. It was found that measured thresholds were approximately inversely proportional to the frequency (slope = –1) in agreement with a rate-code model. However, the centroid model is capable of a wide range of predictions (slopes from 0 to –2).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Coffee CS, Ebert CS, Marshall AF, Skaggs JD, Falk SE, Crocker WD, Pearson JM, Fitzpatrick DC (2006) Detection of interaural correlation by neurons in the superior olivary complex, inferior colliculus, and auditory cortex of the unanesthetized rabbit. Hear Res 221:1–16
Colburn HS (1977) Theory of binaural interaction based on auditory-nerve data II. Detection of tones in noise. J Acoust Soc Am 61:525–533
Goldberg JM, Brown PB (1969) Response of binaural neurons of dog superior olivary complex to dichotic tonal stimuli: some physiological mechanisms of sound localization. J Neurophysiol 32:613–636
Jeffress LA (1948) A place theory of sound localization. J Comp Physiol Psychol 41:35–39
Joris PX, Carney LH, Smith PH, Yin TCT (1994) Enhancement of neural synchronization in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus. I. Responses to tones at the characteristic frequency. J Neurophysiol 71:1022–1036
Klumpp RB, Eady HR (1956) Some measurements of interaural time difference thresholds. J Acoust Soc Am 28:859–860
McAlpine D, Jiang D, Palmer AR (2001) A neural code for low-frequency sound localization in mammals. Nat Neurosci 4:396–401
Schiano JL, Trahiotis C, Bernstein LR (1986) Lateralization of low-frequency tones and narrow bands of noise. J Acoust Soc Am 79:1563–1570
Stern RM, Colburn HS (1978) Theory of binaural interaction based on auditory-nerve data IV. A model for subjective lateral position. J Acoust Soc Am 64:127–140
Stern RM, Shear GD (1996) Lateralization and detection of low-frequency binaural stimuli: effects of distribution of internal delay. J Acoust Soc Am 100:2278–2288
Yin TCT, Chan JCK (1990) Interaural time sensitivity in medial superior olive of cat. J Neurophysiol 64:465–488
Zwislocki J, Feldman RS (1956) Just noticeable differences in dichotic phase. J Acoust Soc Am 28:860–864
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to Les Bernstein, Constantine Trahiotis, and Richard Stern for the helpful conversations about the centroid model. LD was supported by The Vicerectorado de Profesorado y Ordenación Académica of the Universitat Politècnica de Valeència (Spain). TQ was supported by grant 61175043 from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The work was supported by the NIDCD grant DC-00181 and the AFOSR grant 11NL002.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this paper
Cite this paper
Hartmann, W.M., Dunai, L., Qu, T. (2013). Interaural Time Difference Thresholds as a Function of Frequency. In: Moore, B., Patterson, R., Winter, I., Carlyon, R., Gockel, H. (eds) Basic Aspects of Hearing. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 787. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1590-9_27
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1590-9_27
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-1589-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-1590-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)