Abstract
Ten patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus matched external tones to the tinnitus pitch. These matches were followed by magnitude estimates to measure the loudness function of tones at 1 kHz at the presumed tinnitus frequency (i.e., at the average frequency matching the pitch of the tinnitus), magnitude estimates of the tinnitus itself, and loudness matches of external tones to the tinnitus. The slope of the loudness function at 1 kHz is substantially smaller than the slope at the presumed tinnitus frequency. Most importantly, the magnitude estimates of the tinnitus coupled with intensity matches to the tinnitus provide coordinates that typically lie near the loudness function of the external tone used in the intensity match. Because the slope of the loudness function is much greater at the tinnitus frequency than at 1 kHz, the magnitude estimate of tinnitus loudness corresponds to a lower sensation level at that frequency than at 1 kHz. This finding favors the conclusion that rapid changes in loudness of external tones at the tinnitus frequency account for the "paradoxical" loudness of the tinnitus. The conclusion is independent of any mathematical description of the loudness function.
Citations
Apr 6, 2007·The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·Lucas C Parra, Barak A Pearlmutter
Dec 1, 1992·British Journal of Audiology·T MatsuhiraM Yasuda
May 30, 2012·Hearing Research·Fan-Gang Zeng
Jan 28, 2010·Hearing Research·Brian C J Moore Sandhya
Sep 10, 2013·Progress in Neurobiology·Marlies KnipperUlrike Zimmermann
Jan 8, 2015·Frontiers in Neurology·Grant D Searchfield
Feb 12, 2015·Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair·Giriraj Singh ShekhawatGrant D Searchfield
Jan 18, 2006·Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research : JSLHR·James A HenryMartin A Schechter
Aug 1, 1990·The Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders·J L Stouffer, R S Tyler
Jul 18, 2006·Acta Biologica Hungarica·L M JesusM Bernardo-Filho
Jan 12, 2011·Otology & Neurotology : Official Publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology·Thomas Edmund CopeBrian C J Moore
May 13, 2006·Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B·P R C AbreuM Bernardo-Filho
Aug 18, 2001·Psychological Reports·R C Feldt, R A Feldt
Mar 25, 2017·Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience·Mithila Durai, Grant D Searchfield
Jan 10, 2021·Hearing Research·E A Koops, P van Dijk