During a crowded and noisy cocktail party, cutting through the chatter for understanding a conversation is a gift given to humans, say researchers.
Scientists call this ability to listen to someone speaking while many others are talking loudly at the same time the cocktail-party-phenomenon and it stems from how the brain distinguishes the pitch of different voices.
Hearing Aid Technology Promises Noise Reduction
Is your hearing aid making it difficult for you to communicate in noisy environment? Well then try out the new open-fit one developed by researchers from Washington University School
Advertisement
It was thought for a long time that the direction where the sounds came from was the key to doing this.
Now, the latest study, led by Holger Schulze at the Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology in Magdeburg, and the Universities of Ulm, Newcastle and Erlangen have found a neuronal mechanism in the auditory system that is able to solve the task based on the analysis of the temporal fine structure of the acoustic scene.
![Noise from Air, Road Traffic can Raise Blood Pressure Even While Sleeping]( "Noise from Air, Road Traffic can Raise Blood Pressure Even While Sleeping")
Noise at night from airport and road traffic can increase blood pressure during sleep, according to a study published Wednesday.
The findings show that different speakers have different temporal fine structure in their voiced speech and that such signals are represented in different areas of the auditory cortex according to this different time structure.
By means of a so-called winner-take-all algorithm, one of these representations gains control over all other representations.
This implies that only the voice of the speaker to whom you wish to listen is still represented in the auditory cortex and can thus be followed over time.
This predominance of the representation of one speakers voice over the representations of all other speakers is achieved by long-range inhibitory interactions that are first described by Schulze and colleagues using functional neurophysiological, pharmacological and anatomical methods.
The results of the study provide a deeper understanding of how the parcellation of sensory input into perceptually distinct objects is realized in the brain, and may help to improve the auditory experience of hearing aid wearers at cocktail parties.
The study is published in PLoS ONE.
Source: ANI
SPH
Noise from Air, Road Traffic can Raise Blood Pressure Even While Sleeping
Noise at night from airport and road traffic can increase blood pressure during sleep, according to a study published Wednesday.
Advertisement
The findings show that different speakers have different temporal fine structure in their voiced speech and that such signals are represented in different areas of the auditory cortex according to this different time structure.
By means of a so-called winner-take-all algorithm, one of these representations gains control over all other representations.
This implies that only the voice of the speaker to whom you wish to listen is still represented in the auditory cortex and can thus be followed over time.
This predominance of the representation of one speakers voice over the representations of all other speakers is achieved by long-range inhibitory interactions that are first described by Schulze and colleagues using functional neurophysiological, pharmacological and anatomical methods.
The results of the study provide a deeper understanding of how the parcellation of sensory input into perceptually distinct objects is realized in the brain, and may help to improve the auditory experience of hearing aid wearers at cocktail parties.
The study is published in PLoS ONE.
Source: ANI
SPH
Law Limiting Noise Exposure at Workplace Affects European Orchestras
A new law limiting noise exposure at the workplace is plunging European orchestras into serious difficulties.
Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Latest Lifestyle and Wellness News
Yogurt's protein and fat content demonstrated its unidentified deodorizing properties against garlic's pungent odor.
People who smoke tobacco and cannabis have an increased risk of depression and anxiety than those who use either substance alone or not at all.
Research reveals the association between cognitive impairment and physically demanding careers, emphasizing the need for preventative strategies.
Excessive and protracted sedentary mode of life can result in cardiovascular problems, loss of muscle mass, increased body fat, and more.
Couples often share traits, challenging the "opposites attract" notion. Implications for genetics and society.
