The object-related negativity (ORN) component as an objective measure of concurrent sound segregation

摘要

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a popular technique for deriving objective measures of auditory function due to its sensitivity to fine details of auditory processing, its high temporal precision, and its applicability across a wide range of participant groups with low testing burden. I will discuss the suitability of a specific EEG measure as a tool for objectively studying the perceptual segregation of concurrent sound sources: namely the object-related negativity (ORN) component of the event-related brain potential (ERP). The ORN component was introduced by Alain and colleagues almost twenty years ago to reflect the perceptual segregation of simultaneous sounds. I will show recent ORN results from healthy young adults and from elderly listeners with slight hearing impairment, indicating high sensitivity of the ORN at group level. I will extend these results towards the question whether ORN is sensitive enough to measure sound segregation abilities at single-subject level. Based on detailed correlation analyses between ORN measurements and perceptual judgments in young and elderly listeners, I will point out promises but also caveats in using the ORN for individual diagnostics of auditory function.