La discrimination auditive d'intensité et ses applications audiologiques et cliniques

Abstract

Studies on this type of discrimination are very interesting, as they can be made at suprathreshold levels. The nature of auditory intensity discriminations and the most useful methods for measuring the auditory intensity difference limens are briefly described. The most important results obtained with normal subjects are then presented; the monaural intensity difference limens, the intensity difference limens measured on one ear while stimulating the other ear by an unvarying tone or a noise, are treated successively. The most important clinical applications of the intensity auditory difference limens are presented (especially, the monaural intensity difference limens, and the difference limens on one ear in presence of an unvarying tone on the other ear). New explanations of the results obtained in the monaural intensity difference limen tests used are proposed, based on the localization areas in the cochlea, along the auditory nervous system and in the higher auditory centers.

New suggestions for the use of the difference limens in audiometry are made.

Key Words:

• Intensity difference limens
• Clinical use of intensity difference thresholds