Binaural TFS sensitivity declines with age even when audiograms are normal

Evidence

Moore et al. ( 2012 ) tested 35 subjects with audiometric thresholds ≤ 20 dB HL from 0.25 to 6 kHz and ages from 22 to 61 years. The TFS-LF test was used at center frequencies of 500 and 850 Hz. There were significant correlations between age and IPD thresholds at both 500 Hz (r = 0.37) and 850 Hz (r = 0.65). Scores on the TFS-LF task were not significantly correlated with absolute thresholds at the test frequency. These results confirm those of Ross et al. ( 2007 ) and Grose and Mamo ( 2010 ), and indicate that the decline in sensitivity to binaural TFS with increasing age is already apparent by middle age. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 793

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the TFS-LF test as a measure of smallest detectable interaural phase difference.
• QUESTION: What structural/anatomical change underlies the age-related TFS decline if not outer-hair-cell threshold loss? Worth chasing.