BMLDs are smaller for older listeners by 2 to 4 dB

Evidence

The binaural masking level difference (BMLD) provides another measure of binaural sensitivity to TFS. The BMLD is the difference in the detection threshold between a condition where the masker and signal have the same interaural phase and level relationship, and a condition where the relationship is different. Although BMLDs can occur as a result of differences in ENVn for the two ears, it is generally believed that the largest BMLDs result from the use of TFSn . Because the BMLD represents a difference between two thresholds, it has the advantage that differences in processing efficiency across age groups at least partly cancel. Several researchers have compared BMLDs for young and older subjects with (near-) normal hearing (Pichora-Fuller and Schneider 1991 , 1992 ; Grose et al. 1994 ; Strouse et al. 1998 ). All showed that BMLDs (usually for a 500-Hz signal frequency) were smaller for older than for young subjects, typically by 2–4 dB. — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 804

Categorization

Category: Factual Claims

• DEFINE: Defines the binaural masking level difference measure and its advantage of canceling processing efficiency differences.

Related

• Binaural masking release is 2 to 4 dB smaller in older listeners (similarity 0.99)
• Binaural masking level differences shrink 2-4 dB with age at normal hearing thresholds (similarity 0.95)
• Older adults show smaller binaural masking level differences despite normal audiograms (similarity 0.94)
• The BMLD arises from subjects using channels where the masker’s interaural effect is reduced (similarity 0.85)
• Binaural hearing yields up to 18 dB detection advantage for low-frequency signals (similarity 0.85)
• BMLD magnitude drops sharply when masker and signal share no frequency components (similarity 0.84)
• Binaural masking level differences reach 25 dB only for overlapping masker and target (similarity 0.84)
• Aging alone can widen frequency difference limens by two to four times (similarity 0.84)
• Interaural phase disparities lower masked thresholds by up to 25 dB for overlapping targets (similarity 0.84)
• Reported BMLD reductions tied to hearing loss may actually stem from aging (similarity 0.84)
• BMLD as a threshold difference naturally cancels age-related processing efficiency losses. (similarity 0.83)
• Binaural TFS sensitivity declines with age even when audiograms are normal (similarity 0.83)
• Age affects binaural fine-structure processing more than hearing loss does, beginning early in life. (similarity 0.83)
• Hearing loss reduces the effect of inherent noise fluctuations on speech masking. (similarity 0.83)
• Anti-phase signals vs diotic noise yield 18 dB binaural detection advantage around 200-300 Hz (similarity 0.82)