Effects of aspirin on human psychophysical tuning curves in forward and simultaneous masking.
Psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) at 4 kHz were measured in forward and simultaneous masking under two experimental conditions: 1 h after listeners had ingested three 320 mg capsules of aspirin every 6 h for 3 days (3.84 g/day), and after an identical schedule of placebo ingestion. Aspirin and placebo allocation was double-blind. In addition to raising thresholds at several audiometric frequencies, aspirin elevated the tips and reduced the slopes of the PTCs, indicating a reduction in frequency selectivity. The aspirin-induced reduction in PTC slopes did not differ significantly between forward and simultaneous masking, nor did the overall reduction differ significantly between the low- and high-frequency side. However, a separate analysis of the data obtained in simultaneous masking indicated that the broadening in tuning caused by aspirin was greatest on the high-frequency side of the PTC.
Beveridge
H A
HA
Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, East Sussex, UK.
Carlyon
R P
RP
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001241:Aspirin