title: Clinical assessment of pitch perception.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The perception of pitch has recently gained attention. At present, clinical audiologic tests to assess this are hardly available. This article reports on the development of a clinical test using harmonic intonation (HI) and disharmonic intonation (DI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective collection of normative data and pilot study in hearing-impaired subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normative data were collected from 90 normal-hearing subjects recruited from 3 different language backgrounds. The pilot study was conducted on 18 hearing-impaired individuals who were selected into 3 pathologic groups: high-frequency hearing loss (HF), low-frequency hearing loss (LF), and cochlear implant users (CI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Normative data collection and exploratory diagnostics by means of the newly constructed HI/DI tests using intonation patterns to find the just noticeable difference (JND) for pitch discrimination in low-frequency harmonic complex sounds presented in a same-different task.
  
  
  METHODS
  JND for pitch discrimination using HI/DI tests in the hearing population and pathologic groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Normative data are presented in 5 parameter statistics and box-and-whisker plots showing median JNDs of 2 (HI) and 3 Hz (DI). The results on both tests are statistically abnormal in LF and CI subjects, whereas they are not significantly abnormal in the HF group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HI and DI tests allow the clinical assessment of low-frequency pitch perception. The data obtained in this study define the normal zone for both tests. Preliminary results indicate possible abnormal TFS perception in some hearing-impaired subjects.
authors.affiliation: The Eargroup, Antwerp-Deurne, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vaerenberg
authors.forename: Alexandru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pascu
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Bo
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schauwers
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Ceulaer
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daemers
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coene
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Govaerts
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001298:Audiology / Q000379:methods*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010897:Pitch Discrimination / Q000502:physiology; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values