title: Short-term visual deprivation can enhance spatial release from masking.
abstract: This research aims to study the effect of short-term visual deprivation on spatial release from masking, a major component of the cocktail party effect that allows people to detect an auditory target in noise. The Masking Level Difference (MLD) test was administered on healthy individuals over three sessions: before (I) and after 90min of visual deprivation (II), and after 90min of re-exposure to light (III). A non-deprived control group performed the same tests, but remained sighted between sessions I and II. The non-deprived control group displayed constant results across sessions. However, performance in the MLD test was improved following short-term visual deprivation and performance returned to pre-deprivation values after light re-exposure. This study finds that short-term visual deprivation transiently enhances the spatial release from masking. These data suggest the significant potential for enhancing a process involved in the cocktail party effect in normally developing individuals and adds to an emerging literature on the potential to enhance auditory ability after only a brief period of visual deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain, Institut Raymond-Dewar, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pagé
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain, Institut Raymond-Dewar, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Andréanne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain, Institut Raymond-Dewar, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Simon P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire en réadaptation du Montréal métropolitain, Institut Raymond-Dewar, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Electronic address: francois.champoux@umontreal.ca.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Champoux
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Binaural interaction; Masking level difference; Sensory deprivation; Spatial release from masking