A review on auditory space adaptations to altered head-related cues

Abstract

In this article we present a review of current literature on adaptations to altered head-related auditory localization cues. Localization cues can be altered through ear blocks, ear molds, electronic hearing devices, and altered head-related transfer functions (HRTFs). Three main methods have been used to induce auditory space adaptation: sound exposure, training with feedback, and explicit training. Adaptations induced by training, rather than exposure, are consistently faster. Studies on localization with altered head-related cues have reported poor initial localization, but improved accuracy and discriminability with training. Also, studies that displaced the auditory space by altering cue values reported adaptations in perceived source position to compensate for such displacements. Auditory space adaptations can last for a few months even without further contact with the learned cues. In most studies, localization with the subject's own unaltered cues remained intact despite the adaptation to a second set of cues. Generalization is observed from trained to untrained sound source positions, but there is mixed evidence regarding cross-frequency generalization. Multiple brain areas might be involved in auditory space adaptation processes, but the auditory cortex (AC) may play a critical role. Auditory space plasticity may involve context-dependent cue reweighting.

Effects of hearing-aid dynamic range compression on spatial perception in a reverberant environment

“…It has been demonstrated that listeners can adapt to artificially produced changes of the spatial cues responsible for correct sound source location (for a review, see Mendonça, 2014). This plasticity in spatial hearing has been demonstrated both in the horizontal and vertical plane for various manipulations of the localization cues.…”

Reaching to sounds in virtual reality: A multisensory-motor approach to re-learn sound localisation

“…This notion emerged, for instance, from studies that examined re-learning of sound-space correspondences when auditory cues were temporarily altered using monaural ear-plugs (Rabini et al, 2019;Strelninkov et al, 2011;Trapeau & Schönwiesner, 2015), ear molds (Van Wanrooij & Van Opstal, 2005) or non-individualised HRTFs (Head-Related Transfer Functions; Honda, Shibata, Gyoba, Saitou, Iwaya & Suzuki, 2007;Parseihian & Katz, 2012;Steadman, Kim, Lestang, Goodman & Picinali, 2019). In these simulated altered-listening conditions, multisensory training procedures proved effective for re-learning sound-space correspondences (for reviews see: Carlile, 2014;Keating & King, 2015;Knudsen & Knudsen, 1985;Mendonça, 2014;Irving & Moore, 2011). For instance, Strelnikov and colleagues (2011) studied the effects of audio-visual vs. auditory-only training on sound localisation in monaurally-plugged adults.…”

Changes in Sound Localization Performance of Single-Sided Deaf Listeners after Visual Feedback Training in Azimuth

“…While there is consensus that rapid adaptation is possible in the auditory system [14,15,16,8,17,18,19], so far, studies have reported different results on the reweighting of the different monaural and binaural localization cues and prior information sources to estimate a sound's direction [20,21,22,23].…”