Subcortical frequency-coding errors are linked to speaker-variability intolerance in normal-hearing adults

Abstract

Processing speaker-specific information is an important task in daily communication. This study examined how fundamental frequency (F0) cues were encoded at the subcortical level, as reflected by scalp-recorded frequency-following responses, and their relationship with the listener's ability in processing speech stimuli produced by multiple speakers. By using Mandarin tones with distinctive F0 contours, the results indicated that subcortical frequency-coding errors were significantly correlated with the listener's speaker-variability intolerance for both percent correct and reaction time measures. These findings lay a foundation to help improve the understanding of how speaker information is processed in individuals with normal and impaired auditory systems.