Asymmetric Flankers in Comodulation Masking Release

Background and Objectives: Detection of auditory signals may be improved when maskers far from the frequency of the target signal are coherently amplitude-modulated. This improvement of signal detection is called comodulation masking release (CMR). In the CMR experiments, flankers have been usually arranged symmetrically. In practice, we will be confronted with a problem by using symmetric flankers due to the limited output of clinical audiometers, especially at high-frequency. We aimed to check whether flanker arrangement has any effect on the amount of CMR, especially when there is no flankers with a frequency higher than the signal. Subjects and Methods: Eighteen normal hearing listeners ranging in age from 20 to 46 years old participated. Symmetric (2-2) and asymmetric (3-1 and 4-0) flankers were used and then the amount of CMR compared among them. Results: Our results showed in the same numbers of flankers, there were no statistically CMR differences between symmetric and asymmetric arrangement. Also when we did not have a flanker at a frequency higher than the signal and all flankers were placed below the signal, there was no statistically difference with the symmetric arrangement. Conclusions: The asymmetry of the flankers and also omitting the flankers with a frequency higher than the signal, have no effect on CMR results. We concluded that CMR can be considered by using clinical audiometer.