Auditory temporal-order thresholds show no gender differences

Article type: Research Article

Authors: van Kesteren, Marlieke T.R. | Wiersinga-Post, J. Esther C.^;

Affiliations: Neuroimaging Center, Graduate School for Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 2, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands | Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands

Note: [] Corresponding author. Tel.: +31 0 50 3635557; Fax: +31 0 50 3636687; E-mail: j.e.c.wiersinga-post@rug.nl

Abstract: Purpose: Several studies on auditory temporal-order processing showed gender differences. Women needed longer inter-stimulus intervals than men when indicating the temporal order of two clicks presented to the left and right ear. In this study, we examined whether we could reproduce these results in order to further investigate the differences in auditory processing between men and women. Methods: Neurologically healthy subjects (13 males and 13 females, age range: 19 to 37 years) had to identify the temporal order of two clicks, presented monaurally to the left and right ear. Thresholds for the inter-stimulus intervals between the clicks were determined using a three step transformed up-down procedure. Results: The results show no influence of gender in the auditory temporal-order task. Inter-individual differences were, however, large, ranging from a threshold of around 15 ms to around 90 ms. Conclusion: Contrary to what was found in previous studies, no significant gender difference was measured in temporal-processing abilities using a task with monaurally presented clicks.

Keywords: Auditory-temporal processing, temporal-order threshold, sex difference, diagnostics

Journal: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 119-122, 2007