Natural ITD statistics predict human auditory spatial perception

Abstract
Data availability
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Abstract

A neural code adapted to the statistical structure of sensory cues may optimize perception. We investigated whether interaural time difference (ITD) statistics inherent in natural acoustic scenes are parameters determining spatial discriminability. The natural ITD rate of change across azimuth (ITDrc) and ITD variability over time (ITDv) were combined in a Fisher information statistic to assess the amount of azimuthal information conveyed by this sensory cue. We hypothesized that natural ITD statistics underlie the neural code for ITD and thus influence spatial perception. To test this hypothesis, sounds with invariant statistics were presented to measure human spatial discriminability and spatial novelty detection. Human auditory spatial perception showed correlation with natural ITD statistics, supporting our hypothesis. Further analysis showed that these results are consistent with classic models of ITD coding and can explain the ITD tuning distribution observed in the mammalian brainstem.

Data availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files.

The following data sets were generated

(2019) Anticipated ITD statistics are built into human sound localization
Dryad Digital Repository, doi:10.5061/dryad.h70rxwdf9.

https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h70rxwdf9

The following previously published data sets were used

1. IRCAM
(2003) LISTEN HRTF DATABASE
IRCAM LISTEN HRTF DATABASE.

http://recherche.ircam.fr/equipes/salles/listen

Article and author information

Author details

Rodrigo Pavão

Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo/SP, Brazil

For correspondence
rodrigo.pavao@ufabc.edu.br

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-6857-8963
Elyse S Sussman

Dominick P Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-1013-0621
Brian J Fischer

Mathematics, Seattle University, Seattle, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

"This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-5786-0544
José L Peña

Dominick P Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States

Competing interests
The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

Funding

National Institutes of Health (NS104911)

José L Peña

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DC004263)

Elyse S Sussman

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (DC007690)

José L Peña

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Ethics

Human subjects: This study was performed in accordance with the NIH Human Subjects Policies and Guidance and with the Brazilian National Health Council, and it was approved by the Internal Review Board of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (#1999-023) and Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal do ABC (#2968291).

Copyright

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.