@article{pmid41168236,

title = {Auditory and vibrotactile interactions in perception of timbre acoustic features},

author = {Loonan Chauvette and Anne Sophie Grenier and Philippe Albouy and Emily Coffey and Robert Zatorre and Andréanne Sharp},

doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-21908-4},

issn = {2045-2322},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-10-01},

journal = {Sci Rep},

volume = {15},

number = {1},

pages = {38055},

abstract = {Recently, there has been increasing interest in developing auditory-to-vibrotactile sensory devices. However, the potential of these technologies is constrained by our limited understanding of which features of complex sounds can be perceived through vibrations. The present study aimed to investigate the vibrotactile perception of acoustic features related to timbre, an essential component to identify environmental, speech and musical sounds. Discrimination thresholds were measured for six features: three spectral (number of harmonics, harmonic roll-off ratio, even-harmonic attenuation) and three temporal (attack time, amplitude modulation depth and amplitude modulation frequency) using auditory, vibrotactile and combined auditory + vibrotactile stimulation in 31 adult humans with normal tactile and auditory sensitivity. Result revealed that all spectral and temporal features can be reliably discriminated via vibrotactile stimulation only. However, for spectral features, vibrotactile thresholds were significantly higher (i.e., worse) than auditory thresholds whereas, for temporal features, only vibrotactile amplitude modulation frequency was significantly higher. With simultaneous auditory and tactile presentation, thresholds significantly improved for attack time and amplitude modulation depth, but not for any of the spectral acoustic features. These results suggest that vibrotactile temporal cues have a more straightforward potential for assisting auditory perception, while vibrotactile spectral cues may require specialized signal processing schemes.},

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}

@article{pmid40587262,

title = {The Impacts of Aging on Affective Prosody Comprehension: A Comparative Study},

author = {Héloïse Baglione and Vincent Martel-Sauvageau and Andréanne Sharp and Laura Monetta},

doi = {10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00828},

issn = {1558-9102},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-06-01},

journal = {J Speech Lang Hear Res},

pages = {1--13},

abstract = {PURPOSE: The comprehension of emotions through speech, known as affective prosody comprehension, is an ability that decreases with healthy aging. Affective prosody comprehension is underpinned by three cognitive components (perceptual, lexical, and semantic). However, no data indicate which one(s) is/are impacted by aging. Affective prosody comprehension is based on the analysis of the emotional state of our interlocutor. However, it is still unknown if psycholinguistic variables permitting to access this emotional state such as emotion category, valence, or arousal impact affective prosody comprehension abilities differently according to age. This study aims to investigate the impacts of aging on affective prosody comprehension abilities, exploring the links with the underlying cognitive components and psycholinguistic variables.nnMETHOD: Sixty healthy adults were recruited: 30 younger (18-35 years old) and 30 older individuals (63+ years old). Participants completed a general task of affective prosody comprehension and three specific tasks each evaluating an underlying cognitive component (perceptual, lexical, semantic).nnRESULTS: Older adults showed a decreased performance in general affective prosody comprehension abilities and in lexical abilities specifically in comparison with younger adults. Also, psycholinguistic variables such as emotion category and arousal played a role in the decreased performance of older adults.nnCONCLUSION: These results constitute an additional advancement in understanding the normal functioning of affective prosody comprehension processes.nnSUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.29330603.},

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pubstate = {published},

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}

@article{pmid39805414,

title = {Auditory research across time: Insights from an interdisciplinary publishing platform},

author = {Andréanne Sharp},

doi = {10.1016/j.brainres.2025.149453},

issn = {1872-6240},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-03-01},

journal = {Brain Res},

volume = {1850},

pages = {149453},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid40155493,

title = {Musicianship modulates octave illusion perception differently across stimulation frequencies},

author = {Loonan Chauvette and Alexis Whittom and Alexandre Fecteau and Guillaume Larouche-Gagnon and Andréanne Sharp},

doi = {10.1007/s00426-025-02112-5},

issn = {1430-2772},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-03-01},

journal = {Psychol Res},

volume = {89},

number = {2},

pages = {78},

abstract = {The octave illusion is a well-known auditory phenomenon elicited by binaural octave-separated tones alternating between the ears that engages parallel processing pathways for sound localization and pitch perception. It has mainly been studied using the central frequencies of the musical spectrum (e.g., 400-800 Hz). However, in a previous study, we measured a shift in the distribution of percepts reported by non-musicians at the upper and lower boundaries of the musical spectrum, suggesting a reduced pitch perception accuracy. This study now aims to determine if musical training, which is known to improve pitch perception, affects the relative distribution of percepts across frequencies. 24 non-musicians and 19 professional musicians listened to the illusion evoked by pairs of frequencies ranging from 40 to 80 Hz to 2000-4000 Hz, and selected which percept they heard (octave, simple, complex). In non-musicians, the results replicate the previously reported shift in the distribution of percepts at higher and lower frequencies, but no such perceptual shift was measured in musicians. At lower frequencies, musicians were more likely than non-musicians to report the octave percept and less likely to report simple percepts. For the classic paradigm frequencies (400-800 Hz), musicians were more likely to report a complex percept that more closely matched the true pattern of stimulation used to elicit the illusion. In conclusion, musical training seems to preserve pitch representation at the lower boundaries of the musical spectrum, and musicians seem to have a more consistent distribution of percept elicited by the illusion across different frequencies.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid40056421,

title = {Perception of short, but not long, time intervals is modality specific: EEG evidence using vibrotactile stimuli},

author = {Nicola Thibault and Andréanne Sharp and Philippe Albouy and Simon Grondin},

doi = {10.1093/cercor/bhaf051},

issn = {1460-2199},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-03-01},

journal = {Cereb Cortex},

volume = {35},

number = {3},

abstract = {A longstanding debate in cognitive neuroscience questions whether temporal processing is modality-specific or governed by a "central clock" mechanism. We propose that this debate stems from neglecting the duration of the intervals processed, as studies supporting modality-specific models of time perception often focus on below 1.2-s intervals. To address this, we examined the neuronal dynamics underlying the perception of time intervals shorter and longer than 1.2-s using vibrotactile stimuli. Twenty participants underwent electroencephalogram recordings during a passive tactile oddball paradigm. We compared brain responses to standard and deviant intervals, with deviants occurring either earlier or later than the standard in both below and above 1.2-s conditions. Event-related potentials revealed distinct deviance-related components: a P250 for deviance detection of short deviants and an N400 long deviants. Generators lied in a modality-specific network for short intervals, while long intervals activated a broader, higher-level network. We found no evidence of the contingent negative variation in the tactile modality, questioning its role as a universal marker of temporal accumulation. Our findings suggest that short intervals involve modality-specific circuits, while longer intervals engage distributed networks, shedding light on whether temporal processing is centralized or distributed.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid37934877,

title = {Perceptions of Adults With Hearing Loss About the Communication Difficulties Generated by the COVID-19 Preventive Measures: A Qualitative Study},

author = {Loonan Chauvette and Alexis Pinsonnault-Skvarenina and Andréanne Sharp and Jean-Pierre Gagné and Adriana Bender Moreira Lacerda and Mathieu Hotton},

doi = {10.1044/2023_JSLHR-23-00163},

issn = {1558-9102},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-12-01},

journal = {J Speech Lang Hear Res},

volume = {66},

number = {12},

pages = {5109--5128},

abstract = {PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the implementation of preventive measures that exacerbated communication difficulties for individuals with hearing loss. This study aims to explore the perception of adults with hearing loss about the communication difficulties caused by the preventive measures and about their experiences with communication 1 year after the adoption of these preventive measures.nnMETHOD: Individual semistructured interviews were conducted via videoconference with six adults who have hearing loss from the province of Québec, Canada. Data were examined using qualitative content analysis.nnRESULTS: The study found that face masks and in-person work (i.e., in opposition to remote work) were important barriers to communication because of hindered lipreading and competing noise in many workplaces. In contrast, preventive measures that allowed visual information transmission (e.g., transparent face masks, fixed plastic partitions) were considered favorable for communication. Communication partners were perceived as playing an important role in communication success with preventive measures: Familiar communication partners improved communication, whereas those with poor attitude or strategies hindered communication. Participants found that videoconferences could provide satisfactory communication but were sometimes hindered by issues such as bad audiovisual quality or too many participants.nnCONCLUSIONS: This study identified reduced access to speech reading and lack of general awareness about hearing issues as key barriers to communication during the pandemic. The decreased communication capabilities were perceived to be most problematic at work and during health appointments, and tended to cause frustration, anxiety, self-esteem issues, and social isolation. Suggestions are outlined for current and future public health measures to better consider the experience of people with hearing loss.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid36129442,

title = {Communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: the hearing-impaired perspective},

author = {Alexis Pinsonnault-Skvarenina and Mathieu Hotton and Andréanne Sharp and Loonan Chauvette and Élodie Tremblay and Ronald Choquette and Ana Ines Ansaldo and Jean-Pierre Gagné and Adriana Bender Moreira Lacerda},

doi = {10.1080/14992027.2022.2120552},

issn = {1708-8186},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-12-01},

journal = {Int J Audiol},

volume = {62},

number = {12},

pages = {1155--1165},

abstract = {OBJECTIVE: To understand the communicational and psychosocial effects of COVID-19 protective measures in real-life everyday communication settings.nnDESIGN: An online survey consisting of close-set and open-ended questions aimed to describe the communication difficulties experienced in different communication activities (in-person and telecommunication) during the COVID-19 pandemic.nnSTUDY SAMPLE: 172 individuals with hearing loss and 130 who reported not having a hearing loss completed the study. They were recruited through social media, private audiology clinics, hospitals and monthly newsletters sent by the non-profit organisation "Audition Quebec."nnRESULTS: Face masks were the most problematic protective measure for communication in 75-90% of participants. For all in-person communication activities, participants with hearing loss reported significantly more impact on communication than participants with normal hearing. They also exhibited more activity limitations and negative emotions associated with communication difficulties.nnCONCLUSION: These results suggest that, in times of pandemic, individuals with hearing loss are more likely to exhibit communication breakdowns in their everyday activities. This may lead to social isolation and have a deleterious effect on their mental health. When interacting with individuals with hearing loss, communication strategies to optimise speech understanding should be used.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid36809387,

title = {Octave illusion: stimulation frequencies can modulate perception},

author = {Alexis Whittom and Florence Couture and Loonan Chauvette and Andréanne Sharp},

doi = {10.1007/s00426-023-01805-z},

issn = {1430-2772},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-10-01},

journal = {Psychol Res},

volume = {87},

number = {7},

pages = {2183--2191},

abstract = {The octave illusion (Deutsch, 1974) is a well-known auditory illusion elicited by presenting a dichotic sequence of two tones separated by an octave during which the high and low tones alternate between both ears. This illusion engages an important mechanism of auditory perception, which is pitch perception. Previous studies used central frequencies of the useful musical spectrum to elicit the illusion. However, these studies did not cover part of that spectrum where musical pitch perception decreases (below 200 and above 1600 Hz). The present study aimed to investigate how the relative frequency distribution of percepts changes across a greater proportion of the musical scale to better understand the influence of pitch on illusion perception. Participants were presented with 7 pairs of frequencies from 40-80 Hz to 2000-4000 Hz and had to select a choice (octave, simple, complex) corresponding to their perception. When using pairs of stimuli towards the upper and lower boundaries of the selected range: (1) distributions of percepts significantly differ from the classic 400-800 Hz, (2) the octave percept was reported less frequently, particularly at very low frequencies. Results from this study revealed that the illusion perception differs significantly at the low and high limits of the musical spectrum where reduced accuracy of pitch perception is known to occur. These results support past studies who investigated pitch perception. Furthermore, these results support the model proposed by Deutsch where pitch perception is one of the central frameworks of illusion perception.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid34417828,

title = {Asymmetrical influence of bi-thermal caloric vestibular stimulation on a temporal order judgment task},

author = {Assan Mary Cedras and Andréanne Sharp and Benoit-Antoine Bacon and François Champoux and Maxime Maheu},

doi = {10.1007/s00221-021-06201-w},

issn = {1432-1106},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-10-01},

journal = {Exp Brain Res},

volume = {239},

number = {10},

pages = {3133--3141},

abstract = {Recent evidences suggest that binaural vestibular stimulation affects tactile temporal processing. However, it remains difficult to determine the physiological mechanisms supporting the vestibular-somatosensory interactions observed during a TOJ task. Controlling the activation of the right or left vestibular system separately could allow to better understand the physiological bases of these findings and reconcile previous studies. The objective of the present study was to examine tactile temporal processing using a temporal order judgment task following selective stimulation of the right and left vestibular system with bi-thermal caloric vestibular stimulation (CVS). A total of 24 right-handed participants received bi-thermal CVS either in the right ear (n = 12) or the left ear (n = 12). Participants held vibrators in both hands which delivered a signal temporally separated by a variable asynchrony. Participants had to report the hand where the vibration was perceived first. The task was performed in three different CVS conditions: (1) baseline, (2) warm CVS, and (3) cold CVS. Analysis of the logistics curve parameters-just noticeable difference (JND) and point of subjective simultaneity (PSS)-for each participant in each CVS conditions revealed an increase in JND greater following warm CVS. A significant increase in JND following warm CVS was measured bilaterally. However, cold CVS increased JND only when CVS was applied in the left ear, but not in the right ear. Finally, no influence of CVS on PSS was observed.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{pmid34602963,

title = {Use of Music Therapy as an Audiological Rehabilitation Tool in the Elderly Population: A Mini-Review},

author = {Anne Sophie Grenier and Louise Lafontaine and Andréanne Sharp},

doi = {10.3389/fnins.2021.662087},

issn = {1662-4548},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

journal = {Front Neurosci},

volume = {15},

pages = {662087},

abstract = {It is well known and documented that sensory perception decreases with age. In the elderly population, hearing loss and reduced vestibular function are among the most prevalently affected senses. Two important side effects of sensory deprivation are cognitive decline and decrease in social participation. Hearing loss, vestibular function impairment, and cognitive decline all lead to a decrease in social participation. Altogether, these problems have a great impact on the quality of life of the elderly. This is why a rehabilitation program covering all of these aspects would therefore be useful for clinicians. It is well known that long-term music training can lead to cortical plasticity. Behavioral improvements have been measured for cognitive abilities and sensory modalities (auditory, motor, tactile, and visual) in healthy young adults. Based on these findings, it is possible to wonder if this kind of multisensory training would be an interesting therapy to not only improve communication but also help with posture and balance, cognitive abilities, and social participation. The aim of this review is to assess and validate the impact of music therapy in the context of hearing rehabilitation in older adults. Musical therapy seems to have a positive impact on auditory perception, posture and balance, social integration, and cognition. While the benefits seem obvious, the evidence in the literature is scarce. However, there is no reason not to recommend the use of music therapy as an adjunct to audiological rehabilitation in the elderly when possible. Further investigations are needed to conclude on the extent of the benefits that music therapy could bring to older adults. More data are needed to confirm which hearing abilities can be improved based on the many characteristics of hearing loss. There is also a need to provide a clear protocol for clinicians on how this therapy should be administered to offer the greatest possible benefits.},

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pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}