How the brain filters distracting background noise
Cortical processing of informational masking
This project looks at how the brain helps people—including those with hearing loss or implants—ignore distracting background speech and noise.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169993 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part, you may be asked to listen to speech in noisy places while researchers measure how well you can pick out the target sound and record brain activity. The team will compare cases where noise physically overlaps the speech with cases where the noise is distracting but does not overlap, to understand different kinds of masking. Some experiments may use animal models to map the specific brain circuits that help suppress distractions. The goal is to learn why some people struggle more than others so future hearing aids and cochlear implants can work better in real-world noisy settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, cochlear implant users, or anyone who has trouble understanding speech in noisy environments would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with normal hearing who do not experience trouble understanding speech in noise may not get direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to hearing aid and cochlear implant features that let you follow conversations more easily in noisy places.
How similar studies have performed: Work on energetic masking is well established, but studying informational masking at the brain level is relatively new and less proven.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- Carnegie-Mellon University — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shinn-Cunningham, Barbara — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Shinn-Cunningham, Barbara
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.