Anticipated results:
1.
Observing activity changes with different stimuli in victims of head trauma may
suggest auditory stimuli most useful in detecting altered activity in fMRI scans
of the inferior colliculi in individuals with known damage of the inferior colliculi.
2.
It is anticipated that alteration of activity in the inferior colliculi will be found in
adults and children with fetal alcohol syndrome, especially with “word
recognition in noise.”
3.
It is anticipated that alteration in activity in the inferior colliculi will be found in
adults with presbyacusis (hearing impairment with aging), especially on tests
of word recognition in noise (WRIN).
4.
It is anticipated that alteration in activity in the inferior colliculi will be found in
adults with life-long autism, childhood language delay, or persisting language
disorders.
5.
Experimentation is planned, to find auditory stimuli that would show a clear
difference from normal subjects, and to look for paradoxical high or low activity.
Children and adults with autism often appear to suffer from
hyperacusis, which might be due to loss of inhibitory neurons,
but perhaps also increased activity of excitatory neurons [84-86].
It is expected that (as in other investigations) decreased cortical activity with
language tests will be found in the studies proposed here for individuals with
autism and other life-long language disorders.
6.
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October 2006
Working version