Effect of a forward masker on the N1m amplitude: varying the signal delay.

Auditory sensation is affected by a forward masker, and this phenomenon has been demonstrated in a neural adaptation model and a temporal window (integration) model. To study forward masking in the central auditory system, the growth of the N1m amplitude was measured by varying the signal delay. In the adaptation model, the masking increases as the signal delay decreases. However, in our results, the minimum N1m amplitude was observed at a signal delay of 40 ms. As the signal delay decreased from 40 ms, the N1m amplitude increased although the masking increased. Our results suggest that the growth of the N1m amplitude largely depends on temporal integration at signal delays below 40 ms.