Masking-period patterns and cochlear acoustical responses.

A suppression-period pattern' for acoustical responses has been measured in a similar way to the masking-period pattern. A triggered low-frequency masker decreases the acoustical response to a short test signal differently at different presentations within the period of the masker. The two patterns show such close relationships that a masking-period pattern can be developed out of a set of suppression-period patterns: masked threshold is reached with the same parameter conditions under which the acoustic responses diminish. The rules elaborated for masking-period patterns seem to hold for suppression-period patterns as well.