As we enter the beginning of autumn, it’s time to say goodbye to Lydia, Jessica, Marion, and Kellyane, and to welcome our four new recruits: Roxane, Amélie, Hélène, and Marc-Antoine!
How do we manage to understand speech despite all the noise obstacles? This is a question worth delving into. In this article, we propose to explore this issue by addressing the peripheral biological mechanisms of hearing that enable speech comprehension in noise. In contrast to the central mechanisms, which involve the brainstem and brain, peripheral mechanisms involve the structures of the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, and auditory nerve. We will therefore examine the mechanisms specific to each of these structures that enhance our ability to perceive speech in noisy environments.
