Noise was traditionally regarded as a nuisance, which should be minimized i
f possible. However, recent research has shown that addition of an appropri
ate amount of noise can actually improve signal detection in a nonlinear sy
stem, an effect called stochastic resonance. While stochastic resonance has
been described in a variety of physical and biological systems, its functi
onal significance in human sensory systems remains mostly unexplored. Here
we report psychophysical data showing that signal detection and discriminat
ion. can be enhanced by noise in human subjects whose hearing is evoked by
either normal acoustic stimulation or electric stimulation of the auditory
nerve or the brainstem. Our results suggest that noise is an integral part
of the normal sensory process and should be added to auditory prostheses. (
C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.