1
|
O'Reilly JA. Recurrent Neural Network Model of Human Event-related Potentials in Response to Intensity Oddball Stimulation. Neuroscience 2022; 504:63-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
|
2
|
O'Reilly JA. Can intensity modulation of the auditory response explain intensity-decrement mismatch negativity? Neurosci Lett 2021; 764:136199. [PMID: 34461160 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Mismatch negativity (MMN) elicited by decrements in sound pressure level has been asserted as evidence for its dependence upon general deviance detection, while refuting the proposition that it is simply caused by modulating the intrinsic sensory response with different physical properties of sound. However, reports of intensity-decrement MMN are sparse compared with MMN to stimulus frequency or duration changes, and verifying the mechanisms that shape difference waveform morphology is essential for their responsible use as clinical biomarkers. In the present study, open-access EEG data from 40 healthy young adults recorded during an intensity-decrement oddball paradigm was analyzed to establish the effects of transitions between different level stimuli on the auditory evoked response. Standard stimuli were 80 dB and deviant stimuli were 70 dB. Event-related potentials were extracted from standards after standards (sS), deviants after standards (sD), and standards after deviants (dS). Mean amplitude across a recommended measurement window for MMN (125 to 225 ms) was calculated for each ERP waveform. This revealed statistically significant negative amplitude shift elicited by lower-intensity deviant stimuli, as expected, and an opposite direction, positive amplitude shift elicited by higher-intensity standard stimuli that followed lower-intensity deviants, relative to standard stimuli presented consecutively. These findings indicate that intensity-modulation of the auditory response influences cortical activity measured during the latency range of MMN. To what extent the hypothesized deviance detection mechanisms may also contribute is uncertain and remains to be elucidated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie A O'Reilly
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Rangsit University, Pathumthani, Thailand.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Behler O, Uppenkamp S. Activation in human auditory cortex in relation to the loudness and unpleasantness of low-frequency and infrasound stimuli. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229088. [PMID: 32084171 PMCID: PMC7034801 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Low frequency noise (LFS) and infrasound (IS) are controversially discussed as potential causes of annoyance and distress experienced by many people. However, the perception mechanisms for IS in the human auditory system are not completely understood yet. In the present study, sinusoids at 32 Hz (at the lower limit of melodic pitch for tonal stimulation), as well as 8 Hz (IS range) were presented to a group of 20 normal hearing subjects, using monaural stimulation via a loudspeaker sound source coupled to the ear canal by a long silicone rubber tube. Each participant attended two experimental sessions. In the first session, participants performed a categorical loudness scaling procedure as well as an unpleasantness rating task in a sound booth. In the second session, the loudness scaling procedure was repeated while brain activation was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Subsequently, activation data were collected for the respective stimuli presented at fixed levels adjusted to the individual loudness judgments. Silent trials were included as a baseline condition. Our results indicate that the brain regions involved in processing LFS and IS are similar to those for sounds in the typical audio frequency range, i.e., mainly primary and secondary auditory cortex (AC). In spite of large variation across listeners with respect to judgments of loudness and unpleasantness, neural correlates of these interindividual differences could not yet be identified. Still, for individual listeners, fMRI activation in the AC was more closely related to individual perception than to the physical stimulus level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Behler
- Medizinische Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Stefan Uppenkamp
- Medizinische Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Tonotopic organisation of the auditory cortex in sloping sensorineural hearing loss. Hear Res 2017; 355:81-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2017.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
5
|
Behler O, Uppenkamp S. The representation of level and loudness in the central auditory system for unilateral stimulation. Neuroimage 2016; 139:176-188. [PMID: 27318216 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Loudness is the perceptual correlate of the physical intensity of a sound. However, loudness judgments depend on a variety of other variables and can vary considerably between individual listeners. While functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been extensively used to characterize the neural representation of physical sound intensity in the human auditory system, only few studies have also investigated brain activity in relation to individual loudness. The physiological correlate of loudness perception is not yet fully understood. The present study systematically explored the interrelation of sound pressure level, ear of entry, individual loudness judgments, and fMRI activation along different stages of the central auditory system and across hemispheres for a group of normal hearing listeners. 4-kHz-bandpass filtered noise stimuli were presented monaurally to each ear at levels from 37 to 97dB SPL. One diotic condition and a silence condition were included as control conditions. The participants completed a categorical loudness scaling procedure with similar stimuli before auditory fMRI was performed. The relationship between brain activity, as inferred from blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrasts, and both sound level and loudness estimates were analyzed by means of functional activation maps and linear mixed effects models for various anatomically defined regions of interest in the ascending auditory pathway and in the cortex. Our findings are overall in line with the notion that fMRI activation in several regions within auditory cortex as well as in certain stages of the ascending auditory pathway might be more a direct linear reflection of perceived loudness rather than of sound pressure level. The results indicate distinct functional differences between midbrain and cortical areas as well as between specific regions within auditory cortex, suggesting a systematic hierarchy in terms of lateralization and the representation of level and loudness.1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Behler
- Medizinische Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Stefan Uppenkamp
- Medizinische Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Prestimulus influences on auditory perception from sensory representations and decision processes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:4842-7. [PMID: 27071110 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1524087113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The qualities of perception depend not only on the sensory inputs but also on the brain state before stimulus presentation. Although the collective evidence from neuroimaging studies for a relation between prestimulus state and perception is strong, the interpretation in the context of sensory computations or decision processes has remained difficult. In the auditory system, for example, previous studies have reported a wide range of effects in terms of the perceptually relevant frequency bands and state parameters (phase/power). To dissociate influences of state on earlier sensory representations and higher-level decision processes, we collected behavioral and EEG data in human participants performing two auditory discrimination tasks relying on distinct acoustic features. Using single-trial decoding, we quantified the relation between prestimulus activity, relevant sensory evidence, and choice in different task-relevant EEG components. Within auditory networks, we found that phase had no direct influence on choice, whereas power in task-specific frequency bands affected the encoding of sensory evidence. Within later-activated frontoparietal regions, theta and alpha phase had a direct influence on choice, without involving sensory evidence. These results delineate two consistent mechanisms by which prestimulus activity shapes perception. However, the timescales of the relevant neural activity depend on the specific brain regions engaged by the respective task.
Collapse
|
7
|
Behler O, Uppenkamp S. Auditory fMRI of Sound Intensity and Loudness for Unilateral Stimulation. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 894:165-174. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-25474-6_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
8
|
Schreiner CE, Malone BJ. Representation of loudness in the auditory cortex. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2015; 129:73-84. [PMID: 25726263 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-62630-1.00004-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Changes in stimulus intensity are reflected in changes in the fundamental perceptual attribute of loudness. Stimulus intensity changes also profoundly impact the evoked neural responses throughout the auditory system. A fundamental question is how measurements of neural activity, from the single-neuron level to mass-activity metrics such as functional magnetic resonance imaging or magnetoencephalography, reflect the physical properties of stimulus intensity as opposed to perceived loudness. In this chapter we discuss findings from psychophysics and animal neurophysiology as well as human brain activity measurements to clarify our current understanding of the neural mechanisms that contribute to the perceptual correlate of stimulus intensity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph E Schreiner
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Coleman Memorial Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Brian J Malone
- Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Coleman Memorial Laboratory, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
The auditory cortex is a network of areas in the part of the brain that receives inputs from the subcortical auditory pathways in the brainstem and thalamus. Through an elaborate network of intrinsic and extrinsic connections, the auditory cortex is thought to bring about the conscious perception of sound and provide a basis for the comprehension and production of meaningful utterances. In this chapter, the organization of auditory cortex is described with an emphasis on its anatomic features and the flow of information within the network. These features are then used to introduce key neurophysiologic concepts that are being intensively studied in humans and animal models. The discussion is presented in the context of our working model of the primate auditory cortex and extensions to humans. The material is presented in the context of six underlying principles, which reflect distinct, but related, aspects of anatomic and physiologic organization: (1) the division of auditory cortex into regions; (2) the subdivision of regions into areas; (3) tonotopic organization of areas; (4) thalamocortical connections; (5) serial and parallel organization of connections; and (6) topographic relationships between auditory and auditory-related areas. Although the functional roles of the various components of this network remain poorly defined, a more complete understanding is emerging from ongoing studies that link auditory behavior to its anatomic and physiologic substrates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Troy A Hackett
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wyss C, Boers F, Kawohl W, Arrubla J, Vahedipour K, Dammers J, Neuner I, Shah N. Spatiotemporal properties of auditory intensity processing in multisensor MEG. Neuroimage 2014; 102 Pt 2:465-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Revised: 07/26/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
|
11
|
Cai DC, Fonteijn H, Guadalupe T, Zwiers M, Wittfeld K, Teumer A, Hoogman M, Arias-Vásquez A, Yang Y, Buitelaar J, Fernández G, Brunner HG, van Bokhoven H, Franke B, Hegenscheid K, Homuth G, Fisher SE, Grabe HJ, Francks C, Hagoort P. A genome-wide search for quantitative trait loci affecting the cortical surface area and thickness of Heschl's gyrus. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2014; 13:675-85. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D.-C. Cai
- Institute of Psychology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | - H. Fonteijn
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | | | - M. Zwiers
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - K. Wittfeld
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
| | | | - M. Hoogman
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - A. Arias-Vásquez
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Y. Yang
- Institute of Psychology; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Beijing China
| | - J. Buitelaar
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - G. Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - H. G. Brunner
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - H. van Bokhoven
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - B. Franke
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Departments of Human Genetics, Psychiatry and Cognitive Neuroscience; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | | | - G. Homuth
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics; University Medicine Greifswald; Greifswald
| | - S. E. Fisher
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - H. J. Grabe
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald; Greifswald Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; University Medicine Greifswald, HELIOS Hospital Stralsund; Stralsund Germany
| | - C. Francks
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - P. Hagoort
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fournier P, Schönwiesner M, Hébert S. Loudness modulation after transient and permanent hearing loss: implications for tinnitus and hyperacusis. Neuroscience 2014; 283:64-77. [PMID: 25135356 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Loudness is the primary perceptual correlate of sound intensity. The relationship between sound intensity and loudness is not fixed, and can be modified by short-term sound deprivation or stimulation. Deprivation increases sound sensitivity, whereas stimulation decreases it. We review the effects of short-term auditory deprivation and stimulation on the auditory central nervous system of humans and animals, and we extend the discussion to permanent auditory deprivation (hearing loss) and auditory pathologies of loudness perception. Although there is sufficient evidence to conclude that loudness can be modulated in normal hearing listeners by temporary sound deprivation and stimulation, evidence is scanter for the hearing-impaired listeners. In addition, cortical effects of sound deprivation and stimulation in humans, which may correlate with loudness coding, are still largely unknown and should be the target of future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Fournier
- School of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; International Laboratory for Research on Brain, Music, and Sound (BRAMS), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - M Schönwiesner
- International Laboratory for Research on Brain, Music, and Sound (BRAMS), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - S Hébert
- School of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; International Laboratory for Research on Brain, Music, and Sound (BRAMS), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), Montréal, Québec, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Uppenkamp S, Röhl M. Human auditory neuroimaging of intensity and loudness. Hear Res 2013; 307:65-73. [PMID: 23973563 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2013] [Revised: 08/09/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The physical intensity of a sound, usually expressed in dB on a logarithmic ratio scale, can easily be measured using technical equipment. Loudness is the perceptual correlate of sound intensity, and is usually determined by means of some sort of psychophysical scaling procedure. The interrelation of sound intensity and perceived loudness is still a matter of debate, and the physiological correlate of loudness perception in the human auditory pathway is not completely understood. Various studies indicate that the activation in human auditory cortex is more a representation of loudness sensation rather than of physical sound pressure level. This raises the questions (1), at what stage or stages in the ascending auditory pathway is the transformation of the physical stimulus into its perceptual correlate completed, and (2), to what extent other factors affecting individual loudness judgements might modulate the brain activation as registered by auditory neuroimaging. An overview is given about recent studies on the effects of sound intensity, duration, bandwidth and individual hearing status on the activation in the human auditory system, as measured by various approaches in auditory neuroimaging. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Human Auditory Neuroimaging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Uppenkamp
- Medizinische Physik, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dykstra AR, Koh CK, Braida LD, Tramo MJ. Dissociation of detection and discrimination of pure tones following bilateral lesions of auditory cortex. PLoS One 2012; 7:e44602. [PMID: 22957087 PMCID: PMC3434164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2011] [Accepted: 08/09/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that damage to the peripheral auditory system causes deficits in tone detection as well as pitch and loudness perception across a wide range of frequencies. However, the extent to which to which the auditory cortex plays a critical role in these basic aspects of spectral processing, especially with regard to speech, music, and environmental sound perception, remains unclear. Recent experiments indicate that primary auditory cortex is necessary for the normally-high perceptual acuity exhibited by humans in pure-tone frequency discrimination. The present study assessed whether the auditory cortex plays a similar role in the intensity domain and contrasted its contribution to sensory versus discriminative aspects of intensity processing. We measured intensity thresholds for pure-tone detection and pure-tone loudness discrimination in a population of healthy adults and a middle-aged man with complete or near-complete lesions of the auditory cortex bilaterally. Detection thresholds in his left and right ears were 16 and 7 dB HL, respectively, within clinically-defined normal limits. In contrast, the intensity threshold for monaural loudness discrimination at 1 kHz was 6.5±2.1 dB in the left ear and 6.5±1.9 dB in the right ear at 40 dB sensation level, well above the means of the control population (left ear: 1.6±0.22 dB; right ear: 1.7±0.19 dB). The results indicate that auditory cortex lowers just-noticeable differences for loudness discrimination by approximately 5 dB but is not necessary for tone detection in quiet. Previous human and Old-world monkey experiments employing lesion-effect, neurophysiology, and neuroimaging methods to investigate the role of auditory cortex in intensity processing are reviewed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew R Dykstra
- Program in Speech and Hearing Biosciences and Technology, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Soeta Y, Nakagawa S. Auditory evoked responses in human auditory cortex to the variation of sound intensity in an ongoing tone. Hear Res 2012; 287:67-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2012.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2011] [Revised: 03/08/2012] [Accepted: 03/16/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
16
|
Lahnakoski JM, Salmi J, Jääskeläinen IP, Lampinen J, Glerean E, Tikka P, Sams M. Stimulus-related independent component and voxel-wise analysis of human brain activity during free viewing of a feature film. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35215. [PMID: 22496909 PMCID: PMC3320648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 03/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the brain processes stimuli in a rich natural environment is a fundamental goal of neuroscience. Here, we showed a feature film to 10 healthy volunteers during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of hemodynamic brain activity. We then annotated auditory and visual features of the motion picture to inform analysis of the hemodynamic data. The annotations were fitted to both voxel-wise data and brain network time courses extracted by independent component analysis (ICA). Auditory annotations correlated with two independent components (IC) disclosing two functional networks, one responding to variety of auditory stimulation and another responding preferentially to speech but parts of the network also responding to non-verbal communication. Visual feature annotations correlated with four ICs delineating visual areas according to their sensitivity to different visual stimulus features. In comparison, a separate voxel-wise general linear model based analysis disclosed brain areas preferentially responding to sound energy, speech, music, visual contrast edges, body motion and hand motion which largely overlapped the results revealed by ICA. Differences between the results of IC- and voxel-based analyses demonstrate that thorough analysis of voxel time courses is important for understanding the activity of specific sub-areas of the functional networks, while ICA is a valuable tool for revealing novel information about functional connectivity which need not be explained by the predefined model. Our results encourage the use of naturalistic stimuli and tasks in cognitive neuroimaging to study how the brain processes stimuli in rich natural environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juha M Lahnakoski
- Brain and Mind Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science, School of Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Effective connectivity between superior temporal gyrus and Heschl's gyrus during white noise listening: linear versus non-linear models. Biomed Imaging Interv J 2012; 8:e13. [PMID: 22970069 PMCID: PMC3432259 DOI: 10.2349/biij.8.2.e13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2011] [Revised: 02/05/2012] [Accepted: 02/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This fMRI study is about modelling the effective connectivity between Heschl's gyrus (HG) and the superior temporal gyrus (STG) in human primary auditory cortices. MATERIALS #ENTITYSTARTX00026; METHODS Ten healthy male participants were required to listen to white noise stimuli during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was used to generate individual and group brain activation maps. For input region determination, two intrinsic connectivity models comprising bilateral HG and STG were constructed using dynamic causal modelling (DCM). The models were estimated and inferred using DCM while Bayesian Model Selection (BMS) for group studies was used for model comparison and selection. Based on the winning model, six linear and six non-linear causal models were derived and were again estimated, inferred, and compared to obtain a model that best represents the effective connectivity between HG and the STG, balancing accuracy and complexity. RESULTS Group results indicated significant asymmetrical activation (p(uncorr) < 0.001) in bilateral HG and STG. Model comparison results showed strong evidence of STG as the input centre. The winning model is preferred by 6 out of 10 participants. The results were supported by BMS results for group studies with the expected posterior probability, r = 0.7830 and exceedance probability, ϕ = 0.9823. One-sample t-tests performed on connection values obtained from the winning model indicated that the valid connections for the winning model are the unidirectional parallel connections from STG to bilateral HG (p < 0.05). Subsequent model comparison between linear and non-linear models using BMS prefers non-linear connection (r = 0.9160, ϕ = 1.000) from which the connectivity between STG and the ipsi- and contralateral HG is gated by the activity in STG itself. CONCLUSION We are able to demonstrate that the effective connectivity between HG and STG while listening to white noise for the respective participants can be explained by a non-linear dynamic causal model with the activity in STG influencing the STG-HG connectivity non-linearly.
Collapse
|
18
|
Neural coding of sound intensity and loudness in the human auditory system. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2012; 13:369-79. [PMID: 22354617 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-012-0315-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2010] [Accepted: 01/30/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Inter-individual differences in loudness sensation of 45 young normal-hearing participants were employed to investigate how and at what stage of the auditory pathway perceived loudness, the perceptual correlate of sound intensity, is transformed into neural activation. Loudness sensation was assessed by categorical loudness scaling, a psychoacoustical scaling procedure, whereas neural activation in the auditory cortex, inferior colliculi, and medial geniculate bodies was investigated with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We observed an almost linear increase of perceived loudness and percent signal change from baseline (PSC) in all examined stages of the upper auditory pathway. Across individuals, the slope of the underlying growth function for perceived loudness was significantly correlated with the slope of the growth function for the PSC in the auditory cortex, but not in subcortical structures. In conclusion, the fMRI correlate of neural activity in the auditory cortex as measured by the blood oxygen level-dependent effect appears to be more a linear reflection of subjective loudness sensation rather than a display of physical sound pressure level, as measured using a sound-level meter.
Collapse
|
19
|
Irwin A, Hall DA, Peters A, Plack CJ. Listening to urban soundscapes: Physiological validity of perceptual dimensions. Psychophysiology 2011; 48:258-68. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2010.01051.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
20
|
Ou W, Nummenmaa A, Ahveninen J, Belliveau JW, Hämäläinen MS, Golland P. Multimodal functional imaging using fMRI-informed regional EEG/MEG source estimation. Neuroimage 2010; 52:97-108. [PMID: 20211266 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2010.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2009] [Revised: 02/15/2010] [Accepted: 03/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose a novel method, fMRI-Informed Regional Estimation (FIRE), which utilizes information from fMRI in E/MEG source reconstruction. FIRE takes advantage of the spatial alignment between the neural and the vascular activities, while allowing for substantial differences in their dynamics. Furthermore, with a region-based approach, FIRE estimates the model parameters for each region independently. Hence, it can be efficiently applied on a dense grid of source locations. The optimization procedure at the core of FIRE is related to the re-weighted minimum-norm algorithms. The weights in the proposed approach are computed from both the current source estimates and fMRI data, leading to robust estimates in the presence of silent sources in either fMRI or E/MEG measurements. We employ a Monte Carlo evaluation procedure to compare the proposed method to several other joint E/MEG-fMRI algorithms. Our results show that FIRE provides the best trade-off in estimation accuracy between the spatial and the temporal accuracy. Analysis using human E/MEG-fMRI data reveals that FIRE significantly reduces the ambiguities in source localization present in the minimum-norm estimates, and that it accurately captures activation timing in adjacent functional regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wanmei Ou
- Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Röhl M, Uppenkamp S. An auditory fMRI correlate of impulsivity. Psychiatry Res 2010; 181:145-50. [PMID: 20083394 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2009.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2009] [Revised: 05/11/2009] [Accepted: 09/03/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Impulsivity and serotonergic neurotransmission have previously been shown to be linked to the intensity dependence of auditory evoked potentials. The present study investigates whether impulsivity in normal healthy subjects has a similar influence on the neuronal correlates of the coding of sound intensity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Forty-four participants completed Cloninger's Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). The dependence of fMRI activation on sound intensity was examined using continuous pink noise with varying intensity as acoustic stimuli. Imaging data were analyzed for the volume of activation sensitive to sound intensity. Impulsivity has a significant effect on the volume of activation sensitive to sound intensity. Persons with high impulsivity scores on the TPQ scale show approximately twice the volume of activation when compared with persons with low impulsivity scores. The neuronal correlate of impulsivity as revealed by fMRI gives strong evidence of a link between impulsive behavior and neural activity evoked by auditory stimulation. This link may prove useful for measuring central serotonergic neurotransmission in a clinical setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Röhl
- Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg, Germany.
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Auditory cortex stimulation by low-frequency tones—An fMRI study. Brain Res 2009; 1304:129-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.09.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2009] [Revised: 08/25/2009] [Accepted: 09/22/2009] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
23
|
Paltoglou AE, Sumner CJ, Hall DA. Examining the role of frequency specificity in the enhancement and suppression of human cortical activity by auditory selective attention. Hear Res 2009; 257:106-18. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2009.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2009] [Revised: 07/21/2009] [Accepted: 08/20/2009] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
|
24
|
Ernst SM, Verhey JL, Uppenkamp S. Spatial dissociation of changes of level and signal-to-noise ratio in auditory cortex for tones in noise. Neuroimage 2008; 43:321-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2007] [Revised: 07/22/2008] [Accepted: 07/25/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
|
25
|
Wong PCM, Uppunda AK, Parrish TB, Dhar S. Cortical mechanisms of speech perception in noise. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2008; 51:1026-1041. [PMID: 18658069 DOI: 10.1044/1092-4388(2008/075)] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study examines the brain basis of listening to spoken words in noise, which is a ubiquitous characteristic of communication, with the focus on the dorsal auditory pathway. METHOD English-speaking young adults identified single words in 3 listening conditions while their hemodynamic response was measured using fMRI: speech in quiet, speech in moderately loud noise (signal-to-noise ratio [SNR] 20 dB), and in loud noise (SNR -5 dB). RESULTS Behaviorally, participants' performance (both accuracy and reaction time) did not differ between the quiet and SNR 20 dB condition, whereas they were less accurate and responded slower in the SNR -5 dB condition compared with the other 2 conditions. In the superior temporal gyrus (STG), both left and right auditory cortex showed increased activation in the noise conditions relative to quiet, including the middle portion of STG (mSTG). Although the right posterior STG (pSTG) showed similar activation for the 2 noise conditions, the left pSTG showed increased activation in the SNR -5 dB condition relative to the SNR 20 dB condition. CONCLUSION We found cortical task-independent and noise-dependent effects concerning speech perception in noise involving bilateral mSTG and left pSTG. These results likely reflect demands in acoustic analysis, auditory-motor integration, and phonological memory, as well as auditory attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick C M Wong
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Langers DRM, van Dijk P, Schoenmaker ES, Backes WH. fMRI activation in relation to sound intensity and loudness. Neuroimage 2007; 35:709-18. [PMID: 17254802 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2006.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2006] [Revised: 12/05/2006] [Accepted: 12/07/2006] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this fMRI study was to relate cortical fMRI responses to both physical and perceptual sound level characteristics. Besides subjects with normal hearing, subjects with high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss were included, as distortion of loudness perception is a characteristic of such impairment. Cortical responses in both subject groups were analyzed as a function of the physical intensity and the perceived loudness of low and high-frequency stimuli. For the low-frequency stimuli, intensity levels ranged from 0 to 70 dB SL; for the high-frequency stimuli, intensity levels were set such that the corresponding loudness levels matched those of the low-frequency stimuli. Responses were found to increase significantly and predominantly linearly with intensity level and with loudness level. Response saturation at the highest levels was not apparent, but activation exhibited a steep rise between 0 and 10 dB for the low-frequency stimuli. The activation in the subjects with hearing loss increased significantly more strongly with stimulus intensity than that in the normally hearing subjects. This reflects loudness recruitment, characterized by a disproportionate increase in loudness with stimulus intensity. In contrast, the rate of activation increase as a function of loudness level did not differ between both subject groups. This demonstrates that fMRI activation at the level of the auditory cortex is more closely related to the percept of a stimulus (i.e., loudness) rather than to its physical characteristics (i.e., intensity).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dave R M Langers
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Novitski N, Maess B, Tervaniemi M. Frequency specific impairment of automatic pitch change detection by fMRI acoustic noise: an MEG study. J Neurosci Methods 2006; 155:149-59. [PMID: 16530843 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2006.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2005] [Accepted: 01/30/2006] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The loud acoustic noise produced by the magnetic resonance scanner is a major source of interference in auditory fMRI research. Whole-head magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to investigate the interaction between the frequency range of auditory stimulation and fMRI acoustic noise. Pure tones and 3-harmonic complexes varying between 240 and 1240 Hz in frequency were presented while participants attended to a silent subtitled film. Continuous fMRI acoustic noise was presented during half of the blocks. The activity in six regions of interest was analyzed in 100-200 and 200-300 ms time windows to evaluate the magnetic counterparts of the mismatch negativity (MMN) and P3a brain responses. The results suggested that fMRI noise significantly reduced the amplitude of these responses. The effect of the noise on the automatic processing of the tones was more prominent for the tones with frequencies higher than 500 Hz. It is recommended that in the MMN protocols using continuous fMRI acquisition the sound stimuli should be spectrally separated from the fMRI scanner noise spectrum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Novitski
- Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki Brain Research Center, Finland.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Sigalovsky IS, Melcher JR. Effects of sound level on fMRI activation in human brainstem, thalamic and cortical centers. Hear Res 2006; 215:67-76. [PMID: 16644153 PMCID: PMC1794213 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2006.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2005] [Revised: 02/27/2006] [Accepted: 03/07/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The dependence of fMRI activation on sound level was examined throughout the auditory pathway of normal human listeners using continuous broadband noise, a stimulus widely used in neuroscientific investigations of auditory processing, but largely neglected in neuro-imaging. Several specialized techniques were combined here for the first time to enhance detection of brainstem activation, mitigate scanner noise, and recover temporal resolution lost by the mitigation technique. The main finding was increased activation with increasing level in cochlear nucleus, superior olive, inferior colliculus, medial geniculate body and auditory cortical areas. We suggest that these increases reflect monotonically increasing activity in a preponderance of individual auditory neurons responsive to broadband noise. While the time-course of activation changed with level, the change was subtle and only significant in a part of the cortex. To our knowledge, these are the first fMRI data showing the effects of sound level in subcortical centers or for a non-tonal, non-speech stimulus at any stage of the pathway. The present results add to the body of parametric data in normal human listeners and are fundamental to the design of any fMRI experiment employing continuous noise.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irina S Sigalovsky
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Firszt JB, Ulmer JL, Gaggl W. Differential representation of speech sounds in the human cerebral hemispheres. THE ANATOMICAL RECORD. PART A, DISCOVERIES IN MOLECULAR, CELLULAR, AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY 2006; 288:345-57. [PMID: 16550560 PMCID: PMC3780356 DOI: 10.1002/ar.a.20295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Various methods in auditory neuroscience have been used to gain knowledge about the structure and function of the human auditory cortical system. Regardless of method, hemispheric differences are evident in the normal processing of speech sounds. This review article, augmented by the authors' own work, provides evidence that asymmetries exist in both cortical and subcortical structures of the human auditory system. Asymmetries are affected by stimulus type, for example, hemispheric activation patterns have been shown to change from right to left cortex as stimuli change from speech to nonspeech. In addition, the presence of noise has differential effects on the contribution of the two hemispheres. Modifications of typical asymmetric cortical patterns occur when pathology is present, as in hearing loss or tinnitus. We show that in response to speech sounds, individuals with unilateral hearing loss lose the normal asymmetric pattern due to both a decrease in contralateral hemispheric activity and an increase in the ipsilateral hemisphere. These studies demonstrate the utility of modern neuroimaging techniques in functional investigations of the human auditory system. Neuroimaging techniques may provide additional insight as to how the cortical auditory pathways change with experience, including sound deprivation (e.g., hearing loss) and sound experience (e.g., training). Such investigations may explain why some populations appear to be more vulnerable to changes in hemispheric symmetry such as children with learning problems and the elderly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jill B Firszt
- Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Abstract
Event related potentials (ERP) are important clinical and research instruments in neuropsychiatry, particularly due to their strategic role for the investigation of brain function. These techniques are often underutilized in the evaluation of neurological and psychiatric disorders, but nevertheless they can be most useful and highly effective in the diagnostic workup of a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders as well as in monitoring the course of the disorders and the prediction of treatment responses. ERP are noninvasive instruments that directly reflect cortical neuronal activity. Cortical neuronal dysfunction plays a major role in variable neuropsychiatric disorders, and a change in cortical activity under medication might reflect treatment response and could be useful for monitoring drug effects. ERP are the only methods with a sufficiently high time resolution for the analysis of the dynamic patterns of neuronal brain activity, e.g., synchronization and desynchronization, oscillations, coherence, gamma band activity, latency of event related activity, etc., which are crucial for a deeper understanding of functional (neurophysiological) correlates of cognitive, emotional and behavioral disturbances in neuropsychiatric patients. Methodological advances have further improved and strengthened the position of ERP concerning research and clinical application. The usefulness and applicability of ERP in determining and monitoring clinico-pharmacological effects will be summarized mainly by focussing on the auditory evoked P300 and the N1/P2 component of auditory evoked potentials. Owing to important recent developments in the field of brain functional diagnostics the combination of neurophysiological techniques and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be included.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Pogarell
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Neurophysiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Hawley ML, Melcher JR, Fullerton BC. Effects of sound bandwidth on fMRI activation in human auditory brainstem nuclei. Hear Res 2006; 204:101-10. [PMID: 15925195 PMCID: PMC1855158 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2005.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2004] [Accepted: 01/11/2005] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Few neuro-imaging studies of the auditory system have examined the dependence of brain activation on sound bandwidth, a fundamental stimulus parameter, and none have examined bandwidth dependencies in the brainstem. The present study examined the effect of bandwidth on human brainstem activation using fMRI, an indicator of population neural activity. The studied stimuli (broadband, two-, one-, and third-octave continuous noise) activated three brainstem centers: cochlear nucleus, superior olivary complex, and inferior colliculus. Activation could be confidently attributed to these nuclei because it was appropriately punctate (given the small size of the imaged nuclei) and appropriately located (as determined from histological atlases). Activation in all three imaged centers increased monotonically with increasing bandwidth when either stimulus spectrum level or energy was held constant. Supplementary experiments indicated that the measured bandwidth dependencies were not contaminated by the extraneous sounds produced by the scanner. Increases in fMRI activation with increasing bandwidth would be expected from populations of neurons having a single best frequency and only excitatory responses to sound, but not necessarily from lower auditory system neurons with their often more complex responses. Our results provide basic information for designing auditory neuro-imaging studies that need to control for, or manipulate sound bandwidth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monica L Hawley
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Mulert C, Jäger L, Propp S, Karch S, Störmann S, Pogarell O, Möller HJ, Juckel G, Hegerl U. Sound level dependence of the primary auditory cortex: Simultaneous measurement with 61-channel EEG and fMRI. Neuroimage 2005; 28:49-58. [PMID: 16006148 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.05.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2004] [Revised: 04/08/2005] [Accepted: 05/20/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sound level dependence has been investigated for years with event-related potentials (ERP). A serotonergic modulation of the sound level dependence only of the primary auditory cortex but not of the auditory association cortex has been suggested by a number of clinical and preclinical studies. Therefore, a precise covering of the activity of the primary auditory cortex seems necessary if sound level dependence is used as an indicator of the central serotonergic system. Recent fMRI studies described a pronounced sound level dependence only in the Heschl gyrus/primary auditory cortex but not in auditory association areas. In the present simultaneous 61-channel EEG and fMRI study investigating fourteen healthy subjects, we found a high correlation between the loudness-dependent change of the extent of fMRI activation (number of activated voxels) and the corresponding changes of the mean current source density within the same region of interest covering the primary auditory cortex (r = 0.84, P < 0.001). Our findings suggest a close relationship between the fMRI signal and event-related potential activity. In addition, the correspondence of the ERP-based data and the fMRI results further supports the validity of the ERP localization approach.
Collapse
|
33
|
Krumbholz K, Schönwiesner M, Rübsamen R, Zilles K, Fink GR, von Cramon DY. Hierarchical processing of sound location and motion in the human brainstem and planum temporale. Eur J Neurosci 2005; 21:230-8. [PMID: 15654860 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03836.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal sound localization relies on the extraction of binaural acoustic cues by integration of the signals from the two ears at the level of the brainstem. The present experiment was aimed at detecting the sites of binaural integration in the human brainstem using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a binaural difference paradigm, in which the responses to binaural sounds were compared with the sum of the responses to the corresponding monaural sounds. The experiment also included a moving sound condition, which was contrasted against a spectrally and energetically matched stationary sound condition to assess which of the structures that are involved in general binaural processing are specifically specialized in motion processing. The binaural difference contrast revealed a substantial binaural response suppression in the inferior colliculus in the midbrain, the medial geniculate body in the thalamus and the primary auditory cortex. The effect appears to reflect an actual reduction of the underlying activity, probably brought about by binaural inhibition or refractoriness at the level of the superior olivary complex. Whereas all structures up to and including the primary auditory cortex were activated as strongly by the stationary as by the moving sounds, non-primary auditory fields in the planum temporale responded selectively to the moving sounds. These results suggest a hierarchical organization of auditory spatial processing in which the general analysis of binaural information begins as early as the brainstem, while the representation of dynamic binaural cues relies on non-primary auditory fields in the planum temporale.
Collapse
|
34
|
Scarff CJ, Reynolds A, Goodyear BG, Ponton CW, Dort JC, Eggermont JJ. Simultaneous 3-T fMRI and high-density recording of human auditory evoked potentials. Neuroimage 2005; 23:1129-42. [PMID: 15528112 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.07.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2004] [Revised: 05/17/2004] [Accepted: 07/06/2004] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We acquired simultaneous high-field (3 T) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and high-density (64- and 128-channel) EEG using a sparse sampling technique to measure auditory cortical activity generated by right ear stimulus presentation. Using dipole source localization, we showed that the anatomical location of the grand mean equivalent dipole of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) and the center of gravity of fMRI activity were in good agreement in the horizontal plane. However, the grand mean equivalent dipole was located significantly superior in the cortex compared to fMRI activity. Interhemispheric asymmetry was exhibited by fMRI, whereas neither the AEP dipole moments nor the mean global field power (MGFP) of the AEPs showed significant asymmetry. Increasing the number of recording electrodes from 64 to 128 improved the accuracy of the equivalent dipole source localization but decreased the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of MR images. This suggests that 64 electrodes may be optimal for use in simultaneous recording of EEG and fMRI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie J Scarff
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Brechmann A, Scheich H. Hemispheric shifts of sound representation in auditory cortex with conceptual listening. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004; 15:578-87. [PMID: 15319313 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhh159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 129] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The weak field specificity and the heterogeneity of neuronal filters found in any given auditory cortex field does not substantiate the view that such fields are merely descriptive maps of sound features. But field mechanisms were previously shown to support behaviourally relevant classification of sounds. Here the prediction was tested in human auditory cortex (AC) that classification-tasks rather than the stimulus class per se determine which auditory cortex area is recruited. By presenting the same set of frequency-modulations we found that categorization of their pitch direction (rising versus falling) increased functional magnetic resonance imaging activation in right posterior AC compared with stimulus exposure and in contrast to left posterior AC dominance during categorization of their duration (short versus long). Thus, top-down influences appear to select not only auditory cortex areas but also the hemisphere for specific processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André Brechmann
- Leibniz-Institute for Neurobiology, Brenneckestrasse 6, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany.
| | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Gutschalk A, Patterson RD, Scherg M, Uppenkamp S, Rupp A. Temporal dynamics of pitch in human auditory cortex. Neuroimage 2004; 22:755-66. [PMID: 15193604 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2004.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2003] [Revised: 01/16/2004] [Accepted: 01/20/2004] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent functional imaging studies have shown that sounds with temporal pitch produce selective activation in anterolateral Heschl's gyrus. This paper reports a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) study of the temporal dynamics of this activation. The cortical response specific to pitch was isolated from the intensity-related response in Planum temporale using a 'continuous stimulation' paradigm in which regular and irregular click trains alternate without interruption. The mean interclick interval (ICI) was 6, 12, 24, or 48 ms; the train length was 720 ms. The auditory sustained field serves as a level-dependent baseline that enhances the signal-to-noise ratio over previous techniques. The onset of pitch was accompanied by a prominent transient field, followed by a strong sustained field, both of which were associated with sources in lateral Heschl's gyrus. The sustained field rose from baseline about 70 ms after the onset of temporal regularity, asymptoted at about 450 ms, and commenced its return to baseline about 70 ms after pitch offset. The peak of the transient field occurred between 130 and 190 ms after regularity onset depending on the ICI. The latencies of the cortical pitch response are substantially longer than might be anticipated from temporal models of pitch perception. This finding suggests that the temporal integration associated with periodicity processing occurs in a subcortical structure, and that the cortical responses reflect subsequent processes involving the measurement of pitch values and changes in pitch.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Gutschalk
- Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg 69120, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Langers DRM, Backes WH, van Dijk P. Spectrotemporal features of the auditory cortex: the activation in response to dynamic ripples. Neuroimage 2003; 20:265-75. [PMID: 14527587 DOI: 10.1016/s1053-8119(03)00258-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional MRI was used to investigate the characteristics of the human cerebral response to dynamic ripples. Dynamic ripples are sound stimuli containing regular spectrotemporal modulations, which are of major importance in speech processing; however, in contrast to speech, dynamic ripples can be characterized fully by a limited number of parameters. Extensive activation consisting of multiple separate regions was found bilaterally in the auditory cortex, particularly along the Heschl's gyri. This agrees with the presence of a structural cortical subdivision into functional fields. The level and the extent of activation were measured and correlated highly (R(2) = 0.97). Both measures depended strongly on the spectral density, temporal frequency, and amplitude of the modulations and matched the perceptual discernibility of the spectrotemporal modulations. The largest responses occurred for parameter values near the optimal human sensitivity. The drift direction of the modulations did not influence the activation. No quantitative differences were found between the two hemispheres. Average brain activation levels proved to be separable with regard to the spectral density and temporal frequency of the modulations. Topographic mappings of the modulation density and frequency onto the cortical surface were shown, approximately in posterolateral-to-anteromedial and lateral-to-medial directions, respectively. Posterolateral regions were most sensitive to spectrotemporal features at a scale similar to phonemes. Anteromedial regions, however, were also relatively sensitive to smaller scale acoustic features. This spatially dependent sensitivity suggests a functional topographic and hierarchical organization of the auditory cortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dave R M Langers
- Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Hospital, P.O. Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Hart HC, Hall DA, Palmer AR. The sound-level-dependent growth in the extent of fMRI activation in Heschl's gyrus is different for low- and high-frequency tones. Hear Res 2003; 179:104-12. [PMID: 12742243 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-5955(03)00100-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) was used to investigate whether the growth in activation of the human auditory cortex, with increasing sound level, is discernibly different for high- and low-frequency tones. Ten volunteers were scanned whilst listening to sequences of low-frequency (0.30-kHz) tones at sound levels between 42 and 96 dB sound pressure level (SPL), and 10 whilst listening to high-frequency (4.75-kHz) tones at the same sound levels. Activation was measured in Heschl's gyrus (including primary auditory cortex) which has been shown to be most sensitive to changes in sound level. For the 0.30-kHz tone, the extent of activation was flat up to 66 dB and then showed a rapid growth which continued up to the highest level studied (96 dB SPL). In contrast, increasing the level of 4.75-kHz tones produced a steady growth in the extent of activation across the range of levels studied. These results are consistent with physiological evidence suggesting that recruitment of primary auditory cortical neurones may be different at high and low frequencies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heledd C Hart
- MRC Institute of Hearing Research, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Hall DA, Hart HC, Johnsrude IS. Relationships between human auditory cortical structure and function. Audiol Neurootol 2003; 8:1-18. [PMID: 12566688 DOI: 10.1159/000067894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2002] [Accepted: 10/15/2002] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The human auditory cortex comprises multiple areas, largely distributed across the supratemporal plane, but the precise number and configuration of auditory areas and their functional significance have not yet been clearly established. In this paper, we discuss recent research concerning architectonic and functional organisation within the human auditory cortex, as well as architectonic and neurophysiological studies in non-human species, which can provide a broad conceptual framework for interpreting functional specialisation in humans. We review the pattern in human auditory cortex of the functional responses to various acoustic cues, such as frequency, pitch, sound level, temporal variation, motion and spatial location, and we discuss their correspondence to what is known about the organisation of the auditory cortex in other primates. There is some neuroimaging evidence of multiple tonotopically organised fields in humans and of functional specialisations of the fields in the processing of different sound features. It is thought that the primary area, on Heschl's gyrus, may have a larger involvement in processing basic sound features, such as frequency and level, and that posterior non-primary areas on the planum temporale may play a larger role in processing more spectrotemporally complex sounds. Ways in which current knowledge of auditory cortical organisation and different data analysis approaches may benefit future functional neuroimaging studies which seek to link auditory cortical structure and function are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deborah A Hall
- MRC Institute of Hearing Research, University Park, Nottingham, UK.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|