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Bidelman GM, Sisson A, Rizzi R, MacLean J, Baer K. Myogenic artifacts masquerade as neuroplasticity in the auditory frequency-following response. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1422903. [PMID: 39040631 PMCID: PMC11260751 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1422903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The frequency-following response (FFR) is an evoked potential that provides a neural index of complex sound encoding in the brain. FFRs have been widely used to characterize speech and music processing, experience-dependent neuroplasticity (e.g., learning and musicianship), and biomarkers for hearing and language-based disorders that distort receptive communication abilities. It is widely assumed that FFRs stem from a mixture of phase-locked neurogenic activity from the brainstem and cortical structures along the hearing neuraxis. In this study, we challenge this prevailing view by demonstrating that upwards of ~50% of the FFR can originate from an unexpected myogenic source: contamination from the postauricular muscle (PAM) vestigial startle reflex. We measured PAM, transient auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), and sustained frequency-following response (FFR) potentials reflecting myogenic (PAM) and neurogenic (ABR/FFR) responses in young, normal-hearing listeners with varying degrees of musical training. We first establish that PAM artifact is present in all ears, varies with electrode proximity to the muscle, and can be experimentally manipulated by directing listeners' eye gaze toward the ear of sound stimulation. We then show this muscular noise easily confounds auditory FFRs, spuriously amplifying responses 3-4-fold with tandem PAM contraction and even explaining putative FFR enhancements observed in highly skilled musicians. Our findings expose a new and unrecognized myogenic source to the FFR that drives its large inter-subject variability and cast doubt on whether changes in the response typically attributed to neuroplasticity/pathology are solely of brain origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin M. Bidelman
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Alexandria Sisson
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Rose Rizzi
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Jessica MacLean
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Kaitlin Baer
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Memphis, TN, United States
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Maggu AR, Sharma B. Relationship Between Cognitive Abilities and Basic Auditory Processing in Young Adults. Am J Audiol 2024; 33:422-432. [PMID: 38501921 DOI: 10.1044/2024_aja-23-00261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The diagnosis of auditory processing disorder (APD) is controversial particularly due to the influence of higher order factors of language and cognition on the diagnostic APD testing. As a result, there might be a need for testing for other domains (e.g., cognition) along with conducting the diagnostic APD testing to rule out the influence of other domains. In order to make recommendations on whether cognitive testing is needed along with the auditory processing testing, as a starting point, the current study was conducted to examine the relationship between cognitive abilities and basic auditory processing in young adults. METHOD A total of 38 young adults with normal audiometric thresholds between 250 and 8000 Hz participated in this study. They were tested on their executive function, language, processing speed, working memory, and episodic memory components of cognitive testing and tests for temporal fine structure and spectrotemporal sensitivity for auditory processing testing. RESULTS No significant correlation was found between the cognitive tests and the tests for basic auditory processing in young adults. CONCLUSIONS These findings present contrast to the existing findings in children and older adults where a stronger correlation between cognitive abilities and auditory processing has been found. The current findings suggest that testing for cognitive abilities may not be needed when testing for basic auditory processing in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay R Maggu
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
- The Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs
| | - Bhamini Sharma
- Department of Communication Arts, Sciences, and Disorders, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, NY
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Gorina-Careta N, Arenillas-Alcón S, Puertollano M, Mondéjar-Segovia A, Ijjou-Kadiri S, Costa-Faidella J, Gómez-Roig MD, Escera C. Exposure to bilingual or monolingual maternal speech during pregnancy affects the neurophysiological encoding of speech sounds in neonates differently. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1379660. [PMID: 38841122 PMCID: PMC11150635 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1379660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Exposure to maternal speech during the prenatal period shapes speech perception and linguistic preferences, allowing neonates to recognize stories heard frequently in utero and demonstrating an enhanced preference for their mother's voice and native language. Yet, with a high prevalence of bilingualism worldwide, it remains an open question whether monolingual or bilingual maternal speech during pregnancy influence differently the fetus' neural mechanisms underlying speech sound encoding. Methods In the present study, the frequency-following response (FFR), an auditory evoked potential that reflects the complex spectrotemporal dynamics of speech sounds, was recorded to a two-vowel /oa/ stimulus in a sample of 129 healthy term neonates within 1 to 3 days after birth. Newborns were divided into two groups according to maternal language usage during the last trimester of gestation (monolingual; bilingual). Spectral amplitudes and spectral signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) at the stimulus fundamental (F0) and first formant (F1) frequencies of each vowel were, respectively, taken as measures of pitch and formant structure neural encoding. Results Our results reveal that while spectral amplitudes at F0 did not differ between groups, neonates from bilingual mothers exhibited a lower spectral SNR. Additionally, monolingually exposed neonates exhibited a higher spectral amplitude and SNR at F1 frequencies. Discussion We interpret our results under the consideration that bilingual maternal speech, as compared to monolingual, is characterized by a greater complexity in the speech sound signal, rendering newborns from bilingual mothers more sensitive to a wider range of speech frequencies without generating a particularly strong response at any of them. Our results contribute to an expanding body of research indicating the influence of prenatal experiences on language acquisition and underscore the necessity of including prenatal language exposure in developmental studies on language acquisition, a variable often overlooked yet capable of influencing research outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natàlia Gorina-Careta
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sonia Arenillas-Alcón
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Puertollano
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Mondéjar-Segovia
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Siham Ijjou-Kadiri
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Costa-Faidella
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal – Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Escera
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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Bao W, Alain C, Thaut M, Molnar M. Is there a bilingual advantage in auditory attention among children? A systematic review and meta-analysis of standardized auditory attention tests. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299393. [PMID: 38691540 PMCID: PMC11062550 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
A wealth of research has investigated the associations between bilingualism and cognition, especially in regards to executive function. Some developmental studies reveal different cognitive profiles between monolinguals and bilinguals in visual or audio-visual attention tasks, which might stem from their attention allocation differences. Yet, whether such distinction exists in the auditory domain alone is unknown. In this study, we compared differences in auditory attention, measured by standardized tests, between monolingual and bilingual children. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in three electronic databases: OVID Medline, OVID PsycInfo, and EBSCO CINAHL. Twenty studies using standardized tests to assess auditory attention in monolingual and bilingual participants aged less than 18 years were identified. We assessed the quality of these studies using a scoring tool for evaluating primary research. For statistical analysis, we pooled the effect size in a random-effects meta-analytic model, where between-study heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic. No substantial publication bias was observed based on the funnel plot. Further, meta-regression modelling suggests that test measure (accuracy vs. response times) significantly affected the studies' effect sizes whereas other factors (e.g., participant age, stimulus type) did not. Specifically, studies reporting accuracy observed marginally greater accuracy in bilinguals (g = 0.10), whereas those reporting response times indicated faster latency in monolinguals (g = -0.34). There was little difference between monolingual and bilingual children's performance on standardized auditory attention tests. We also found that studies tend to include a wide variety of bilingual children but report limited language background information of the participants. This, unfortunately, limits the potential theoretical contributions of the reviewed studies. Recommendations to improve the quality of future research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfu Bao
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Claude Alain
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Thaut
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Monika Molnar
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Bidelman G, Sisson A, Rizzi R, MacLean J, Baer K. Myogenic artifacts masquerade as neuroplasticity in the auditory frequency-following response (FFR). BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.27.564446. [PMID: 37961324 PMCID: PMC10634913 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.27.564446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The frequency-following response (FFR) is an evoked potential that provides a "neural fingerprint" of complex sound encoding in the brain. FFRs have been widely used to characterize speech and music processing, experience-dependent neuroplasticity (e.g., learning, musicianship), and biomarkers for hearing and language-based disorders that distort receptive communication abilities. It is widely assumed FFRs stem from a mixture of phase-locked neurogenic activity from brainstem and cortical structures along the hearing neuraxis. Here, we challenge this prevailing view by demonstrating upwards of ~50% of the FFR can originate from a non-neural source: contamination from the postauricular muscle (PAM) vestigial startle reflex. We first establish PAM artifact is present in all ears, varies with electrode proximity to the muscle, and can be experimentally manipulated by directing listeners' eye gaze toward the ear of sound stimulation. We then show this muscular noise easily confounds auditory FFRs, spuriously amplifying responses by 3-4x fold with tandem PAM contraction and even explaining putative FFR enhancements observed in highly skilled musicians. Our findings expose a new and unrecognized myogenic source to the FFR that drives its large inter-subject variability and cast doubt on whether changes in the response typically attributed to neuroplasticity/pathology are solely of brain origin.
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Jacxsens L, Biot L, Escera C, Gilles A, Cardon E, Van Rompaey V, De Hertogh W, Lammers MJW. Frequency-Following Responses in Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2024; 25:131-147. [PMID: 38334887 PMCID: PMC11018579 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-024-00932-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE This systematic review aims to assess the impact of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) on various frequency-following response (FFR) parameters. METHODS Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases up to January 2023. Studies evaluating FFRs in patients with SNHL and normal hearing controls were included. RESULTS Sixteen case-control studies were included, revealing variability in acquisition parameters. In the time domain, patients with SNHL exhibited prolonged latencies. The specific waves that were prolonged differed across studies. There was no consensus regarding wave amplitude in the time domain. In the frequency domain, focusing on studies that elicited FFRs with stimuli of 170 ms or longer, participants with SNHL displayed a significantly smaller fundamental frequency (F0). Results regarding changes in the temporal fine structure (TFS) were inconsistent. CONCLUSION Patients with SNHL may require more time for processing (speech) stimuli, reflected in prolonged latencies. However, the exact timing of this delay remains unclear. Additionally, when presenting longer stimuli (≥ 170 ms), patients with SNHL show difficulties tracking the F0 of (speech) stimuli. No definite conclusions could be drawn on changes in wave amplitude in the time domain and the TFS in the frequency domain. Patient characteristics, acquisition parameters, and FFR outcome parameters differed greatly across studies. Future studies should be performed in larger and carefully matched subject groups, using longer stimuli presented at the same intensity in dB HL for both groups, or at a carefully determined maximum comfortable loudness level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Jacxsens
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium.
- Resonant Labs Antwerp, Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Lana Biot
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
- Resonant Labs Antwerp, Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Carles Escera
- Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Brainlab - Cognitive, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Annick Gilles
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
- Resonant Labs Antwerp, Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Education, Health and Social Work, University College Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emilie Cardon
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
- Resonant Labs Antwerp, Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Vincent Van Rompaey
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
- Resonant Labs Antwerp, Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Willem De Hertogh
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marc J W Lammers
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Drie Eikenstraat 655, 2650, Edegem, Belgium
- Resonant Labs Antwerp, Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Tyborowska A, Wegman J, Janzen G. Bilingual Spatial Cognition: Spatial Cue Use in Bilinguals and Monolinguals. Brain Sci 2024; 14:134. [PMID: 38391709 PMCID: PMC10887090 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14020134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Structural plasticity changes and functional differences in executive control tasks have been reported in bilinguals compared to monolinguals, supporting a proposed bilingual 'advantage' in executive control functions (e.g., task switching) due to continual usage of control mechanisms that inhibit one of the coexisting languages. However, it remains unknown whether these differences are also apparent in the spatial domain. The present fMRI study explores the use of spatial cues in 15 bilinguals and 14 monolinguals while navigating in an open-field virtual environment. In each trial, participants had to navigate towards a target object that was visible during encoding but hidden in retrieval. An extensive network was activated in bilinguals compared to monolinguals in the encoding and retrieval phase. During encoding, bilinguals activated the right temporal and left parietal regions (object trials) and left inferior frontal, precentral, and lingual regions more than monolinguals. During retrieval, the same contrasts activated the left caudate nucleus and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the left parahippocampal gyrus, as well as caudate regions. These results suggest that bilinguals may recruit neural networks known to subserve not only executive control processes but also spatial strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tyborowska
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Wegman
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gabriele Janzen
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6500 HD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Marian V. The Evolution of Science in Second Language Acquisition Research: A Commentary on "The Neurocognitive Underpinnings of Second Language Processing: Knowledge Gains From the Past and Future Outlook". LANGUAGE LEARNING 2023; 73:143-146. [PMID: 38385120 PMCID: PMC10881220 DOI: 10.1111/lang.12599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
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Wagner M, Rusiniak M, Higby E, Nourski KV. Sensory processing of native and non-native phonotactic patterns in the alpha and beta frequency bands. Neuropsychologia 2023; 189:108659. [PMID: 37579990 PMCID: PMC10602391 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
The phonotactic patterns of one's native language are established within cortical network processing during development. Sensory processing of native language phonotactic patterns established in memory may be modulated by top-down signals within the alpha and beta frequency bands. To explore sensory processing of phonotactic patterns in the alpha and beta frequency bands, electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded from native Polish and native English-speaking adults as they listened to spoken nonwords within same and different nonword pairs. The nonwords contained three phonological sequence onsets that occur in the Polish and English languages (/pət/, /st/, /sət/) and one onset sequence /pt/, which occurs in Polish but not in English onsets. Source localization modeling was used to transform 64-channel EEGs into brain source-level channels. Spectral power values in the low frequencies (2-29 Hz) were analyzed in response to the first nonword in nonword pairs within the context of counterbalanced listening-task conditions, which were presented on separate testing days. For the with-task listening condition, participants performed a behavioral task to the second nonword in the pairs. For the without-task condition participants were only instructed to listen to the stimuli. Thus, in the with-task condition, the first nonword served as a cue for the second nonword, the target stimulus. The results revealed decreased spectral power in the beta frequency band for the with-task condition compared to the without-task condition in response to native language phonotactic patterns. In contrast, the task-related suppression effects in response to the non-native phonotactic pattern /pt/ for the English listeners extended into the alpha frequency band. These effects were localized to source channels in left auditory cortex, the left anterior temporal cortex and the occipital pole. This exploratory study revealed a pattern of results that, if replicated, suggests that native language speech perception is supported by modulations in the alpha and beta frequency bands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Wagner
- St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
| | | | - Eve Higby
- California State University, East Bay, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, Hayward, CA, 94542, USA.
| | - Kirill V Nourski
- The University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Dr., Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
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Patel SP, Winston M, Guilfoyle J, Nicol T, Martin GE, Nayar K, Kraus N, Losh M. Neural Processing of Speech Sounds in ASD and First-Degree Relatives. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:3257-3271. [PMID: 35672616 PMCID: PMC10019095 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05562-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Efficient neural encoding of sound plays a critical role in speech and language, and when impaired, may have reverberating effects on communication skills. This study investigated disruptions to neural processing of temporal and spectral properties of speech in individuals with ASD and their parents and found evidence of inefficient temporal encoding of speech sounds in both groups. The ASD group further demonstrated less robust neural representation of spectral properties of speech sounds. Associations between neural processing of speech sounds and language-related abilities were evident in both groups. Parent-child associations were also detected in neural pitch processing. Together, results suggest that atypical neural processing of speech sounds is a heritable ingredient contributing to the ASD language phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani P Patel
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Molly Winston
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Janna Guilfoyle
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Trent Nicol
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Gary E Martin
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, St. John's University, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Kritika Nayar
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Nina Kraus
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Molly Losh
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 N Campus Dr, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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Liu J, Hilton CB, Bergelson E, Mehr SA. Language experience predicts music processing in a half-million speakers of fifty-four languages. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1916-1925.e4. [PMID: 37105166 PMCID: PMC10306420 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Tonal languages differ from other languages in their use of pitch (tones) to distinguish words. Lifelong experience speaking and hearing tonal languages has been argued to shape auditory processing in ways that generalize beyond the perception of linguistic pitch to the perception of pitch in other domains like music. We conducted a meta-analysis of prior studies testing this idea, finding moderate evidence supporting it. But prior studies were limited by mostly small sample sizes representing a small number of languages and countries, making it challenging to disentangle the effects of linguistic experience from variability in music training, cultural differences, and other potential confounds. To address these issues, we used web-based citizen science to assess music perception skill on a global scale in 34,034 native speakers of 19 tonal languages (e.g., Mandarin, Yoruba). We compared their performance to 459,066 native speakers of other languages, including 6 pitch-accented (e.g., Japanese) and 29 non-tonal languages (e.g., Hungarian). Whether or not participants had taken music lessons, native speakers of all 19 tonal languages had an improved ability to discriminate musical melodies on average, relative to speakers of non-tonal languages. But this improvement came with a trade-off: tonal language speakers were also worse at processing the musical beat. The results, which held across native speakers of many diverse languages and were robust to geographic and demographic variation, demonstrate that linguistic experience shapes music perception, with implications for relations between music, language, and culture in the human mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Liu
- Columbia Business School, Columbia University, 665 W 130th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA; Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Courtney B Hilton
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, 300 George Street #900, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; School of Psychology, University of Auckland, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
| | - Elika Bergelson
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, 417 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Samuel A Mehr
- Yale Child Study Center, Yale University, 300 George Street #900, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; School of Psychology, University of Auckland, 23 Symonds Street, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
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Differences between Monolinguals and Bilinguals in Phonetic and Phonological Learning and the Connection with Auditory Sensory Memory. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13030488. [PMID: 36979298 PMCID: PMC10046011 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13030488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism has been linked with improved function regarding certain aspects of linguistic processing, e.g., novel word acquisition and learning unfamiliar sound patterns. Two non mutually-exclusive approaches might explain these results. One is related to executive function, speculating that more effective learning is achieved through actively choosing relevant information while inhibiting potentially interfering information. While still controversial, executive function enhancements attributed to bilingual experience have been reported for decades. The other approach, understudied to date, emphasizes the role of sensory mechanisms, specifically auditory sensory memory. Bilinguals outperformed monolinguals in tasks involving auditory processing and episodic memory recall, but the questions whether (1) bilinguals’ auditory sensory memory skills are also enhanced, and (2) phonetic skill and auditory sensory memory are correlated, remain open, however. Our study is innovative in investigating phonetic learning skills and auditory sensory memory in the same speakers from two groups: monolinguals and early bilinguals. The participants were trained and tested on an artificial accent of English and their auditory sensory memory was assessed based on a digit span task. The results demonstrated that, compared to monolinguals, bilinguals exhibit enhanced auditory sensory memory and phonetic and phonological learning skill, and a correlation exists between them.
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13
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Kalaivanan K, Wong PCM, Wong FCK, Chan AHD. Native Language Perceptual Sensitivity Predicts Nonnative Speech Perception Differently in Younger and Older Singaporean Bilinguals. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2023; 66:987-1017. [PMID: 36800502 DOI: 10.1044/2022_jslhr-22-00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE We investigate in this study how individual variability in native language speech perception (termed Perceptual Sensitivity) influences nonnative speech perception in Singaporean Tamil-English bilinguals. Further, we assess if and how contextual and demographic factors influence Perceptual Sensitivity in the acquired languages and if the influence of Perceptual Sensitivity on nonnative speech perception is different across younger and older bilinguals. METHOD Perceptual Sensitivity in the native languages was examined by implementing Tamil and English gating tasks in 87 Singaporean Tamil-English bilinguals from two age groups (younger: 19-33 years; older: 55-70 years). Mandarin lexical tone discrimination was implemented as a measure of nonnative speech perception. RESULTS There was a wide range of variability in Perceptual Sensitivity scores in both languages across both age groups. Perceptual Sensitivity in the first native language (L1 Tamil) was a robust predictor of nonnative speech perception across both age groups, especially for the older bilinguals. However, general intelligence emerged as a stronger predictor than Tamil Perceptual Sensitivity in younger bilinguals. The influence of Tamil Perceptual Sensitivity on lexical tone perception was not tone-specific, supporting a general enhancement of lexical tone perception with better Tamil Perceptual Sensitivity. There was an influence of demographic factors on English Perceptual Sensitivity in older bilinguals, but not for Tamil and not in younger bilinguals. CONCLUSIONS Our findings corroborate with previous studies in showing that native language Perceptual Sensitivity is positively associated with and predicts nonnative speech perception in younger and older adulthood regardless of language similarity but to varying degrees. Specifically, the influence of Perceptual Sensitivity on nonnative speech perception is stronger in older adulthood, suggesting a possible shift in reliance on crystallized language knowledge with age. Proficiency and use, among other demographic and language variables, do not appear to influence L1 Perceptual Sensitivity in a lesser used language (Tamil) as significantly as previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kastoori Kalaivanan
- Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
- Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Patrick C M Wong
- Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China
- Brain and Mind Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China
| | - Francis C K Wong
- Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Alice H D Chan
- Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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Toh XR, Tan SH, Wong G, Lau F, Wong FCK. Enduring musician advantage among former musicians in prosodic pitch perception. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2657. [PMID: 36788323 PMCID: PMC9929097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29733-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Musical training has been associated with various cognitive benefits, one of which is enhanced speech perception. However, most findings have been based on musicians taking part in ongoing music lessons and practice. This study thus sought to determine whether the musician advantage in pitch perception in the language domain extends to individuals who have ceased musical training and practice. To this end, adult active musicians (n = 22), former musicians (n = 27), and non-musicians (n = 47) were presented with sentences spoken in a native language, English, and a foreign language, French. The final words of the sentences were either prosodically congruous (spoken at normal pitch height), weakly incongruous (pitch was increased by 25%), or strongly incongruous (pitch was increased by 110%). Results of the pitch discrimination task revealed that although active musicians outperformed former musicians, former musicians outperformed non-musicians in the weakly incongruous condition. The findings suggest that the musician advantage in pitch perception in speech is retained to some extent even after musical training and practice is discontinued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Ru Toh
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shen Hui Tan
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Galston Wong
- grid.267323.10000 0001 2151 7939School of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX USA
| | - Fun Lau
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Francis C. K. Wong
- grid.59025.3b0000 0001 2224 0361Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, School of Humanities, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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15
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Wang C, Flemming K, Cortiana G, Putkinen V, Lammert J, Rafat Y, Tao S, Joanisse MF. Chinese-English bilinguals are more sensitive to environmental sound perception than Spanish-English bilinguals through top-down cognitive mechanism. Biol Psychol 2022; 175:108449. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Abstract
Biology and experience both influence the auditory brain. Sex is one biological factor with pervasive effects on auditory processing. Females process sounds faster and more robustly than males. These differences are linked to hormone differences between the sexes. Athleticism is an experiential factor known to reduce ongoing neural noise, but whether it influences how sounds are processed by the brain is unknown. Furthermore, it is unknown whether sports participation influences auditory processing differently in males and females, given the well-documented sex differences in auditory processing seen in the general population. We hypothesized that athleticism enhances auditory processing and that these enhancements are greater in females. To test these hypotheses, we measured auditory processing in collegiate Division I male and female student-athletes and their non-athlete peers (total n = 1012) using the frequency-following response (FFR). The FFR is a neurophysiological response to sound that reflects the processing of discrete sound features. We measured across-trial consistency of the response in addition to fundamental frequency (F0) and harmonic encoding. We found that athletes had enhanced encoding of the harmonics, which was greatest in the female athletes, and that athletes had more consistent responses than non-athletes. In contrast, F0 encoding was reduced in athletes. The harmonic-encoding advantage in female athletes aligns with previous work linking harmonic encoding strength to female hormone levels and studies showing estrogen as mediating athlete sex differences in other sensory domains. Lastly, persistent deficits in auditory processing from previous concussive and repetitive subconcussive head trauma may underlie the reduced F0 encoding in athletes, as poor F0 encoding is a hallmark of concussion injury.
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17
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Winn MB, Wright RA. Reconsidering commonly used stimuli in speech perception experiments. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 152:1394. [PMID: 36182291 DOI: 10.1121/10.0013415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines some commonly used stimuli in speech perception experiments and raises questions about their use, or about the interpretations of previous results. The takeaway messages are: 1) the Hillenbrand vowels represent a particular dialect rather than a gold standard, and English vowels contain spectral dynamics that have been largely underappreciated, 2) the /ɑ/ context is very common but not clearly superior as a context for testing consonant perception, 3) /ɑ/ is particularly problematic when testing voice-onset-time perception because it introduces strong confounds in the formant transitions, 4) /dɑ/ is grossly overrepresented in neurophysiological studies and yet is insufficient as a generalized proxy for "speech perception," and 5) digit tests and matrix sentences including the coordinate response measure are systematically insensitive to important patterns in speech perception. Each of these stimulus sets and concepts is described with careful attention to their unique value and also cases where they might be misunderstood or over-interpreted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Winn
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
| | - Richard A Wright
- Department of Linguistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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18
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Jeng FC, Jeng YS. Implementation of Machine Learning on Human Frequency-Following Responses: A Tutorial. Semin Hear 2022; 43:251-274. [PMID: 36313046 PMCID: PMC9605809 DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1756219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The frequency-following response (FFR) provides enriched information on how acoustic stimuli are processed in the human brain. Based on recent studies, machine learning techniques have demonstrated great utility in modeling human FFRs. This tutorial focuses on the fundamental principles, algorithmic designs, and custom implementations of several supervised models (linear regression, logistic regression, k -nearest neighbors, support vector machines) and an unsupervised model ( k -means clustering). Other useful machine learning tools (Markov chains, dimensionality reduction, principal components analysis, nonnegative matrix factorization, and neural networks) are discussed as well. Each model's applicability and its pros and cons are explained. The choice of a suitable model is highly dependent on the research question, FFR recordings, target variables, extracted features, and their data types. To promote understanding, an example project implemented in Python is provided, which demonstrates practical usage of several of the discussed models on a sample dataset of six FFR features and a target response label.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuh-Cherng Jeng
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio
| | - Yu-Shiang Jeng
- Computer Science and Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
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19
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Studenica A, Laketa A, Chrysochoou E, Blakey E, Vivas AB. The influence of bilingualism on adolescent cognition: The roles of biculturalism, the bilingual profile, and linguistic similarity. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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20
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Chung-Fat-Yim A, Calvo N, Grundy JG. The Multifaceted Nature of Bilingualism and Attention. Front Psychol 2022; 13:910382. [PMID: 35719564 PMCID: PMC9205563 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.910382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention has recently been proposed as the mechanism underlying the cognitive effects associated with bilingualism. However, similar to bilingualism, the term attention is complex, dynamic, and can vary from one activity to another. Throughout our daily lives, we use different types of attention that differ in complexity: sustained attention, selective attention, alternating attention, divided attention, and disengagement of attention. The present paper is a focused review summarizing the results from studies that explore the link between bilingualism and attention. For each level of attention, a brief overview of relevant theoretical models will be discussed along with a spotlight on paradigms and tasks used to measure these forms of attention. The findings illustrate that different types and levels of attention are modified by the variety of bilingual experiences. Future studies wishing to examine the effects of bilingualism on attention are encouraged to embrace the complexity and diversity of both constructs rather than making global claims about bilingualism and attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Noelia Calvo
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John G Grundy
- Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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21
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Bsharat-Maalouf D, Karawani H. Bilinguals' speech perception in noise: Perceptual and neural associations. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264282. [PMID: 35196339 PMCID: PMC8865662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study characterized subcortical speech sound processing among monolinguals and bilinguals in quiet and challenging listening conditions and examined the relation between subcortical neural processing and perceptual performance. A total of 59 normal-hearing adults, ages 19–35 years, participated in the study: 29 native Hebrew-speaking monolinguals and 30 Arabic-Hebrew-speaking bilinguals. Auditory brainstem responses to speech sounds were collected in a quiet condition and with background noise. The perception of words and sentences in quiet and background noise conditions was also examined to assess perceptual performance and to evaluate the perceptual-physiological relationship. Perceptual performance was tested among bilinguals in both languages (first language (L1-Arabic) and second language (L2-Hebrew)). The outcomes were similar between monolingual and bilingual groups in quiet. Noise, as expected, resulted in deterioration in perceptual and neural responses, which was reflected in lower accuracy in perceptual tasks compared to quiet, and in more prolonged latencies and diminished neural responses. However, a mixed picture was observed among bilinguals in perceptual and physiological outcomes in noise. In the perceptual measures, bilinguals were significantly less accurate than their monolingual counterparts. However, in neural responses, bilinguals demonstrated earlier peak latencies compared to monolinguals. Our results also showed that perceptual performance in noise was related to subcortical resilience to the disruption caused by background noise. Specifically, in noise, increased brainstem resistance (i.e., fewer changes in the fundamental frequency (F0) representations or fewer shifts in the neural timing) was related to better speech perception among bilinguals. Better perception in L1 in noise was correlated with fewer changes in F0 representations, and more accurate perception in L2 was related to minor shifts in auditory neural timing. This study delves into the importance of using neural brainstem responses to speech sounds to differentiate individuals with different language histories and to explain inter-subject variability in bilinguals’ perceptual abilities in daily life situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Bsharat-Maalouf
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hanin Karawani
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- * E-mail:
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22
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Skoe E, García-Sierra A, Ramírez-Esparza N, Jiang S. Automatic sound encoding is sensitive to language familiarity: Evidence from English monolinguals and Spanish-English bilinguals. Neurosci Lett 2022; 777:136582. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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23
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Smit EA, Milne AJ, Escudero P. Music Perception Abilities and Ambiguous Word Learning: Is There Cross-Domain Transfer in Nonmusicians? Front Psychol 2022; 13:801263. [PMID: 35401340 PMCID: PMC8984940 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.801263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Perception of music and speech is based on similar auditory skills, and it is often suggested that those with enhanced music perception skills may perceive and learn novel words more easily. The current study tested whether music perception abilities are associated with novel word learning in an ambiguous learning scenario. Using a cross-situational word learning (CSWL) task, nonmusician adults were exposed to word-object pairings between eight novel words and visual referents. Novel words were either non-minimal pairs differing in all sounds or minimal pairs differing in their initial consonant or vowel. In order to be successful in this task, learners need to be able to correctly encode the phonological details of the novel words and have sufficient auditory working memory to remember the correct word-object pairings. Using the Mistuning Perception Test (MPT) and the Melodic Discrimination Test (MDT), we measured learners’ pitch perception and auditory working memory. We predicted that those with higher MPT and MDT values would perform better in the CSWL task and in particular for novel words with high phonological overlap (i.e., minimal pairs). We found that higher musical perception skills led to higher accuracy for non-minimal pairs and minimal pairs differing in their initial consonant. Interestingly, this was not the case for vowel minimal pairs. We discuss the results in relation to theories of second language word learning such as the Second Language Perception model (L2LP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline A. Smit
- The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- *Correspondence: Eline A. Smit,
| | - Andrew J. Milne
- The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paola Escudero
- The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Development, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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24
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Krizman J, Tierney A, Nicol T, Kraus N. Listening in the Moment: How Bilingualism Interacts With Task Demands to Shape Active Listening. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:717572. [PMID: 34955707 PMCID: PMC8702653 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.717572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
While there is evidence for bilingual enhancements of inhibitory control and auditory processing, two processes that are fundamental to daily communication, it is not known how bilinguals utilize these cognitive and sensory enhancements during real-world listening. To test our hypothesis that bilinguals engage their enhanced cognitive and sensory processing in real-world listening situations, bilinguals and monolinguals performed a selective attention task involving competing talkers, a common demand of everyday listening, and then later passively listened to the same competing sentences. During the active and passive listening periods, evoked responses to the competing talkers were collected to understand how online auditory processing facilitates active listening and if this processing differs between bilinguals and monolinguals. Additionally, participants were tested on a separate measure of inhibitory control to see if inhibitory control abilities related with performance on the selective attention task. We found that although monolinguals and bilinguals performed similarly on the selective attention task, the groups differed in the neural and cognitive processes engaged to perform this task, compared to when they were passively listening to the talkers. Specifically, during active listening monolinguals had enhanced cortical phase consistency while bilinguals demonstrated enhanced subcortical phase consistency in the response to the pitch contours of the sentences, particularly during passive listening. Moreover, bilinguals’ performance on the inhibitory control test related with performance on the selective attention test, a relationship that was not seen for monolinguals. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that bilinguals utilize inhibitory control and enhanced subcortical auditory processing in everyday listening situations to engage with sound in ways that are different than monolinguals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Adam Tierney
- The ALPHALAB, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Trent Nicol
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
- Departments of Neurobiology and Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Nina Kraus,
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Huang XX, Ou P, Qian QF, Huang Y. Long-term effectiveness of behavioural intervention in preschool children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Southeast China - a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pediatr 2021; 21:561. [PMID: 34893038 PMCID: PMC8662873 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-03046-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common behavioral disorder. Behavioural intervention in preschool children with ADHD is considered effective. This study discussed the long-term effectiveness of behavioural intervention in the context of nondrug therapy. METHODS The study was a prospective, randomised controlled trial in which 201 preschoolers diagnosed with ADHD who were not receiving any treatment were assigned to two groups from January 2018 to May 2019, 101 were assigned to the conventional group and 100 to the behavioural intervention group. The behavioural intervention group included parental training, behavioural therapy, attention training, relief therapy and game therapy, in addition to the conventional group offerings. Children were evaluated at a baseline, at the end of the 12-month intervention and six months after the intervention. The primary and secondary outcome variables included attention time, the impulse-hyperactivity and hyperactivity index from Conners parent symptom questionnaire (PSQ), full-scale attention quotient (FAQ) and full-scale response control quotient (FRCQ) from integrated visual and auditory comprehensive continuous performance tests. The attention time was observed and recorded by parents, and others were performe(PSQ)d by physicians in the clinic. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS V26.0 (IBM), including the descriptive statistics and mixed-effects models and so on. RESULTS The participants' mean age was (66.17±9.00) months in the behavioural group and (67.54±6.22) months in the conventional group .A total of 190 participants completed a follow-up six months after the intervention. The attention time, Conners parent symptom questionnaire (PSQ), full-scale attention quotient (FAQ) and full-scale response control quotient (FRCQ) increased significantly over time, and the behavioural group improvements were higher than those of conventional group. There was a significant main effect of time (pretest/posttest/follow-up) and group on all outcome measures (t =-12.549-4.069, p<0.05), and a significant interaction of time and group on attention time, impulsivity/hyperactivity, FAQ and FRCQ (t =-3.600-3.313, p<0.05). CONCLUSION Behavioural intervention can effectively improve behaviour management and relieve symptoms in children with ADHD. These effects lasted at least six months. This study provides a promising approach for improving clinical efficacy with preschool children with ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Xin Huang
- The ministry of health, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Ou
- The ministry of health, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qin-Fang Qian
- The child Health Division, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Huang
- The child Health Division, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, 350001, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China
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Cai L, Xu X, Fan X, Ma J, Fan M, Wang Q, Wu Y, Pan N, Yin Z, Li X. Differences in Brain Functional Networks of Executive Function Between Cantonese-Mandarin Bilinguals and Mandarin Monolinguals. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:748919. [PMID: 34867242 PMCID: PMC8638783 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.748919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
It remains controversial whether long-term logographic-logographic bilingual experience shapes the special brain functional subnetworks underlying different components of executive function (EF). To address this question, this study explored the differences in the functional connections underlying EF between the Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals and Mandarin monolinguals. 31 Cantonese-Mandarin bilinguals and 31 Mandarin monolinguals were scanned in a 3-T magnetic resonance scanner at rest. 4 kinds of behavioral tasks of EF were tested. Network-based statistics (NBS) was performed to compare the connectomes of fronto-parietal (FP) and cingulo-opercular (CO) network between groups. The results showed that the bilinguals had stronger connectivity than monolinguals in a subnetwork located in the CO network rather than the FP network. The identified differential subnetwork referred to as the CO subnetwork contained 9 nodes and 10 edges, in which the center node was the left mid-insula with a degree centrality of 5. The functional connectivity of the CO subnetwork was significantly negatively correlated with interference effect in bilinguals. The results suggested that long-term Cantonese-Mandarin bilingual experience was associated with stronger functional connectivity underlying inhibitory control in the CO subnetwork.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Cai
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Xu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Fan
- Wuhan Children's Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingwen Ma
- Guangdong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Miao Fan
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingxiong Wang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yujia Wu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ning Pan
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhixin Yin
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiuhong Li
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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27
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Beatty-Martínez AL, Guzzardo Tamargo RE, Dussias PE. Phasic pupillary responses reveal differential engagement of attentional control in bilingual spoken language processing. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23474. [PMID: 34873258 PMCID: PMC8648769 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03008-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Language processing is cognitively demanding, requiring attentional resources to efficiently select and extract linguistic information as utterances unfold. Previous research has associated changes in pupil size with increased attentional effort. However, it is unknown whether the behavioral ecology of speakers may differentially affect engagement of attentional resources involved in conversation. For bilinguals, such an act potentially involves competing signals in more than one language and how this competition arises may differ across communicative contexts. We examined changes in pupil size during the comprehension of unilingual and codeswitched speech in a richly-characterized bilingual sample. In a visual-world task, participants saw pairs of objects as they heard instructions to select a target image. Instructions were either unilingual or codeswitched from one language to the other. We found that only bilinguals who use each of their languages in separate communicative contexts and who have high attention ability, show differential attention to unilingual and codeswitched speech. Bilinguals for whom codeswitching is common practice process unilingual and codeswitched speech similarly, regardless of attentional skill. Taken together, these results suggest that bilinguals recruit different language control strategies for distinct communicative purposes. The interactional context of language use critically determines attentional control engagement during language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosa E Guzzardo Tamargo
- Department of Hispanic Studies, University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras, San Juan, PR, 00931, USA
| | - Paola E Dussias
- Department of Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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Chung-Fat-Yim A, Poarch GJ, Comishen KJ, Bialystok E. Does language context impact the neural correlates of executive control in monolingual and multilingual young adults? BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 222:105011. [PMID: 34455164 PMCID: PMC8579775 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Some previous studies have shown that creating a language context in which words from both languages are interspersed into a flanker task improves executive control performance for bilinguals, but these studies have produced inconsistent results. The studies have used different versions of the task and not included monolinguals, limiting generalization. Here, English-Chinese multilinguals and English monolinguals performed a flanker task while EEG was recorded. There were three language context blocks - English, Chinese, or both - and participants were instructed to ignore the interspersed words. Multilinguals displayed faster flanker RTs and earlier P2 and N2 waveforms than monolinguals. There was also a significant correlation between the P2/N2 latency and reaction times, connecting these waveforms to behavior. Finally, P2 amplitude differed between groups in the mixed context, and language context impacted P3 amplitude for monolinguals but not multilinguals. These results are interpreted in terms of language context effects on monolingual executive function processing and possible difference in bilingual experience between current participants and those in previous studies.
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Thompson EC, Estabrook R, Krizman J, Smith S, Huang S, White-Schwoch T, Nicol T, Kraus N. Auditory neurophysiological development in early childhood: A growth curve modeling approach. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 132:2110-2122. [PMID: 34284246 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE During early childhood, the development of communication skills, such as language and speech perception, relies in part on auditory system maturation. Because auditory behavioral tests engage cognition, mapping auditory maturation in the absence of cognitive influence remains a challenge. Furthermore, longitudinal investigations that capture auditory maturation within and between individuals in this age group are scarce. The goal of this study is to longitudinally measure auditory system maturation in early childhood using an objective approach. METHODS We collected frequency-following responses (FFR) to speech in 175 children, ages 3-8 years, annually for up to five years. The FFR is an objective measure of sound encoding that predominantly reflects auditory midbrain activity. Eliciting FFRs to speech provides rich details of various aspects of sound processing, namely, neural timing, spectral coding, and response stability. We used growth curve modeling to answer three questions: 1) does sound encoding change across childhood? 2) are there individual differences in sound encoding? and 3) are there individual differences in the development of sound encoding? RESULTS Subcortical auditory maturation develops linearly from 3-8 years. With age, FFRs became faster, more robust, and more consistent. Individual differences were evident in each aspect of sound processing, while individual differences in rates of change were observed for spectral coding alone. CONCLUSIONS By using an objective measure and a longitudinal approach, these results suggest subcortical auditory development continues throughout childhood, and that different facets of auditory processing follow distinct developmental trajectories. SIGNIFICANCE The present findings improve our understanding of auditory system development in typically-developing children, opening the door for future investigations of disordered sound processing in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine C Thompson
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Ryne Estabrook
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Spencer Smith
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Stephanie Huang
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Travis White-Schwoch
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Trent Nicol
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Ianiszewski A, Fuente A, Gagné JP. Auditory brainstem response asymmetries in older adults: An exploratory study using click and speech stimuli. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251287. [PMID: 33961673 PMCID: PMC8104406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Some evidence suggests that young adults exhibit a selective laterality of auditory brainstem response (ABR) elicited with speech stimuli. Little is known about such an auditory laterality in older adults. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate possible asymmetric auditory brainstem processing between right and left ear presentation in older adults. Methods Sixty-two older adults presenting with normal hearing thresholds according to their age and who were native speakers of Quebec French participated in this study. ABR was recorded using click and a 40-ms /da/ syllable. ABR was elicited through monaural right and monaural left stimulation. Latency and amplitude for click-and speech-ABR components were compared between right and left ear presentations. In addition, for the /da/ syllable, a fast Fourier transform analysis of the sustained frequency-following response (FFR) of the vowel was performed along with stimulus-to-response and right-left ear correlation analyses. Results No significant differences between right and left ear presentation were found for amplitudes and latencies of the click-ABR components. Significantly shorter latencies for right ear presentation as compared to left ear presentation were observed for onset and offset transient components (V, A and O), sustained components (D and E), and voiced transition components (C) of the speech-ABR. In addition, the spectral amplitude of the fundamental frequency (F0) was significantly larger for the left ear presentation than the right ear presentation. Conclusions Results of this study show that older adults with normal hearing exhibit symmetric encoding for click stimuli at the brainstem level between the right and left ear presentation. However, they present with brainstem asymmetries for the encoding of selective stimulus components of the speech-ABR between the right and left ear presentation. The right ear presentation of a /da/ syllable elicited reduced neural timing for both transient and sustained components compared to the left ear. Conversely, a stronger left ear F0 encoding was observed. These findings suggest that at a preattentive, sensory stage of auditory processing, older adults lateralize speech stimuli similarly to young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ianiszewski
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Adrian Fuente
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Gagné
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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31
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Hardy LM, Tomb M, Cha Y, Banker S, Muñoz F, Paul A, Margolis AE. Bilingualism May Be Protective Against Executive Function and Visual Processing Deficits Among Children With Attention Problems. J Atten Disord 2021; 25:865-873. [PMID: 31328603 PMCID: PMC7360367 DOI: 10.1177/1087054719861745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objective: The current study examined how the opposing effects of bilingualism and attention problems operate on executive functioning, visual processing, and verbal fluency in children with clinically significant levels of attention problems. Method: We tested whether bilingualism moderated associations between attention problems and visual processing, executive functioning, and verbal fluency. Results: Bilingual children (n = 331) showed visual processing advantages relative to their monolingual peers (n = 165), but only at higher, and not lower, levels of attention problems. Bilingualism did not moderate the association between attention problems and interference control; however, across all children, those with higher levels of attention problems had more difficulty with interference control. Monolingual children demonstrated advantages in verbal fluency relative to bilingual children, but this did not vary with attention problems. Conclusion: Visual processing advantages in bilinguals are detected among children with heightened attention problems, but advantages in interference control are not; findings may have implications for classroom interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay M. Hardy
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, USA,Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Meghan Tomb
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, USA
| | - Yoochai Cha
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, USA
| | - Sarah Banker
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, USA
| | - Francisco Muñoz
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, USA
| | - Alexis Paul
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, USA
| | - Amy E. Margolis
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, USA
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Neural generators of the frequency-following response elicited to stimuli of low and high frequency: A magnetoencephalographic (MEG) study. Neuroimage 2021; 231:117866. [PMID: 33592244 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The frequency-following response (FFR) to periodic complex sounds has gained recent interest in auditory cognitive neuroscience as it captures with great fidelity the tracking accuracy of the periodic sound features in the ascending auditory system. Seminal studies suggested the FFR as a correlate of subcortical sound encoding, yet recent studies aiming to locate its sources challenged this assumption, demonstrating that FFR receives some contribution from the auditory cortex. Based on frequency-specific phase-locking capabilities along the auditory hierarchy, we hypothesized that FFRs to higher frequencies would receive less cortical contribution than those to lower frequencies, hence supporting a major subcortical involvement for these high frequency sounds. Here, we used a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) approach to trace the neural sources of the FFR elicited in healthy adults (N = 19) to low (89 Hz) and high (333 Hz) frequency sounds. FFRs elicited to the high and low frequency sounds were clearly observable on MEG and comparable to those obtained in simultaneous electroencephalographic recordings. Distributed source modeling analyses revealed midbrain, thalamic, and cortical contributions to FFR, arranged in frequency-specific configurations. Our results showed that the main contribution to the high-frequency sound FFR originated in the inferior colliculus and the medial geniculate body of the thalamus, with no significant cortical contribution. In contrast, the low-frequency sound FFR had a major contribution located in the auditory cortices, and also received contributions originating in the midbrain and thalamic structures. These findings support the multiple generator hypothesis of the FFR and are relevant for our understanding of the neural encoding of sounds along the auditory hierarchy, suggesting a hierarchical organization of periodicity encoding.
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33
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Kaushanskaya M, Blumenfeld HK, Marian V. The Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q): Ten years later. BILINGUALISM (CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND) 2020; 23:945-950. [PMID: 33628083 PMCID: PMC7899192 DOI: 10.1017/s1366728919000038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The Language Experience and Proficiency Questionnaire (LEAP-Q) is a validated questionnaire tool for collecting self-reported proficiency and experience data from bilingual and multilingual speakers ages 14 to 80. It is available in over 20 languages, and can be administered in a digital, paper-and-pencil, and oral interview format. The LEAP-Q is used by researchers across various disciplines (Psychology, Neuroscience, Linguistics, Education, Communication Sciences & Disorders, etc.) to provide a comprehensive description of their bilingual participants, to substantiate a division of bilinguals into groups (e.g., early vs. late bilinguals), and to screen participants for adequate or threshold levels of language proficiency. Best practices for using the LEAP-Q include administration of the full questionnaire, consideration of acquisition and history of language use together with self-ratings of proficiency, and supplementation of self-reported data with objective language measures whenever possible. The LEAP-Q can be downloaded at no cost at https://bilingualism.northwestern.edu/leapq/.
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34
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Sajid N, Friston KJ, Ekert JO, Price CJ, W. Green D. Neuromodulatory Control and Language Recovery in Bilingual Aphasia: An Active Inference Approach. Behav Sci (Basel) 2020; 10:E161. [PMID: 33096824 PMCID: PMC7588909 DOI: 10.3390/bs10100161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the aetiology of the diverse recovery patterns in bilingual aphasia is a theoretical challenge with implications for treatment. Loss of control over intact language networks provides a parsimonious starting point that can be tested using in-silico lesions. We simulated a complex recovery pattern (alternate antagonism and paradoxical translation) to test the hypothesis-from an established hierarchical control model-that loss of control was mediated by constraints on neuromodulatory resources. We used active (Bayesian) inference to simulate a selective loss of sensory precision; i.e., confidence in the causes of sensations. This in-silico lesion altered the precision of beliefs about task relevant states, including appropriate actions, and reproduced exactly the recovery pattern of interest. As sensory precision has been linked to acetylcholine release, these simulations endorse the conjecture that loss of neuromodulatory control can explain this atypical recovery pattern. We discuss the relevance of this finding for other recovery patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noor Sajid
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK; (K.J.F.); (J.O.E.); (C.J.P.)
| | - Karl J. Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK; (K.J.F.); (J.O.E.); (C.J.P.)
| | - Justyna O. Ekert
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK; (K.J.F.); (J.O.E.); (C.J.P.)
| | - Cathy J. Price
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR, UK; (K.J.F.); (J.O.E.); (C.J.P.)
| | - David W. Green
- Experimental Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK;
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35
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Giroud N, Baum SR, Gilbert AC, Phillips NA, Gracco V. Earlier age of second language learning induces more robust speech encoding in the auditory brainstem in adults, independent of amount of language exposure during early childhood. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2020; 207:104815. [PMID: 32535187 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2020.104815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Learning a second language (L2) at a young age is a driving factor of functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem. To date, it remains unclear whether these effects remain stable until adulthood and to what degree the amount of exposure to the L2 in early childhood might affect their outcome. We compared three groups of adult English-French bilinguals in their ability to categorize English vowels in relation to their frequency following responses (FFR) evoked by the same vowels. At the time of testing, cognitive abilities as well as fluency in both languages were matched between the (1) simultaneous bilinguals (SIM, N = 18); (2) sequential bilinguals with L1-English (N = 14); and (3) sequential bilinguals with L1-French (N = 11). Our results show that the L1-English group show sharper category boundaries in identification of the vowels compared to the L1-French group. Furthermore, the same pattern was reflected in the FFRs (i.e., larger FFR responses in L1-English > SIM > L1-French), while again only the difference between the L1-English and the L1-French group was statistically significant; nonetheless, there was a trend towards larger FFR in SIM compared to L1-French. Our data extends previous literature showing that exposure to a language during the first years of life induces functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem that remains stable until at least young adulthood. Furthermore, the findings suggest that amount of exposure (i.e., 100% vs. 50%) to that language does not differentially shape the robustness of the perceptual abilities or the auditory brainstem encoding of phonetic categories of the language. Statement of significance: Previous studies have indicated that early age of L2 acquisition induces functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem during processing of the L2. This study compared three groups of adult bilinguals who differed in their age of L2 acquisition as well as the amount of exposure to the L2 during early childhood. We demonstrate for the first time that the neuroplastic effect in the brainstem remains stable until young adulthood and that the amount of L2 exposure does not influence behavioral or brainstem plasticity. Our study provides novel insights into low-level auditory plasticity as a function of varying bilingual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Giroud
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH), Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Shari R Baum
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Annie C Gilbert
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Natalie A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH), Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Vincent Gracco
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Haskins Laboratories, Yale University, New Haven, United States
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López-Caballero F, Martin-Trias P, Ribas-Prats T, Gorina-Careta N, Bartrés-Faz D, Escera C. Effects of cTBS on the Frequency-Following Response and Other Auditory Evoked Potentials. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:250. [PMID: 32733220 PMCID: PMC7360924 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The frequency-following response (FFR) is an auditory evoked potential (AEP) that follows the periodic characteristics of a sound. Despite being a widely studied biosignal in auditory neuroscience, the neural underpinnings of the FFR are still unclear. Traditionally, FFR was associated with subcortical activity, but recent evidence suggested cortical contributions which may be dependent on the stimulus frequency. We combined electroencephalography (EEG) with an inhibitory transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol, the continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), to disentangle the cortical contribution to the FFR elicited to stimuli of high and low frequency. We recorded FFR to the syllable /ba/ at two fundamental frequencies (Low: 113 Hz; High: 317 Hz) in healthy participants. FFR, cortical potentials, and auditory brainstem response (ABR) were recorded before and after real and sham cTBS in the right primary auditory cortex. Results showed that cTBS did not produce a significant change in the FFR recorded, in any of the frequencies. No effect was observed in the ABR and cortical potentials, despite the latter known contributions from the auditory cortex. Possible reasons behind the negative results include compensatory mechanisms from the non-targeted areas, intraindividual variability of the cTBS effectiveness, and the particular location of our target area, the primary auditory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fran López-Caballero
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pablo Martin-Trias
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teresa Ribas-Prats
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natàlia Gorina-Careta
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Bartrés-Faz
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Escera
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
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Bice K, Yamasaki BL, Prat CS. Bilingual Language Experience Shapes Resting-State Brain Rhythms. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2020; 1:288-318. [PMID: 37215228 PMCID: PMC10158654 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
An increasing body of research has investigated how bilingual language experience changes brain structure and function, including changes to task-free, or "resting-state" brain connectivity. Such findings provide important evidence about how the brain continues to be shaped by different language experiences throughout the lifespan. The neural effects of bilingual language experience can provide evidence about the additional processing demands placed on the linguistic and/or executive systems by dual-language use. While considerable research has used MRI to examine where these changes occur, such methods cannot reveal the temporal dynamics of functioning brain networks at rest. The current study used data from task-free EEGS to disentangle how the linguistic and cognitive demands of bilingual language use impact brain functioning. Data analyzed from 106 bilinguals and 91 monolinguals revealed that bilinguals had greater alpha power, and significantly greater and broader coherence in the alpha and beta frequency ranges than monolinguals. Follow-up analyses showed that higher alpha was related to language control: more second-language use, higher native-language proficiency, and earlier age of second-language acquisition. Bilateral beta power was related to native-language proficiency, whereas theta was related to native-language proficiency only in left-hemisphere electrodes. The results contribute to our understanding of how the linguistic and cognitive requirements of dual-language use shape intrinsic brain activity, and what the broader implications for information processing may be.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brianna L. Yamasaki
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University
| | - Chantel S. Prat
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Washington
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Kumar K, Sreeshma R, Kalaiah MK. A comparison of temporal processing and spectral processing abilities of monolingual, bilingual and multilingual children. Int J Audiol 2020; 59:501-505. [PMID: 32022604 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1720921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Objective: This study examined the effects of bilingualism and multilingualism on supra-threshold auditory processing abilities in children.Design: Cross-sectional study.Study sample: Ninety children participated in the study, based on the number of languages they know children were assigned into three groups, i.e. monolingual, bilingual and multilingual. Amplitude modulation detection threshold, gap detection threshold, pitch discrimination threshold and spectral ripple discrimination threshold were measured.Results: Results showed superior supra-threshold auditory processing abilities among multilingual and bilingual children than monolingual children. The results further showed that, the supra-threshold auditory processing of multilingual children was better than bilingual children.Conclusion: This finding suggests that knowledge of multiple languages improves supra-threshold auditory processing abilities. This study adds to the growing body of literature supporting the superior supra-threshold auditory processing abilities among bilingual and multilingual individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaushlendra Kumar
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Raghavan Sreeshma
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Mohan Kumar Kalaiah
- Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
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39
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White-Schwoch T, Krizman J, McCracken K, Burgess JK, Thompson EC, Nicol T, Kraus N, LaBella CR. Baseline profiles of auditory, vestibular, and visual functions in youth tackle football players. Concussion 2020; 4:CNC66. [PMID: 31984138 PMCID: PMC6964203 DOI: 10.2217/cnc-2019-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim Neurosensory tests have emerged as components of sport-related concussion management. Limited normative data are available in healthy, nonconcussed youth athletes. Patients & methods/results In 2017 and 2018, we tested 108 youth tackle football players immediately before their seasons on the frequency-following response, Balance Error Scoring System, and King-Devick test. We compared results with published data in older and/or and nonathlete populations. Performance on all tests improved with age. Frequency-following response and Balance Error Scoring System results aligned with socioeconomic status. Performance was not correlated across neurosensory domains. Conclusion Baseline neurosensory functions in seven 14-year-old male tackle football players are consistent with previously published data. Results reinforce the need for individual baselines or demographic-specific norms and the use of multiple neurosensory measures in sport-related concussion management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis White-Schwoch
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory & Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory & Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Kristi McCracken
- Division of Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jamie K Burgess
- Division of Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Elaine C Thompson
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory & Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Now at Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Trent Nicol
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory & Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory & Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.,Departments of Neurobiology and Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Cynthia R LaBella
- Division of Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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Font-Alaminos M, Cornella M, Costa-Faidella J, Hervás A, Leung S, Rueda I, Escera C. Increased subcortical neural responses to repeating auditory stimulation in children with autism spectrum disorder. Biol Psychol 2020; 149:107807. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Krizman J, Lindley T, Bonacina S, Colegrove D, White-Schwoch T, Kraus N. Play Sports for a Quieter Brain: Evidence From Division I Collegiate Athletes. Sports Health 2019; 12:154-158. [PMID: 31813316 DOI: 10.1177/1941738119892275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Playing sports has many benefits, including boosting physical, cardiovascular, and mental fitness. We tested whether athletic benefits extend to sensory processing-specifically auditory processing-as measured by the frequency-following response (FFR), a scalp-recorded electrophysiological potential that captures neural activity predominately from the auditory midbrain to complex sounds. HYPOTHESIS Given that FFR amplitude is sensitive to experience, with enrichment enhancing FFRs and injury reducing them, we hypothesized that playing sports is a form of enrichment that results in greater FFR amplitude. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 3. METHODS We measured FFRs to the speech syllable "da" in 495 student-athletes across 19 Division I teams and 493 age- and sex-matched controls and compared them on 3 measures of FFR amplitude: amplitude of the response, amplitude of the background noise, and the ratio of these 2 measures. RESULTS Athletes have larger responses to sound than nonathletes, driven by a reduction in their level of background neural noise. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that playing sports increases the gain of an auditory signal by turning down the background noise. This mode of enhancement may be tied to the overall fitness level of athletes and/or the heightened need of an athlete to engage with and respond to auditory stimuli during competition. CLINICAL RELEVANCE These results motivate athletics overall and engagement in athletic interventions for populations that struggle with sensory processing, such as individuals with language disorders. Also, because head injuries can disrupt these same auditory processes, it is important to consider how auditory processing enhancements may offset injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Tory Lindley
- Department of Athletics, Sports Medicine Unit, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Silvia Bonacina
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Danielle Colegrove
- Department of Athletics, Sports Medicine Unit, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Travis White-Schwoch
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Institute for Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
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Chung-Fat-Yim A, Himel C, Bialystok E. The impact of bilingualism on executive function in adolescents. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BILINGUALISM : CROSS-DISCIPLINARY, CROSS-LINGUISTIC STUDIES OF LANGUAGE BEHAVIOR 2019; 23:1278-1290. [PMID: 34629935 PMCID: PMC8500235 DOI: 10.1177/1367006918781059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE/RESEARCH QUESTIONS In early childhood and older adulthood, bilinguals generally demonstrate better performance on executive function tasks than their monolingual counterparts, but in the young adult population, these differences are infrequently observed. However, few studies have examined these effects in the adolescent population, so the trajectory of these changes is unclear. The objective of the study was to compare performance on a modified flanker task for monolingual and bilingual adolescents, a time when the executive functions are still developing. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH The flanker task was adapted by including a rule-switching component and contained three blocks: (1) rule; (2) flanker; and (3) mixed. In the rule block, a single red or blue arrow (indicated by light grey or medium grey in Figure 1) denoted a response rule; for example, a blue arrow signaled pressing the button indicating the direction the arrow was pointing but a red arrow signaled pressing the button indicating the opposite direction. The flanker block was a standard flanker task consisting of congruent and incongruent trials. The mixed block manipulated both congruency and rule conditions. DATA AND ANALYSIS Mean reaction times and accuracy from 33 monolingual and 32 bilingual adolescents were analyzed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance with language group as the between-subjects variable and congruency and/or rule-type as the within-subjects variable depending on the block. FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS Bilingual adolescents outperformed monolingual adolescents but only on the block that was most similar to the standard flanker task. The blocks with the rule-switching component yielded equivalent performance. ORIGINALITY Unlike previous studies, the current study adapted a simple executive control task to require greater attentional resources by manipulating task demands. SIGNIFICANCE/IMPLICATIONS Our findings add to the growing body of literature examining bilingualism and executive control in the adolescent population and fill in the gap in our understanding of the lifespan trajectory of these effects.
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Moossavi A, Lotfi Y, Javanbakht M, Faghihzadeh S. Speech-evoked auditory brainstem response; electrophysiological evidence of upper brainstem facilitative role on sound lateralization in noise. Neurol Sci 2019; 41:611-617. [PMID: 31732889 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-019-04102-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Sound lateralization/localization is one of the most important auditory processing abilities, which plays approved role in auditory streaming and speech perception in challenging situations like noisy places. In addition to the main role of lower brainstem centers like superior olivary complex in sound lateralization, efferent auditory system effects on improving auditory skills in everyday auditory challenging positions were revealed. This study evaluated noise effects on lateralization scores in correlation with an objective electrophysiologic test (Speech-ABR in noise), which objectively shows cumulative effects of the afferent and efferent auditory systems at the inferior colliculus and upper brainstem pathway. METHOD Fourteen normal-hearing subjects in the age range of 18 to 25 participated in this study. Lateralization scores in the quiet and noisy modes were evaluated. Speech-ABR in both ears for quiet mode and three different contralateral noise levels (SNR = + 5, 0, - 5) were recorded, too. Correlation of lateralization scores and Speech-ABR changes in noise was studied. RESULTS Significant decrease of lateralization scores with latency increase and amplitude decrease of Speech-ABR transient peaks (V, A, O) was seen with noise presentation. A high positive correlation between lateralization decrease with latency increase of onset peaks (V, A) and amplitude decrease of transient peaks (V, A, O) was found in low signal-to-noise ratios. CONCLUSION The study revealed that in high challenging auditory situations like auditory lateralization in noise, upper brainstem centers and pathways play a facilitative role for main auditory lateralization centers in lower levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdollah Moossavi
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yones Lotfi
- Department of Audiology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohanna Javanbakht
- Department of Audiology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Soghrat Faghihzadeh
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
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Coffey EBJ, Nicol T, White-Schwoch T, Chandrasekaran B, Krizman J, Skoe E, Zatorre RJ, Kraus N. Evolving perspectives on the sources of the frequency-following response. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5036. [PMID: 31695046 PMCID: PMC6834633 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13003-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The auditory frequency-following response (FFR) is a non-invasive index of the fidelity of sound encoding in the brain, and is used to study the integrity, plasticity, and behavioral relevance of the neural encoding of sound. In this Perspective, we review recent evidence suggesting that, in humans, the FFR arises from multiple cortical and subcortical sources, not just subcortically as previously believed, and we illustrate how the FFR to complex sounds can enhance the wider field of auditory neuroscience. Far from being of use only to study basic auditory processes, the FFR is an uncommonly multifaceted response yielding a wealth of information, with much yet to be tapped.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily B J Coffey
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 1455 Boulevard de Maisonneuve Ouest, Montréal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada.
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Montréal, QC, Canada.
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, 3640 de la Montagne, Montréal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada.
| | - Trent Nicol
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Travis White-Schwoch
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Bharath Chandrasekaran
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Forbes Tower, 3600 Atwood St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
| | - Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Erika Skoe
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, The Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, 2 Alethia Drive, Unit 1085, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
| | - Robert J Zatorre
- International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research (BRAMS), Montréal, QC, Canada
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, 3640 de la Montagne, Montréal, QC, H3G 2A8, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 rue Université, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, 2205 Tech Dr., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, 420 E Superior St., Chicago, IL, 6011, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate how tinnitus affects the processing of speech and non-speech stimuli at the subcortical level. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional analytical study. SETTING Academic, tertiary referral center. PATIENTS Eighteen individuals with tinnitus and 20 controls without tinnitus matched based on their age and sex. All subjects had normal hearing sensitivity. INTERVENTION Diagnostic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The effect of tinnitus on the parameters of auditory brainstem responses (ABR) to non-speech (click-ABR), and speech (sABR) stimuli was investigated. RESULTS Latencies of click ABR in waves III, V, and Vn, as well as inter-peak latency (IPL) of I to V were significantly longer in individuals with tinnitus compared with the controls. Individuals with tinnitus demonstrated significantly longer latencies of all sABR waves than the control group. The tinnitus patients also exhibited a significant decrease in the slope of the V-A complex and reduced encoding of the first and higher formants. A significant difference was observed between the two groups in the spectral magnitudes, the first formant frequency range (F1) and a higher frequency region (HF). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that maladaptive neural plasticity resulting from tinnitus can be subcortically measured and affects timing processing of both speech and non-speech stimuli. The findings have been discussed based on models of maladaptive plasticity and the interference of tinnitus as an internal noise in synthesizing speech auditory stimuli.
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Lotfi Y, Moossavi A, Javanbakht M, Faghih Zadeh S. Speech-ABR in contralateral noise: A potential tool to evaluate rostral part of the auditory efferent system. Med Hypotheses 2019; 132:109355. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Ferreira GC, Torres EMO, Garcia MV, Santos SN, Costa MJ. Bilingualism and speech recognition in silence and noise in adults. Codas 2019; 31:e20180217. [PMID: 31644717 DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20192018217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare the ability to recognize sentences in silence and in noise in monolingual normal-hearing Brazilian Portuguese speakers, and bilingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese and German, and bilingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese and Italian, as well as to analyze the influence of age of second language acquisition on the performance of bilinguals. METHODS 87 normal-hearing individuals aged between 18 and 55 years participated of this research. They were categorized into: Control Group, composed by 30 monolingual Brazilian Portuguese speakers; German Research Group, 31 simultaneous bilingual native speakers of Portuguese and speakers of German as a second language and; Italian Research Group, consisting of 26 successive bilinguals, native speakers of Portuguese and speakers of Italian as a second language. The Sentence List Test in Brazilian Portuguese was used to measure their Sentence Recognition Thresholds in Silence and Noise. RESULTS In silence, there were no statistically significant differences in performance when comparing the bilingual to the monolingual individuals, and when comparing the bilingual speakers among themselves. On the other hand, in noise, there was a significant difference between the bilingual groups and the monolingual one. However, there were no significant differences between the bilingual groups when their performance was compared. CONCLUSION Bilingualism positively influenced the development of language and listening skills, which led the bilinguals to outperform in speech recognition in the presence of noise. Also, the period of a second language acquisition did not influence bilingual performance.
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Ross B, Tremblay KL, Alain C. Simultaneous EEG and MEG recordings reveal vocal pitch elicited cortical gamma oscillations in young and older adults. Neuroimage 2019; 204:116253. [PMID: 31600592 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The frequency-following response with origin in the auditory brainstem represents the pitch contour of voice and can be recorded with electrodes from the scalp. MEG studies also revealed a cortical contribution to the high gamma oscillations at the fundamental frequency (f0) of a vowel stimulus. Therefore, studying the cortical component of the frequency-following response could provide insights into how pitch information is encoded at the cortical level. Comparing how aging affects the different responses may help to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying speech understanding deficits in older age. We simultaneously recorded EEG and MEG responses to the syllable /ba/. MEG beamformer analysis localized sources in bilateral auditory cortices and the midbrain. Time-frequency analysis showed a faithful representation of the pitch contour between 106 Hz and 138 Hz in the cortical activity. A cross-correlation revealed a latency of 20 ms. Furthermore, stimulus onsets elicited cortical 40-Hz responses. Both the 40-Hz and the f0 response amplitudes increased in older age and were larger in the right hemisphere. The effects of aging and laterality of the f0 response were evident in the MEG only, suggesting that both effects were characteristics of the cortical response. After comparing f0 and N1 responses in EEG and MEG, we estimated that approximately one-third of the scalp-recorded f0 response could be cortical in origin. We attributed the significance of the cortical f0 response to the precise timing of cortical neurons that serve as a time-sensitive code for pitch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Ross
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department for Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Kelly L Tremblay
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Claude Alain
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Krizman J, Kraus N. Analyzing the FFR: A tutorial for decoding the richness of auditory function. Hear Res 2019; 382:107779. [PMID: 31505395 PMCID: PMC6778514 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.107779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The frequency-following response, or FFR, is a neurophysiological response to sound that precisely reflects the ongoing dynamics of sound. It can be used to study the integrity and malleability of neural encoding of sound across the lifespan. Sound processing in the brain can be impaired with pathology and enhanced through expertise. The FFR can index linguistic deprivation, autism, concussion, and reading impairment, and can reflect the impact of enrichment with short-term training, bilingualism, and musicianship. Because of this vast potential, interest in the FFR has grown considerably in the decade since our first tutorial. Despite its widespread adoption, there remains a gap in the current knowledge of its analytical potential. This tutorial aims to bridge this gap. Using recording methods we have employed for the last 20 + years, we have explored many analysis strategies. In this tutorial, we review what we have learned and what we think constitutes the most effective ways of capturing what the FFR can tell us. The tutorial covers FFR components (timing, fundamental frequency, harmonics) and factors that influence FFR (stimulus polarity, response averaging, and stimulus presentation/recording jitter). The spotlight is on FFR analyses, including ways to analyze FFR timing (peaks, autocorrelation, phase consistency, cross-phaseogram), magnitude (RMS, SNR, FFT), and fidelity (stimulus-response correlations, response-to-response correlations and response consistency). The wealth of information contained within an FFR recording brings us closer to understanding how the brain reconstructs our sonic world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA. https://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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Krizman J, Bonacina S, Kraus N. Sex differences in subcortical auditory processing emerge across development. Hear Res 2019; 380:166-174. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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