Neural Dynamics in Speech Processing: Properties, Specificity and Open Questions DOI Open Access
Benedikt Zoefel, Anne Kösem

Published: Nov. 22, 2022

Human speech is a particularly relevant acoustic stimulus for our species, due to its role of information transmission during communication. Speech inherently dynamic signal, and recent line research focused on neural activity following the temporal structure speech. We review findings that characterise dynamics in processing compare them with aspects human highlight properties constraints both have, suggesting auditory systems are optimised process then discuss speech-specificity their potential mechanistic origins, summarise open questions field.

Language: Английский

Neural envelope tracking predicts speech intelligibility and hearing aid benefit in children with hearing loss DOI Open Access
Tilde Van Hirtum, Ben Somers, Benjamin Dieudonné

et al.

Hearing Research, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 439, P. 108893 - 108893

Published: Oct. 4, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

16
Neural tracking measures of speech intelligibility: Manipulating intelligibility while keeping acoustics unchanged DOI Creative Commons
I. M. Dushyanthi Karunathilake, Joshua P. Kulasingham, Jonathan Z. Simon

et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 120(49)

Published: Nov. 30, 2023

Neural speech tracking has advanced our understanding of how brains rapidly map an acoustic signal onto linguistic representations and ultimately meaning. It remains unclear, however, intelligibility is related to the corresponding neural responses. Many studies addressing this question vary level by manipulating waveform, but makes it difficult cleanly disentangle effects from underlying acoustical confounds. Here, using magnetoencephalography recordings, we study measures while keeping acoustics strictly unchanged. Acoustically identical degraded stimuli (three-band noise-vocoded, ~20 s duration) are presented twice, second presentation preceded original (nondegraded) version speech. This intermediate priming, which generates a "pop-out" percept, substantially improves passage. We investigate structure affect multivariate temporal response functions (mTRFs). As expected, behavioral results confirm that perceived clarity improved priming. mTRFs analysis reveals auditory (speech envelope onset) not affected priming only (bottom-up driven). Critically, findings suggest segmentation sounds into words emerges with better intelligibility, most strongly at later (~400 ms latency) word processing stage, in prefrontal cortex, line engagement top-down mechanisms associated Taken together, show may provide some objective comprehension.

Language: Английский

Citations

13
Heard or Understood? Neural Tracking of Language Features in a Comprehensible Story, an Incomprehensible Story and a Word List DOI Creative Commons
Marlies Gillis, Jonas Vanthornhout, Tom Francart

et al.

eNeuro, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 10(7), P. ENEURO.0075 - 23.2023

Published: July 1, 2023

Speech comprehension is a complex neural process on which relies activation and integration of multiple brain regions. In the current study, we evaluated whether speech can be investigated by tracking. Neural tracking phenomenon in responses time-lock to rhythm specific features continuous speech. These acoustic, i.e., acoustic tracking, or derived from content using language properties, We differs between comprehensible story, an incomprehensible word list. 19 participants (six men). No significant difference regarding was found. However, only found for story. The most prominent effect visible surprisal, feature at level. response surprisal showed negativity 300 400 ms, similar N400 evoked paradigms. This significantly more negative when story comprehended, words could integrated context previous words. results show that capture comprehension.

Language: Английский

Citations

10
A listening advantage for native speech is reflected by attention-related activity in auditory cortex DOI Creative Commons

Meng Liang,

Johannes Gerwien, Alexander Gutschalk

et al.

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Neural substrates and behavioral relevance of speech envelope tracking: evidence from post-stroke aphasia DOI Creative Commons
Pieter De Clercq, Jill Kries, Jonas Vanthornhout

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 28, 2024

Abstract Neural tracking of the low-frequency temporal envelope speech has emerged as a prominent tool to investigate neural mechanisms natural processing in brain. However, there is ongoing debate regarding functional role tracking. In this context, our study aims offer novel perspective by investigating critical brain areas and behavioral skills required for aphasia, language disorder characterized impaired We analyzed an EEG dataset 39 individuals with post-stroke aphasia suffering left-hemispheric stroke who listened speech. Our analysis involved lesion mapping, where left lesioned voxels served binary features predict measures. also examined correlates receptive language, naming, auditory (via rise time discrimination task) skills. The mapping revealed that lesions areas, such middle gyrus, supramarginal gyrus angular were associated poorer Additionally, was related (receptive naming) effects on less robust, possibly due ceiling scores. findings highlight importance central implicated understanding, extending beyond primary cortex, emphasize intact abilities effectively Collectively, these underscore significance mere audibility acoustic processes. Significance statement While some studies have proposed primarily relates processes, others suggested its involvement actual comprehension. By essential we argue broader processing. Furthermore, specificity among indicating correlation regions functions. This addresses significant heterogeneity characteristics present suggests potential EEG-based specifically assessing population.

Language: Английский

Citations

2
Contributions of listening effort and intelligibility to cortical tracking of speech in adverse listening conditions DOI
Hadeel Ershaid, Mikel Lizarazu, Drew Jordan McLaughlin

et al.

Cortex, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 172, P. 54 - 71

Published: Dec. 27, 2023

Language: Английский

Citations

6
Neural tracking of continuous acoustics: properties, speech‐specificity and open questions DOI Creative Commons
Benedikt Zoefel, Anne Kösem

European Journal of Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 59(3), P. 394 - 414

Published: Dec. 27, 2023

Abstract Human speech is a particularly relevant acoustic stimulus for our species, due to its role of information transmission during communication. Speech inherently dynamic signal, and recent line research focused on neural activity following the temporal structure speech. We review findings that characterise dynamics in processing continuous acoustics allow us compare these with aspects human highlight properties constraints both have, suggesting auditory systems are optimised process then discuss speech‐specificity their potential mechanistic origins summarise open questions field.

Language: Английский

Citations

4
Exploring the Interplay Between Language Comprehension and Cortical Tracking: The Bilingual Test Case DOI Creative Commons
Cristina Baus,

Iris Millan,

Xuanyi Jessica Chen

et al.

Neurobiology of Language, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5(2), P. 484 - 496

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Abstract Cortical tracking, the synchronization of brain activity to linguistic rhythms is a well-established phenomenon. However, its nature has been heavily contested: Is it purely epiphenomenal or does play fundamental role in speech comprehension? Previous research used intelligibility manipulations examine this topic. Here, we instead varied listeners’ language comprehension skills while keeping auditory stimulus constant. To do so, tested 22 native English speakers and Spanish/Catalan bilinguals learning as second (SL) an EEG cortical entrainment experiment correlated responses with magnitude N400 component semantic task. As expected, listeners effectively tracked sentential, phrasal, syllabic structures. In contrast, SL exhibited limitations tracking sentential structures but successfully phrasal rhythms. Importantly, amplitude neural detection incongruities SLs, showing direct connection between ability understand speech. Together, these findings shed light on interplay identify principle for comprehension.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
The human auditory cortex concurrently tracks syllabic and phonemic timescales via acoustic spectral flux DOI Creative Commons
J.P. Giroud, Agnès Trébuchon, Manuel Mercier

et al.

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 10(51)

Published: Dec. 20, 2024

Dynamical theories of speech processing propose that the auditory cortex parses acoustic information in parallel at syllabic and phonemic timescales. We developed a paradigm to independently manipulate both linguistic timescales, acquired intracranial recordings from 11 patients who are epileptic listening French sentences. Our results indicate (i) timescales reflected spectral flux; (ii) during comprehension, tracks timescale theta range, while neural activity alpha-beta range phase locks timescale; (iii) these dynamics occur simultaneously share joint spatial location; (iv) flux embeds two timescales-in low-beta ranges-across 17 natural languages. These findings help us understand how human brain extracts continuous signal multiple simultaneously, prerequisite for subsequent processing.

Language: Английский

Citations

1
Neural Tracking Measures of Speech Intelligibility: Manipulating Intelligibility while Keeping Acoustics Unchanged DOI Creative Commons
I. M. Dushyanthi Karunathilake, Joshua P. Kulasingham, Jonathan Z. Simon

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 18, 2023

Neural speech tracking has advanced our understanding of how brains rapidly map an acoustic signal onto linguistic representations and ultimately meaning. It remains unclear, however, intelligibility is related to the corresponding neural responses. Many studies addressing this question vary level by manipulating waveform, but makes it difficult cleanly disentangle effects from underlying acoustical confounds. Here, using magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings, we study measures while keeping acoustics strictly unchanged. Acoustically identical degraded stimuli (three-band noise vocoded, ~20 s duration) are presented twice, second presentation preceded original (non-degraded) version speech. This intermediate priming, which generates a 'pop-out' percept, substantially improves passage. We investigate structure affects multivariate Temporal Response Functions (mTRFs). As expected, behavioral results confirm that perceived clarity improved priming. TRF analysis reveals auditory (speech envelope onset) not affected only (bottom-up driven). Critically, findings suggest segmentation sounds into words emerges with better intelligibility, most strongly at later (~400 ms latency) word processing stage, in prefrontal cortex (PFC), line engagement top-down mechanisms associated Taken together, show may provide some objective comprehension.

Language: Английский

Citations

3