Eye movements track prioritized auditory features in selective attention to natural speech

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: May 1, 2024

Abstract Over the last decades, cognitive neuroscience has identified a distributed set of brain regions that are critical for attention. Strong anatomical overlap with oculomotor processes suggests joint network attention and eye movements. However, role this shared in complex, naturalistic environments remains understudied. Here, we investigated movements relation to (un)attended sentences natural speech. Combining simultaneously recorded tracking magnetoencephalographic data temporal response functions, show gaze tracks attended speech, phenomenon termed ocular speech tracking. Ocular even differentiates target from distractor multi-speaker context is further related intelligibility. Moreover, provide evidence its contribution neural differences processing, emphasizing necessity consider activity future research interpretation auditory cognition.

Language: Английский

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Neural speech tracking contribution of lip movements predicts behavioral deterioration when the speaker's mouth is occluded

eNeuro, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. ENEURO.0368 - 24.2024

Published: Jan. 16, 2025

Observing lip movements of a speaker facilitates speech understanding, especially in challenging listening situations. Converging evidence from neuroscientific studies shows stronger neural responses to audiovisual stimuli compared audio-only stimuli. However, the interindividual variability this contribution movement information and its consequences on behavior are unknown. We analyzed source-localized magnetoencephalographic (MEG) 29 normal-hearing participants (12 female) speech, both with without wearing surgical face mask, presence or absence distractor speaker. Using temporal response functions (TRFs) quantify tracking, we show that are, general, enhanced when is challenging. After controlling for acoustics, contribute particularly present. extent visual tracking varied greatly among participants. Probing behavioral relevance, demonstrate individuals who higher terms drop comprehension an increase perceived difficulty mouth occluded by mask. By contrast, no effect was found not occluded. provide novel insights how varies revealing negative absent. Our results also offer potential implications objective assessments perception. Significance Statement In complex auditory environments, simultaneous conversations pose challenge comprehension. investigated level, aid such situations what observing enhances rely more deterioration wears Remarkably, case mask worn findings reveal differences applications

Language: Английский

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Cortical and behavioral tracking of rhythm in music: Effects of pitch predictability, enjoyment, and expertise

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 18, 2025

Abstract The cortical tracking of stimulus features is a crucial neural requisite how we process continuous music. We here tested whether the beat, typically related to rhythm processing, modulated by pitch predictability and other top‐down factors. Participants listened tonal (high predictability) atonal (low music while undergoing electroencephalography. analyzed their acoustic envelope. Cortical envelope was stronger listening music, potentially reflecting listeners’ violated expectations increased attention allocation. Envelope also with more expertise enjoyment. Furthermore, showed surprisal (using IDyOM), which suggests that match those computed IDyOM model, higher for Behaviorally, measured participants’ ability finger‐tap beat sequences in two experiments. Finger‐tapping performance better condition, indicating positive effect on behavioral processing. predicted tapping as did pitch‐surprisal high low might impose different processing regimes. Taken together, our results show various ways factors impact musical

Language: Английский

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Selective preservation of prediction-related signals in human sleep

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 1, 2025

Imagine listening to a familiar song on the radio. As melody unfolds, you often anticipate following note or beat before it plays. This ability reflects brain's capacity extract statistical regularities from sensory input and predict future events. It is considered automatic, requiring little no conscious effort attention.1,2,3,4,5 But what extent this predictive maintained when cognitive resources are minimized, such as during sleep? Experimental findings animal human studies reveal complex picture of processing sleep.6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13 Although some forms predictions persist-evidenced by differential brain responses unexpected stimuli rhythmic music8,9,11,12-neural markers feedback linked notably disrupted.7,14 Here, we use multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) capture different facets prediction-related signals, determining whether preactivates low-level features expected tracks associations between stimuli. Using predictable random tone sequences in passive-listening paradigm, recorded activity via electroencephalography (EEG) magnetoencephalography (MEG) wakefulness sleep. We first show that subtle changes (e.g., frequency) elicit feature-specific N1 N2 sleep, though weaker less sustained than wakefulness. Critically, even representations, but higher-order tracking tones remains restricted Altogether, our results suggest auditory retained despite fading consciousness, while only aspects anticipatory preserved.

Language: Английский

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Prediction tendency, eye movements, and attention in a unified framework of neural speech tracking

Published: May 13, 2025

Abstract Auditory speech comprehension is a multi-faceted process in which attention, prediction, and sensorimotor integration (via active sensing) interact with or complement each other. Although different conceptual models that focus on one of these aspects exist, we still lack unified understanding their role processing. Here, first replicated two recently published studies from our lab, confirming 1) positive relationship between individual prediction tendencies neural tracking, 2) the phenomenon ocular tracking – attended by eye movements its shared contribution activity to In addition, extended findings complementary analyses investigated phenomena relation other multi-speaker paradigm continuous, narrative speech. Importantly, tendency seem be unrelated. contrast contributions oculomotor processing over distributed set brain regions are critical for largely independent attention. Based findings, propose framework aims bridge gaps (ocular) sensing order contribute holistic this speculative listening, auditory inflow is, basic level, temporally modulated via sensing, incoming information interpreted based probabilistic assumptions.

Language: Английский

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Neural speech tracking benefit of lip movements predicts behavioral deterioration when the speaker’s mouth is occluded

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

Published: April 18, 2023

Abstract Observing lip movements of a speaker is known to facilitate speech understanding, especially in challenging listening situations. Converging evidence from neuroscientific studies shows enhanced processing audiovisual stimuli. However, the interindividual variability this visual benefit and its consequences on behavior are unknown. Here, we analyzed source-localized magnetoencephalographic (MEG) responses normal-hearing participants with or without an additional distractor speaker. Using temporal response functions (TRFs), show that neural are, general, when challenging. After conducting crucial control for acoustics, effectively contribute higher tracking, particularly present. extent varied greatly among participants. Probing behavioral relevance, individuals who more movement information terms stronger drop performance increase perceived difficulty mouth occluded by surgical face mask. By contrast, no effect was found not occluded. We provide novel insights how tracking varies individuals. Furthermore, reveal relevance demonstrating negative absent. Our results also offer potential implications future objective assessments perception.

Language: Английский

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Prediction tendency, eye movements, and attention in a unified framework of neural speech tracking

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

Published: June 29, 2023

ABSTRACT Auditory speech comprehension is a multi-faceted process in which attention, prediction, and sensorimotor integration (via active sensing) interact with or complement each other. Although different conceptual models that focus on one of these aspects exist, we still lack unified understanding their role processing. Here, first replicated two recently published studies from our lab, confirming 1) positive relationship between individual prediction tendencies neural tracking, 2) the phenomenon ocular tracking – attended by eye movements its shared contribution activity to In addition, extended findings complementary analyses investigated phenomena relation other multi-speaker paradigm continuous, narrative speech. Importantly, tendency seem be unrelated. contrast contributions oculomotor processing over distributed set brain regions are critical for largely independent attention. Based findings, propose framework aims bridge gaps (ocular) sensing order contribute holistic this speculative listening, auditory inflow is, basic level, temporally modulated via sensing, incoming information interpreted based probabilistic assumptions.

Language: Английский

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Individual prediction tendencies do not generalize across modalities

Psychophysiology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 61(1)

Published: Sept. 10, 2023

Abstract Predictive processing theories, which model the brain as a “prediction machine”, explain wide range of cognitive functions, including learning, perception and action. Furthermore, it is increasingly accepted that aberrant prediction tendencies play crucial role in psychiatric disorders. Given this explanatory value for clinical psychiatry, are often implicitly conceptualized individual traits or generalize across situations. As has not yet explicitly been shown, current study, we quantify to what extent tendency anticipate sensory features high probability generalizes modalities. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), recorded activity while participants were presented with sequence four different (either visual auditory) stimuli, changed according predefined transitional probabilities two entropy levels: ordered vs. random. Our results show that, on group‐level, under conditions low entropy, stimulus preactivated auditory but modality. Crucially, magnitude predict events seems correlate between reliability statistics indicate poor internal consistency, suggesting measures from modalities unlikely reflect single, common process. In sum, our findings suggest quantification interpretation cannot be generalized

Language: Английский

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Cortical and behavioural tracking of rhythm in music: Effects of pitch predictability, enjoyment, and expertise

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

Published: Oct. 16, 2023

Abstract The cortical tracking of stimulus features (such as the sound envelope) is a crucial neural requisite how we process continuous music. We here tested whether beat, typically related to rhythm processing, modulated by pitch predictability and other top-down factors. Participants listened tonal (high predictability) atonal (low music while undergoing EEG, analysed their acoustic envelope. Interestingly, envelope was stronger listening than music, likely reflecting listeners’ violated expectations. Envelope also with more expertise enjoyment. Furthermore, surprisal (using IDyOM) show that expectations for match those computed IDyOM model, higher (prediction errors) Behaviourally, measured participants’ ability tap along beat sequences in two experiments. In both experiments, finger-tapping performance better condition, indicating positive effect on behavioural processing. Cortical predicted tapping did conditions high low might impose different processing regimes. tracking, beyond musical predictability, well Taken together, our results various ways which factors impact

Language: Английский

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Carrier-frequency specific omission-related neural activity in ordered sound sequences are independent of omissions-predictability

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

Published: Jan. 31, 2024

Abstract Regularities in our surroundings lead to predictions about upcoming events. Previous research has shown, that omitted sounds during otherwise regular tone sequences elicit frequency-specific neural activity related the but tone. We tested whether this response is depending on unpredictability of omission. Therefore we recorded MEG data while participants listened ordered or random with omissions occurring either randomly. Using multivariate pattern analysis shows omission within occurs independent regularity suggesting auditory based sensory experiences are not immediately updated by violations those expectations.

Language: Английский

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