Minimal background noise enhances neural speech tracking: Evidence of stochastic resonance DOI Open Access

Björn Herrmann

Published: Dec. 11, 2024

Neural activity in auditory cortex tracks the amplitude-onset envelope of continuous speech, but recent work counter-intuitively suggests that neural tracking increases when speech is masked by background noise, despite reduced intelligibility. Noise-related amplification could indicate stochastic resonance – response facilitation through noise supports tracking, a comprehensive account lacking. In five human electroencephalography (EEG) experiments, current study demonstrates generalized enhancement due to minimal noise. Results show a) enhanced for at very high SNRs (∼30 dB SNR) where highly intelligible; b) this independent attention; c) it generalizes across different stationary maskers, strongest 12-talker babble; and d) present headphone free-field listening, suggesting neural-tracking real-life listening. The paints clear picture enhances representation onset-envelope, contributes tracking. further highlights non-linearities induced make its use as biological marker processing challenging.

Language: Английский

Minimal background noise enhances neural speech tracking: Evidence of stochastic resonance DOI Open Access

Björn Herrmann

Published: March 10, 2025

Neural activity in auditory cortex tracks the amplitude-onset envelope of continuous speech, but recent work counter-intuitively suggests that neural tracking increases when speech is masked by background noise, despite reduced intelligibility. Noise-related amplification could indicate stochastic resonance – response facilitation through noise supports tracking, a comprehensive account lacking. In five human electroencephalography (EEG) experiments, current study demonstrates generalized enhancement due to minimal noise. Results show a) enhanced for at very high SNRs (∼30 dB SNR) where highly intelligible; b) this independent attention; c) it generalizes across different stationary maskers, strongest 12-talker babble; and d) present headphone free-field listening, suggesting neural-tracking real-life listening. The paints clear picture enhances representation onset-envelope, contributes tracking. further highlights non-linearities induced make its use as biological marker processing challenging.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Enhanced neural speech tracking through noise indicates stochastic resonance in humans DOI Creative Commons
Björn Herrmann

eLife, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13

Published: March 18, 2025

Neural activity in auditory cortex tracks the amplitude-onset envelope of continuous speech, but recent work counterintuitively suggests that neural tracking increases when speech is masked by background noise, despite reduced intelligibility. Noise-related amplification could indicate stochastic resonance – response facilitation through noise supports tracking, a comprehensive account lacking. In five human electroencephalography experiments, current study demonstrates generalized enhancement due to minimal noise. Results show (1) enhanced for at very high signal-to-noise ratios (~30 dB SNR) where highly intelligible; (2) this independent attention; (3) it generalizes across different stationary maskers, strongest 12-talker babble; and (4) present headphone free-field listening, suggesting neural-tracking real-life listening. The paints clear picture enhances representation onset-envelope, contributes tracking. further highlights non-linearities induced make its use as biological marker processing challenging.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Eye movements of younger and older adults decrease during story listening in background noise DOI Creative Commons
Björn Herrmann, Florian Scharf, Andreas Widmann

et al.

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 20, 2025

Abstract Assessments of listening effort are increasingly relevant to understanding the speech-comprehension difficulties experienced by older adults. Pupillometry is most common tool assess but has limitations. Recent research shown that eye movements decrease when effortful and proposed indicators as alternative measures. However, much work was conducted in younger adults trial-based sentence-listening paradigm, during concurrent visual stimulation. The extent which index con tinuous speech listening, independently stimuli, adults, unknown. In current study, listened continuous stories with varying degrees background noise under free moving-dot viewing conditions. Eye decreased (as indexed fixation duration, gaze dispersion, saccade rate) increasing masking. reduction did not depend on age group or conditions, indicating can be used effects masking different situations people ages. pupil area only sensitive early experiment. sum, study suggests a potential listening.

Language: Английский

Citations

0
Minimal background noise enhances neural speech tracking: Evidence of stochastic resonance DOI Open Access

Björn Herrmann

Published: Dec. 11, 2024

Neural activity in auditory cortex tracks the amplitude-onset envelope of continuous speech, but recent work counter-intuitively suggests that neural tracking increases when speech is masked by background noise, despite reduced intelligibility. Noise-related amplification could indicate stochastic resonance – response facilitation through noise supports tracking, a comprehensive account lacking. In five human electroencephalography (EEG) experiments, current study demonstrates generalized enhancement due to minimal noise. Results show a) enhanced for at very high SNRs (∼30 dB SNR) where highly intelligible; b) this independent attention; c) it generalizes across different stationary maskers, strongest 12-talker babble; and d) present headphone free-field listening, suggesting neural-tracking real-life listening. The paints clear picture enhances representation onset-envelope, contributes tracking. further highlights non-linearities induced make its use as biological marker processing challenging.

Language: Английский

Citations

0