Linguistic processing of task-irrelevant speech at a cocktail party

eLife, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 10

Published: May 4, 2021

Paying attention to one speaker in a noisy place can be extremely difficult, because to-be-attended and task-irrelevant speech compete for processing resources. We tested whether this competition is restricted acoustic-phonetic interference or if it extends linguistic as well. Neural activity was recorded using Magnetoencephalography human participants were instructed attend natural presented ear, stimuli the other. Task-irrelevant consisted either of random sequences syllables, syllables structured form coherent sentences, hierarchical frequency-tagging. find that phrasal structure represented neural response left inferior frontal posterior parietal regions, indicating selective does not fully eliminate speech. Additionally, tracking regions enhanced when competing with stimuli, suggesting inherent between them processing.

Language: Английский

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Neural tracking of phrases in spoken language comprehension is automatic and task-dependent

eLife, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: July 14, 2022

Linguistic phrases are tracked in sentences even though there is no one-to-one acoustic phrase marker the physical signal. This phenomenon suggests an automatic tracking of abstract linguistic structure that endogenously generated by brain. However, all studies investigating compare conditions where either relevant information at timescales available, or this absent altogether (e.g., versus word lists during passive listening). It therefore unclear whether phrasal related to content language, rather, results as a consequence attending happen match behaviourally information. To investigate question, we presented participants with and while recording their brain activity magnetoencephalography (MEG). Participants performed passive, syllable, word, word-combination tasks corresponding four different rates: one they would naturally attend to, syllable-rates, word-rates, phrasal-rates, respectively. We replicated overall findings stronger phrasal-rate measured mutual for compared across classical language network. inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) found task effect suggesting independent presence structure, well delta-band connectivity task. These suggest extracting rates occurs automatically without additional task, but also IFG might be important temporal integration various perceptual domains.

Language: Английский

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Listening to two speakers: Capacity and tradeoffs in neural speech tracking during Selective and Distributed Attention

NeuroImage, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 270, P. 119984 - 119984

Published: Feb. 26, 2023

Speech comprehension is severely compromised when several people talk at once, due to limited perceptual and cognitive resources. In such circumstances, top-down attention mechanisms can actively prioritize processing of task-relevant speech. However, behavioral neural evidence suggest that this selection not exclusive, the system may have sufficient capacity process additional speech input as well. Here we used a data-driven approach contrast two opposing hypotheses regarding system's co-represent competing speech: Can brain represent speakers equally or fundamentally limited, resulting in tradeoffs between them? Neural activity was measured using magnetoencephalography (MEG) human participants heard concurrent narratives engaged tasks: Selective Attention, where only one speaker Distributed both were relevant. Analysis speech-tracking revealed tasks similar network regions involved auditory processing, attentional control processing. Interestingly, during Attention representation showed bias towards speaker. This line with proposed 'bottlenecks' for co-representation suggests good performance on distributed be achieved by toggling over time.

Language: Английский

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Neural tracking of speech envelope does not unequivocally reflect intelligibility

NeuroImage, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 272, P. 120040 - 120040

Published: March 17, 2023

During listening, brain activity tracks the rhythmic structures of speech signals. Here, we directly dissociated contribution neural envelope tracking in processing acoustic cues from that related to linguistic processing. We examined changes associated with comprehension Noise-Vocoded (NV) using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Participants listened NV sentences a 3-phase training paradigm: (1) pre-training, where stimuli were barely comprehended, (2) exposure original clear version stimulus, and (3) post-training, same gained intelligibility phase. Using this paradigm, tested if responses signal was modulated by its without any change structure. To test influence spectral degradation on independently training, participants two types (4-band 2-band speech), but only trained understand 4-band speech. Significant observed delta range relation However, failed find direct effect both theta ranges, auditory regions-of-interest whole-brain sensor-space analyses. This suggests acoustics greatly response envelope, caution needs be taken when choosing control signals for speech-brain analyses, considering slight parameters can have strong effects response.

Language: Английский

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Simple statistical regularities presented during sleep are detected but not retained

Neuropsychologia, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 164, P. 108106 - 108106

Published: Dec. 3, 2021

Language: Английский

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The power of rhythms: how steady-state evoked responses reveal early neurocognitive development

NeuroImage, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 254, P. 119150 - 119150

Published: March 26, 2022

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive and painless recording of cerebral activity, particularly well-suited for studying young infants, allowing the inspection responses in constellation different ways. Of particular interest developmental cognitive neuroscientists use rhythmic stimulation, analysis steady-state evoked potentials (SS-EPs) – an approach also known as frequency tagging. In this paper we rely on existing SS-EP early literature to illustrate important advantages SS-EPs developing brain. We argue that (1) technique both objective predictive: response expected at stimulation (and/or higher harmonics), (2) its high spectral specificity makes computed robust artifacts, (3) allows short efficient recordings, compatible with infants' limited attentional spans. additionally provide overview some recent inspiring adult research, order (4) can be implemented creatively target wide range neural processes. For all these reasons, expect play increasing role understanding Finally, practical guidelines implementing analyzing studies.

Language: Английский

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Target enhancement but not distractor suppression in auditory neural tracking during continuous speech

iScience, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 26(6), P. 106849 - 106849

Published: May 12, 2023

Selective attention modulates the neural tracking of speech in auditory cortical regions. It is unclear whether this attentional modulation dominated by enhanced target tracking, or suppression distraction. To settle long-standing debate, we employed an augmented electroencephalography (EEG) speech-tracking paradigm with target, distractor, and neutral streams. Concurrent distractor (i.e., sometimes relevant) were juxtaposed a third, never task-relevant stream serving as baseline. Listeners had to detect short repeats committed more false alarms originating from than stream. Speech revealed enhancement but no below (not speech) explained single-trial accuracy repeat detection. In sum, representation specific processes gain for behaviorally relevant rather

Language: Английский

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Relationship Between Auditory Distraction and Emotional Dimensionality for Non-Speech Sounds

Ear and Hearing, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 26, 2025

If task-irrelevant sounds are present when someone is actively listening to speech, the irrelevant can cause distraction, reducing word recognition performance and increasing effort. In some previous investigations into auditory stimuli were non-speech (e.g., laughter, animal sounds, music), which known elicit a variety of emotional responses. Variations in response sound could influence distraction effect. The goal this study was examine relationship between arousal (exciting versus calming) or valence (positive negative) distraction. Using that have been used previously task, we sought determine whether stimulus characteristics affected verbal times (which serve as measure behavioral effort). We anticipated perceived would be related from target stimuli. an online 19 young adult listeners rated served studies Word time data these reanalyzed using evaluate effect category on quiet noise. addition, correlation analyses conducted ratings valence, arousal, performance, times. presence performance. This observed generally for exciting (in noise) calming quiet). also reaction Background noise increased by approximately 35 msec. all stimuli, regardless category, more than 200 msec relative condition with no Valenced caused largest times; there difference based category. Correlation dependent variables (word time) revealed that, quiet, weak, but statistically significant, (absolute deviation neutral) scores; valenced stimulus, distracting it terms significant not evident participants completed speech task There (arousal valence) negatively affect increase Future should consider content evaluating potential effects.

Language: Английский

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Invariant neural subspaces maintained by feedback modulation

eLife, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: April 20, 2022

Sensory systems reliably process incoming stimuli in spite of changes context. Most recent models accredit this context invariance to an extraction increasingly complex sensory features hierarchical feedforward networks. Here, we study how context-invariant representations can be established by feedback rather than processing. We show that neural networks modulated dynamically generate invariant representations. The required implemented as a slow and spatially diffuse gain modulation. is not present on the level individual neurons, but emerges only population level. Mechanistically, modulation reorients manifold activity thereby maintains subspace contextual variations. Our results highlight importance population-level analyses for understanding role flexible

Language: Английский

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Distracting linguistic information impairs neural tracking of attended speech

Current Research in Neurobiology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 3, P. 100043 - 100043

Published: Jan. 1, 2022

Listening to speech is difficult in noisy environments, and even harder when the interfering noise consists of intelligible as compared unintelligible sounds. This suggests that competing linguistic information interferes with neural processing target speech. Interference could either arise from a degradation representation speech, or increased distracting enters competition We tested these alternative hypotheses using magnetoencephalography (MEG) while participants listened clear presence noise-vocoded Crucially, distractors were initially but became more after short training session. Results showed comprehension was poorer than before training. The tracking delta range (1-4 Hz) reduced strength distractor. In contrast, signals not significantly modulated by intelligibility. These results suggest degrades carried oscillations.

Language: Английский

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