Alteration of the dynamic modulation of auditory beta-band oscillations by voice power during speech-in-noise
-
1
Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
Introduction
During continuous speech listening, listener’s low β-band (LBB, 13–20 Hz) oscillations in bilateral superior temporal gyri (STG) are dynamically modulated (in a speech-sensitive manner) by the speaker’s voice power, LBB power being reduced when the voice power increases and vice-versa (Bourguignon et al. in preparation). These amplitude modulations are paced by speech temporal envelope at a ~0.5 Hz. Here, we investigate the impact of a fluctuating background noise on the dynamic modulation of listener’s LBB oscillations.
Methods
Neuromagnetic activity of twenty right-handed and native French speaking adults (10 females, mean age 30 y) was recorded using whole-scalp MEG (Elekta) while they listened to five different recorded texts read in French by different native French-speaking readers. Recordings were mixed with a “cocktail party” type noise at different signal to noise ratios (SNR; No noise, +5dB, 0dB, -5dB, -10dB). Coherence between LBB power modulations and speech temporal envelope fluctuations at ~0.5 Hz was computed for each subject and condition. Coherent sources were reconstructed using minimum norm estimates. Statistical assessment of coherence levels was performed using surrogate data analyses. The influence of the SNR on coherence levels was assessed using one-way ANOVA.
Results
Without noise, significant coupling between LBB and speech power occurred in 18 subjects at bilateral STG (group-level source coherence, right STG: 0.025, left STG: 0.028). When speech merged into noise, this coupling significantly vanished (p<10-6, ANOVA), with only, 4 subjects showing significant coupling at +5 dB, 2 subjects at 0 dB and 2 subjects at -5 dB.
Discussion
This study demonstrates that a cocktail party background drastically reduces the coupling at 0.5 Hz between LBB and voice power fluctuations at the STG. These data are congruent with recent studies that showed reduced β-band suppression during speech-in-noise (Schepers et al., 2013).
References
Schepers, I. M., Schneide T.R., Hipp, J.F., Engel, A.K., Senkowski D. (2013). Noise alters beta-band activity in superior temporal cortex during audiovisual speech processing. Neuroimage. 70, 101-112.
Keywords:
Speech in noise,
Magnetoencephalography,
Speech Perception,
Auditory Perception,
Auditory Cortex
Conference:
Belgian Brain Council 2014
MODULATING THE BRAIN: FACTS, FICTION, FUTURE, Ghent, Belgium, 4 Oct - 4 Oct, 2014.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Basic Neuroscience
Citation:
Vander Ghinst
M,
Bourguignon
M,
Wens
V,
Marty
B,
Op De Beeck
M,
Van Bogaert
P,
Goldman
S and
De Tiège
X
(2014). Alteration of the dynamic modulation of auditory beta-band oscillations by voice power during speech-in-noise.
Conference Abstract:
Belgian Brain Council 2014
MODULATING THE BRAIN: FACTS, FICTION, FUTURE.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2014.214.00030
Copyright:
The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers.
They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters.
The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated.
Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed.
For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions.
Received:
27 Jun 2014;
Published Online:
30 Jun 2014.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Marc Vander Ghinst, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, 1070, Belgium, marcvdg@gmail.com