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Perceptual categorization of sound spectral envelopes reflected in auditory-evoked N1m
Tomomi Mizuochi1, Masato Yumoto, Shotaro Karino
1Departments of Sensory and Motor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. mizuochi@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Abstract:
Magnetic responses to periodic complex sounds with equivalent acoustic parameters except for two different fundamental frequencies (F0) and 12 different spectral envelopes of vocal, instrumental, and linear shapes were recorded to determine the cortical representation of timbre categorization in humans. Responses at approximately 100 ms (N1m) to vocal and instrumental (nonlinear) sounds were localized significantly anterior to linear sound responses. N1m source strength for nonlinear sounds was significantly larger than that for linear sounds, and this difference was more marked in the left hemisphere than in the right. N1m peak latency only for vocal sounds was not affected by F0. Perceptual categorization was reflected in N1m source strength and location (linear or nonlinear), and in N1m latency (vocal or nonvocal).
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