Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026
09:29
Stereotactically-guided Ablation of the Rat Auditory Cortex, and Localization of the Lesion in the Brain
Published on: October 11, 2017
Attention modulates sound processing in human auditory cortex but not the inferior colliculus.
Teemu Rinne1, G Christopher Stecker, Xiaojian Kang
1Human Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, UC Davis and VANCHCS, Martinez, USA. teemu.rinne@helsinki.fi
Neuroreport
|September 1, 2007
Summary
Auditory attention affects sound processing in the brain. Researchers found that while both the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex activate with sound, attention only modulates activity in the auditory cortex, not the inferior colliculus.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Auditory attention significantly impacts auditory perception and neural processing.
- The precise influence of attention on subcortical auditory structures, like the inferior colliculus, is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of intermodal attention on neural activity within the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex.
- To determine if attentional modulation extends to subcortical auditory processing.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed to measure brain activity.
- A demanding intermodal selective attention task was conducted using a silent imaging paradigm.
- Activations in the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex were analyzed under attentional load.
Main Results:
- Both the inferior colliculus and auditory cortex exhibited robust activation in response to auditory stimuli.
- Attentional modulation of neural activity was observed exclusively within the auditory cortex.
- No significant attentional modulation was detected in the inferior colliculus.
Conclusions:
- Attentional effects on auditory processing are primarily located in the auditory cortex.
- Subcortical structures, including the inferior colliculus, may not be subject to the same degree of attentional modulation as cortical areas.
- These findings refine our understanding of the neural basis of auditory attention.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
01:15Auditory Pathway
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
01:17Auditory Perception
The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...