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Published on: November 16, 2017
Visual attention modulates brain activation to angry voices.
Martin Mothes-Lasch1, Hans-Joachim Mentzel, Wolfgang H R Miltner
1Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University, D-07743 Jena, Germany.
Summary
Automatic brain responses to angry voices depend on attention. Prioritized processing of threat is limited when attention is directed away from auditory stimuli during visual distraction, affecting the amygdala and auditory cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Auditory Processing
Background:
- Threat detection models suggest prioritized processing of angry prosody.
- Previous research shows automatic amygdala and auditory cortex responses to angry prosody under auditory distraction.
- The automaticity of these responses during cross-modal distraction remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate brain responses to angry versus neutral prosody during visual distraction using fMRI.
- To determine if automatic processing of angry prosody is modulated by modality-specific attention.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed.
- Participants listened to angry or neutral prosodic stimuli while viewing visual symbols.
- Task requirements directed attention either to auditory or visual stimuli.
Main Results:
- Angry prosody elicited greater activation in the auditory cortex and amygdala compared to neutral prosody when participants attended to the auditory stimuli.
- This difference in activation was absent when participants attended to the visual stimuli.
- Findings indicate a limitation in the automaticity of amygdala and auditory cortex responses to angry prosody.
Conclusions:
- The automatic activation of the amygdala and auditory cortex to angry prosody is not absolute.
- These brain responses are dependent on modality-specific attention, highlighting the role of attentional focus in threat processing.
