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The superior temporal sulcus differentiates communicative and noncommunicative auditory signals
Sarah Shultz1, Athena Vouloumanos, Kevin Pelphrey
1Department of Psychology, Yale University, 2 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven, CT 06511, USA. sarah.shultz@yale.edu
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|February 25, 2012
Summary
The superior temporal sulcus (STS) region is sensitive to communicative sounds like speech and laughter, not just any human vocalization. This finding is crucial for understanding social communication and voice processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Processing vocalizations is key for social interaction.
- A voice-selective region in the right superior temporal sulcus (STS) responds to human vocal sounds.
- The STS also responds to other communicative signals like eye gaze and biological motion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the STS voice-selective region is sensitive to communicative vocal sounds versus all human vocal sounds.
- To determine the role of the STS in voice processing and social communication disorders.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity.
- Participants were exposed to various vocalizations, both communicative and noncommunicative.
Main Results:
- The voice-selective STS region showed a stronger response to communicative vocal sounds (e.g., speech, laughter).
- Noncommunicative vocal sounds (e.g., coughing, sneezing) elicited a weaker response.
Conclusions:
- The STS voice-selective region preferentially processes communicative vocalizations.
- These findings have implications for understanding social communication deficits in conditions like autism spectrum disorder.
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