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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Memorization-Based Training and Testing Paradigm for Robust Vocal Identity Recognition in Expressive Speech Using Event-Related Potentials Analysis

Memorization-Based Training and Testing Paradigm for Robust Vocal Identity Recognition in Expressive Speech Using Event-Related Potentials Analysis

Published on: August 9, 2024

Norm-based coding of voice identity in human auditory cortex.

Marianne Latinus¹, Phil McAleer, Patricia E G Bestelmeyer

¹Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QB, Scotland. mlatinus@gmail.com

Current Biology : CB

|May 28, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The human brain represents voice identity based on acoustical distance to internal male and female voice prototypes. Voices further from these norms are perceived as more distinctive, enhancing brain activity in voice-sensitive cortex.

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Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Published on: October 24, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 11, 2026

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Published on: August 9, 2024

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Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Mapping Cortical Dynamics Using Simultaneous MEG/EEG and Anatomically-constrained Minimum-norm Estimates: an Auditory Attention Example

Published on: October 24, 2012

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Auditory Perception
Cognitive Science

Background:

The human brain discriminates and identifies individuals by voice, crucial for social interaction.
Temporal voice areas (TVA) are involved in acoustic-based voice identity representation, but coding mechanisms are unclear.
Previous research suggests norm-based coding for identity representation in these areas.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the neural coding mechanisms of voice identity representation in the human brain.
To determine if voice identity is coded relative to internal voice prototypes.
To explore the role of acoustical distance to prototypes in neuronal activity within voice-sensitive cortex.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure brain activity.
Internal voice prototypes (male and female) were created by averaging same-gender voices using morphing.
Stimuli involved manipulating acoustical distance-to-mean of voices relative to these prototypes.

Main Results:

Voice identity is coded in the TVA as a function of acoustical distance to male and female voice prototypes.
Voices perceived as more distinctive (further from prototype) elicited greater neuronal activity in voice-sensitive cortex.
Explicitly morphing voices toward or away from prototypes modulated neuronal activity, supporting a norm-based coding mechanism.

Conclusions:

The voice-sensitive cortex integrates acoustic features into a complex representation referenced to idealized male and female voice prototypes.
This study provides evidence for norm-based coding in auditory identity processing.
Findings reveal similarities between cerebral representations of facial and vocal identity.