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Evidence for distinct human auditory cortex regions for sound location versus identity processing
Jyrki Ahveninen1, Samantha Huang, Aapo Nummenmaa
1Harvard Medical School-Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Building 149, 13th Street, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA.
Nature Communications
|October 15, 2013
Summary
This study provides causal evidence for distinct auditory cortex functions. Anterior auditory cortex processes sound identity, while posterior auditory cortex handles sound location, supporting parallel processing models.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Animal models suggest anterior auditory cortex (AC) processes sound identity and posterior AC processes sound location.
- Human neuroimaging studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding this parallel organization.
- Causal evidence for distinct functional specialization within the human AC is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal role of anterior and posterior auditory cortex in processing sound identity versus location.
- To test the hypothesis of parallel functional organization within the human auditory cortex.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MRI-guided paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to transiently inhibit bilateral anterior or posterior AC areas.
- Subjects performed sound identity and sound location discrimination tasks with auditory stimuli.
- TMS pulse targeting was confirmed using individual-level cortical electric-field estimates.
Main Results:
- Inhibition of posterior AC significantly delayed reaction times more for sound location than identity discrimination.
- Inhibition of anterior AC significantly delayed reaction times more for sound identity than location discrimination.
- Demonstrated a double dissociation supporting distinct roles for anterior and posterior AC.
Conclusions:
- Provides direct causal evidence for parallel processing streams in the human auditory cortex.
- Anterior AC is causally linked to sound identity processing.
- Posterior AC is causally linked to sound location processing.
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