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Salient, Irrelevant Sounds Reflexively Induce Alpha Rhythm Desynchronization in Parallel with Slow Potential Shifts
Viola Störmer1, Wenfeng Feng2, Antigona Martinez3,4
1Harvard University.
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|December 24, 2015
Summary
Salient, irrelevant sounds involuntarily capture visual attention. This is reflected by auditory-evoked contralateral occipital positivity (ACOP) and alpha-band desynchronization in the visual cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- Salient, irrelevant sounds involuntarily attract attention to their location.
- This cross-modal facilitation is associated with the auditory-evoked contralateral occipital positivity (ACOP).
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that salient sounds involuntarily capture visual attention.
- To examine sound-evoked modulations of the occipital alpha rhythm, a known indicator of visual attention.
Main Methods:
- Two auditory experiments using lateralized irrelevant sounds.
- Measurement of occipital alpha-band activity (10-14 Hz) and ACOP.
- Analysis of neural activity timing, location, and correlation.
Main Results:
- Lateralized sounds caused bilateral occipital alpha desynchronization, stronger contralateral to the sound.
- Alpha desynchronization timing overlapped with ACOP (∼240-400 msec).
- Alpha desynchronization magnitude correlated with ACOP amplitude.
Conclusions:
- Sound-induced alpha desynchronization and ACOP likely reflect a common neural mechanism.
- These neural activities indicate involuntary cross-modal orienting of spatial attention to sound location.
