Less effortful auditory-motor synchronization with low-frequency tones in isochronous sound sequence

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Therapy
• Auditory Processing

Background:

• Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) utilizes isochronous sound sequences for auditory-motor synchronization (AMS).
• Effective AMS relies on subject engagement, which is inversely related to listening effort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of tone frequency and inter-stimulus interval (ISI) on synchronization error and listening effort.
• To determine how these acoustic parameters influence motor responses in a continuous tapping task.

Main Methods:

• Thirty healthy adults (18-35 years) performed a continuous finger tapping task synchronized to isochronous tones.
• Listening effort was quantified using pupillary dilation measured by a Tobii tx-30 eye tracker.
• Synchronization error was assessed based on tapping responses.

Main Results:

• Tone frequency significantly affected both tapping performance and listening effort.
• Lower frequency tones resulted in improved temporal alignment (synchronization accuracy).
• High-frequency tones were associated with increased listening effort compared to low-frequency tones.

Conclusions:

• Tone frequency is a critical factor influencing auditory-motor synchronization and cognitive load in RAS.
• Utilizing low-frequency tones may enhance engagement and efficiency in music-aided rehabilitation by reducing listening effort.