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Neural Tracking of Speech Acoustics in Noise Is Coupled with Lexical Predictability as Estimated by Large Language
1Department of Speech, Hearing and Phonetic Sciences, University College London, London WC1N 1PF, United Kingdom p.iverson@ucl.ac.uk.
Eneuro
|August 2, 2024
Summary
This study shows that our brains process speech by integrating acoustic details with word meaning and context. This integration is more efficient in native speakers and is influenced by attention and task demands.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psycholinguistics
Background:
- Speech perception involves processing acoustic signals and linguistic information.
- Understanding how the brain integrates auditory and lexical information is crucial for explaining speech comprehension in complex environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate neural processing of speech at acoustic and lexical levels.
- To examine how native language proficiency and concurrent tasks affect speech perception.
- To explore the interaction between auditory tracking and lexical processing.
Main Methods:
- Electroencephalography (EEG) recorded neural activity from adults listening to competing speech.
- Machine learning identified neural sources tracking target and distractor speakers.
- Neural tracking was analyzed at acoustic envelope, word frequency, and word predictability levels.
Main Results:
- Native English speakers showed better target-distractor neural separation than non-native speakers.
- A concurrent visual task reduced neural processing of lexical information.
- Acoustic tracking was enhanced for lexically difficult words, indicating adaptive listening.
Conclusions:
- Speech perception is a dynamic, context-sensitive process, not strictly feedforward.
- Lexical and acoustic processing are coupled, with higher-level information influencing lower-level auditory tracking.
- Cognitive factors like attention and language experience modulate neural mechanisms of speech perception.
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