The Brain's Sensitivity to Sensory Error Can Be Modulated by Altering Perceived Variability

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Motor Learning
• Auditory Perception

Background:

• Motor skill acquisition and adaptation depend on error sensitivity, which dictates behavioral change from errors.
• Previous research suggested task-dependent changes in error sensitivity, but neural evidence was limited.
• The flexibility of error sensitivity in the human brain remained largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if the nervous system's error sensitivity can be behaviorally modulated.
• To examine the neural basis of error sensitivity modulation using auditory cortical activity.
• To explore the impact of perceived variability on error sensitivity during speech.

Main Methods:

• Measured error sensitivity via prediction-driven suppression of auditory cortical activity.
• Manipulated participants' perceived variability using auditory perturbation during speech tasks.
• Assessed changes in error sensitivity following the perturbation in both male and female participants.

Main Results:

• Exposure to auditory perturbation increased perceived speech variability.
• This increased perceived variability led to a significant increase in error sensitivity.
• The nervous system's sensitivity to errors was demonstrably modulated by behavioral factors.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral modulation of neural error sensitivity is feasible.
• Altering perceived variability can enhance error sensitivity.
• This finding has significant implications for improving motor learning and rehabilitation strategies.