Distinct neural networks for detecting violations of adjacent versus nonadjacent sequential dependencies: An fMRI study

Conway, Christopher M.; Eghbalzad, Leyla; Deocampo, Joanne A.; Smith, Gretchen N. L.; Na, Sabrina; King, Tricia Z.

doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107175

“…Both implicit and explicit learning research have used the artificial grammar learning paradigm to examine the neural mechanisms of processing stimuli structures with either local (e.g., “The boy was tall.”; 16 – 23 ) or non-local dependencies (e.g., “The boy [that the girl kissed] was tall.”; 20 , 21 , 23 – 26 ). In the present study we used local dependencies, yet our research question went beyond the investigation of how the brain processes local dependencies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain-correlates of processing local dependencies within a statistical learning paradigm

Tsogli

¹

,

Skouras

²

,

Koelsch

³

2022

Sci Rep

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Statistical learning refers to the implicit mechanism of extracting regularities in our environment. Numerous studies have investigated the neural basis of statistical learning. However, how the brain responds to violations of auditory regularities based on prior (implicit) learning requires further investigation. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of processing events that are irregular based on learned local dependencies. A stream of consecutive sound triplets was presented. Unbeknown to the subjects, triplets were either (a) standard, namely triplets ending with a high probability sound or, (b) statistical deviants, namely triplets ending with a low probability sound. Participants (n = 33) underwent a learning phase outside the scanner followed by an fMRI session. Processing of statistical deviants activated a set of regions encompassing the superior temporal gyrus bilaterally, the right deep frontal operculum including lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and the right premotor cortex. Our results demonstrate that the violation of local dependencies within a statistical learning paradigm does not only engage sensory processes, but is instead reminiscent of the activation pattern during the processing of local syntactic structures in music and language, reflecting the online adaptations required for predictive coding in the context of statistical learning.

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“…Both implicit and explicit learning research have used the artificial grammar learning paradigm to examine the neural mechanisms of processing stimuli structures with either local (e.g., "The boy was tall. "; [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] ) or non-local dependencies (e.g., "The boy [that the girl kissed] was tall. "; 20,21,[23][24][25][26] ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Brain-correlates of processing local dependencies within a statistical learning paradigm

Tsogli

¹

,

Skouras

²

,

Koelsch

³

2022

Preprint

0

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Statistical learning refers to the implicit mechanism of extracting regularities in our environment. Numerous studies have investigated the neural basis of statistical learning. However, how the brain responds to violations of auditory regularities based on prior (implicit) learning requires further investigation. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of processing events that are irregular based on learned local dependencies. A stream of consecutive sound triplets was presented. Unbeknown to the subjects, triplets were either (a) standard, namely triplets ending with a high probability sound or, (b) statistical deviants, namely triplets ending with a low probability sound. Participants (n = 33) underwent a learning phase outside the scanner followed by an fMRI session. Processing of statistical deviants activated a set of regions encompassing the superior temporal gyrus bilaterally, the right deep frontal operculum including lateral orbitofrontal cortex, and the right premotor cortex. Our results demonstrate that the violation of local dependencies within a statistical learning paradigm does not only engage sensory processes, but is instead reminiscent of the activation pattern during the processing of local syntactic structures in music and language, reflecting the online adaptations required for predictive coding in the context of statistical learning

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“…The last two of the five studies used an indirect offline measure (i.e., a memory-based reproduction task) to assess participants' learning outcome by requiring them to recall each sequence without directly testing their knowledge of the dependencies embedded in the sequences (Conway et al, 2020;Deocampo, King, & Conway (2019). Both studies showed concurrent adjacent and nonadjacent dependency learning in visuo-verbal domain with a single 20-minute session.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As such, it could be considered as “pure statistical learning” (Kóbor et al, 2018; Nemeth et al, 2013; Simor et al, 2018; Toth-Faber et al, 2020). The other extension from previous studies was an examination of concurrent adjacent and nonadjacent dependency learning with a much briefer exposure than those in Vuong et al’s, Deocampo et al’s (2019), and Conway et al’s (2020) studies.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Concurrent visual learning of adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies in adults and children.

Iao¹,

Roeser²,

Justice³

et al. 2021

Developmental Psychology

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Concurrent learning of adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies has been shown in adults only. This study extended this line of research by examining dependency-specific learning for both adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies concurrently in both adults and children. Seventy adults aged 18 to 64 (40 females, 30 males; Experiment 1) and 64 children aged 10 to 11 years (40 girls, 24 boys; Experiment 2) were tested with a new serial reaction time (SRT) task in which they were trained for 6 -8 minutes on materials comprising equally probable adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies. They were then asked to discriminate between trained and untrained dependencies in a familiarity task. Both adults and children showed implicit concurrent learning of both adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies. The two dependency types were learnt to the same extent. However, adults showed a rapid, sustainable and dependency-specific sensitivity throughout the SRT task while children only showed a dependency-specific sensitivity to violations of expectations after exposure. When the two groups were statistically compared, only adults showed a dependency-specific learning effect after exposure. These findings are in line with the age-related improvement model of dependency learning.

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Distinct neural networks for detecting violations of adjacent versus nonadjacent sequential dependencies: An fMRI study

Cited by 10 publications

References 69 publications

Brain-correlates of processing local dependencies within a statistical learning paradigm

Brain-correlates of processing local dependencies within a statistical learning paradigm

Brain-correlates of processing local dependencies within a statistical learning paradigm

Concurrent visual learning of adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies in adults and children.

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