Exploring the cerebral substrate of voice perception in primate brains

Bodin, Clémentine; Belin, Pascal

doi:10.1098/rstb.2018.0386

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 162 publications

(252 reference statements)

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“…To ensure this stimulus set functioned similarly as a temporal voice area localizer to VL, we performed a cross-decoding analysis between the natural sounds and voice localizer paradigms, which show that responses to vocal versus non-vocal sounds are similar across these separate stimulus sets (Fig 2C). This stands in contrast to functional neuroimaging work that used the NatS stimulus set to show that temporal voice regions may not exist (14). A recent study using artificially-generated sounds demonstrated that temporal voice regions may encode vocal perceptual quality, i.e., the extent to which a sound is voice-like (48).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

“…Neuroimaging studies have identified regions of auditory cortex theorized to mediate voice processing which demonstrate robust BOLD response when listening to voice stimuli, including superior temporal sulcus (STS) and superior temporal gyrus (STG), collectively referred to as temporal voice areas (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11). Recent neuroimaging work suggests that voice selectivity of STS and STG contributes to voice perception across primate species (1, [12][13][14]. These regions exhibit robust connectivity with auditory regions in the supratemporal plane (STP), including Heschl's gyrus, and higher order association cortices implicated in voice perception and voice identity recognition (15)(16)(17)(18).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Categorical encoding of voice in human superior temporal cortex

Rupp

Hect

Remick

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The ability to recognize abstract features of voice during auditory perception is a complex, yet poorly understood, feat of human audition. For the listener, this occurs in near-automatic fasion to seamlessly extract complex cues from a highly variable auditory signal. Voice perception depends on specialized regions of auditory cortex, including superior temporal gyrus (STG) and superior temporal sulcus (STS). However, the nature of voice encoding at the cortical level remains poorly understoood. We leverage intracerebral recordings across human auditory cortex during presentation of voice and non-voice acoustic stimuli to examine voice encoding in auditory cortex, in eight patient-participants undergoing epilepsy surgery evaluation. We show that voice-selectivity increases along the auditory hierarchy from supratemporal plane (STP) to the STG and STS. Results show accurate decoding of vocalizations from human auditory cortical activity even in the complete absence of linguistic content. These findings show an early, less-selective temporal window of neural activity in the STG and STS followed by a sustained, strongly voice-selective window. We then developed encoding models that demonstrate divergence in the encoding of acoustic features along the auditory hierarchy, wherein STG/STS responses were best explained by voice category as opposed to the acoustic features of voice stimuli. This is in contrast to neural activity recorded from STP, in which responses were accounted for by acoustic features. These findings support a model of voice perception that engages categorical encoding mechanisms within STG and STS.Significance StatementVoice perception occurs via specialized networks in higher order auditory cortex, yet how voice features are encoded remains a central unanswered question. With human intracerebral recordings of auditory cortex, we provide evidence for categorical encoding of voice in STG and STS and occurs in the absence of linguistic content. This selectivity strengthens after an initial onset response and cannot be explained by simple acoustic features. Together, these data support the existence of sites within STG and STS that are specialized for voice perception.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Categorical encoding of voice in human superior temporal cortex

Rupp

Hect

Remick

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Echoing and extending the views of other authors in this issue, Bodin & Belin [23] emphasize the shared features of animal and human vocal communication, rather than focusing on divergent properties. Here, they review parallels in areas of human and non-human primate brains that are sensitive to conspecific voices.…”

Section: Part Iii: Neurobiological and Genetic Adaptationsmentioning

confidence: 69%

What can animal communication teach us about human language?

Fishbein

Fritz

Idsardi

et al. 2019

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Language has been considered by many to be uniquely human. Numerous theories for how it evolved have been proposed but rarely tested. The articles in this theme issue consider the extent to which aspects of language, such as vocal learning, phonology, syntax, semantics, intentionality, cognition and neurobiological adaptations, are shared with other animals. By adopting a comparative approach, insights into the mechanisms and origins of human language can be gained. While points of agreement exist among the authors, conflicting viewpoints are expressed on several issues, such as the presence of proto-syntax in animal communication, the neural basis of the Merge operation, and the neurogenetic changes necessary for vocal learning. Future comparative research in animal communication has the potential to teach us even more about the evolution, neurobiology and cognitive basis of human language. This article is part of the theme issue ‘What can animal communication teach us about human language?’

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“…This feature of the longitudinal fascicle in Sapajus seems to be a primitive feature, because the observed tendency is that intrahemispheric fascicles evolved for individualization in the direction of humans with greater prefrontal white matter than other primates [ 64 , 65 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gross anatomy of the longitudinal fascicle of Sapajus sp.

et al. 2021

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Opposing genetic and cultural-social explanations for the origin of language are currently the focus of much discussion. One of the functions linked to the longitudinal fascicle is language, which links Wernicke’s area and Broca’s area in the brain, and its size should indicate the brain increase in the evolution. Sapajus is a New World primate genus with high cognition and advanced tool use similar to that of chimpanzees. A study of the gross anatomy of the longitudinal fascicle of Sapajus using Kingler’s method found it to differ from other studied primates, such as macaques and chimpanzees, mainly because its fibers join the cingulate fascicle. As in other non-human primates, the longitudinal fascicle of Sapajus does not reach the temporal lobe, which could indicate a way of separating these fascicles to increase white matter in relation to individual function. The study of anatomical structures seems very promising for understanding the basis of the origin of language. Indeed, socio-historical-cultural philosophy affirms the socio-cultural origin of speech, although considering the anatomical structures behind it working as a functional system.

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Exploring the cerebral substrate of voice perception in primate brains

Cited by 20 publications

References 162 publications

Categorical encoding of voice in human superior temporal cortex

Categorical encoding of voice in human superior temporal cortex

What can animal communication teach us about human language?

Gross anatomy of the longitudinal fascicle of Sapajus sp.

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