Neurophysiological evidence for goal-oriented modulation of speech perception

Abstract

Speech perception depends on the dynamic interplay of bottom-up and top-down information along a hierarchically organized cortical network. Here, we test, for the first time in the human brain, whether neural processing of attended speech is dynamically modulated by task demand using a context-free discrimination paradigm. Electroencephalographic signals were recorded during 3 parallel experiments that differed only in the phonological feature of discrimination (word, vowel, and lexical tone, respectively). The event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed the task modulation of speech processing at approximately 200 ms (P2) after stimulus onset, probably influencing what phonological information to retain in memory. For the phonological comparison of sequential words, task modulation occurred later at approximately 300 ms (N3 and P3), reflecting the engagement of task-specific cognitive processes. The ERP results were consistent with the changes in delta-theta neural oscillations, suggesting the involvement of cortical tracking of speech envelopes. The study thus provides neurophysiological evidence for goal-oriented modulation of attended speech and calls for speech perception models incorporating limited memory capacity and goal-oriented optimization mechanisms.

Early threat perception is independent of later cognitive and behavioral control. A virtual reality-EEG-ECG study

“…In the ERP analysis, we focused on the ERPs elicited by social threatening/non-threatening body expressions (as represented by angry/neutral avatars) and their sensitivity to the level of threat control (controllable cues). We separated the EEG channels into five spatial clusters and identified for each region a prominent ERP component and centered a time window on its peak based on visual inspection of the overall ERP waveform, topographical distribution of grand-averaged ERP and previous studies (Chai et al, 2022; Cunningham et al, 2005; de Gelder et al, 2004; He et al, 2011; Luo et al, 2010; Stekelenburg & de Gelder, 2004; Van Heijnsbergen et al, 2007). The resulting ERP components and associated time windows are shown for each region in table 1.…”