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Gorina-Careta N, Arenillas-Alcón S, Puertollano M, Mondéjar-Segovia A, Ijjou-Kadiri S, Costa-Faidella J, Gómez-Roig MD, Escera C. Exposure to bilingual or monolingual maternal speech during pregnancy affects the neurophysiological encoding of speech sounds in neonates differently. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1379660. [PMID: 38841122 PMCID: PMC11150635 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1379660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Exposure to maternal speech during the prenatal period shapes speech perception and linguistic preferences, allowing neonates to recognize stories heard frequently in utero and demonstrating an enhanced preference for their mother's voice and native language. Yet, with a high prevalence of bilingualism worldwide, it remains an open question whether monolingual or bilingual maternal speech during pregnancy influence differently the fetus' neural mechanisms underlying speech sound encoding. Methods In the present study, the frequency-following response (FFR), an auditory evoked potential that reflects the complex spectrotemporal dynamics of speech sounds, was recorded to a two-vowel /oa/ stimulus in a sample of 129 healthy term neonates within 1 to 3 days after birth. Newborns were divided into two groups according to maternal language usage during the last trimester of gestation (monolingual; bilingual). Spectral amplitudes and spectral signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) at the stimulus fundamental (F0) and first formant (F1) frequencies of each vowel were, respectively, taken as measures of pitch and formant structure neural encoding. Results Our results reveal that while spectral amplitudes at F0 did not differ between groups, neonates from bilingual mothers exhibited a lower spectral SNR. Additionally, monolingually exposed neonates exhibited a higher spectral amplitude and SNR at F1 frequencies. Discussion We interpret our results under the consideration that bilingual maternal speech, as compared to monolingual, is characterized by a greater complexity in the speech sound signal, rendering newborns from bilingual mothers more sensitive to a wider range of speech frequencies without generating a particularly strong response at any of them. Our results contribute to an expanding body of research indicating the influence of prenatal experiences on language acquisition and underscore the necessity of including prenatal language exposure in developmental studies on language acquisition, a variable often overlooked yet capable of influencing research outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natàlia Gorina-Careta
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sonia Arenillas-Alcón
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Puertollano
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Mondéjar-Segovia
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Siham Ijjou-Kadiri
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Costa-Faidella
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Dolores Gómez-Roig
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
- BCNatal – Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carles Escera
- Brainlab – Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Departament de Psicologia Clinica i Psicobiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociènces, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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Colak H, Sendesen E, Turkyilmaz MD. Subcortical auditory system in tinnitus with normal hearing: insights from electrophysiological perspective. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2024:10.1007/s00405-024-08583-3. [PMID: 38555317 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-024-08583-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The mechanism of tinnitus remains poorly understood; however, studies have underscored the significance of the subcortical auditory system in tinnitus perception. In this study, our aim was to investigate the subcortical auditory system using electrophysiological measurements in individuals with tinnitus and normal hearing. Additionally, we aimed to assess speech-in-noise (SiN) perception to determine whether individuals with tinnitus exhibit SiN deficits despite having normal-hearing thresholds. METHODS A total 42 normal-hearing participants, including 22 individuals with chronic subjective tinnitus and 20 normal individuals, participated in the study. We recorded auditory brainstem response (ABR) and speech-evoked frequency following response (sFFR) from the participants. SiN perception was also assessed using the Matrix test. RESULTS Our results revealed a significant prolongation of the O peak, which encodes sound offset in sFFR, for the tinnitus group (p < 0.01). The greater non-stimulus-evoked activity was also found in individuals with tinnitus (p < 0.01). In ABR, the tinnitus group showed reduced wave I amplitude and prolonged absolute wave I, III, and V latencies (p ≤ 0.02). Our findings suggested that individuals with tinnitus had poorer SiN perception compared to normal participants (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The deficit in encoding sound offset may indicate an impaired inhibitory mechanism in tinnitus. The greater non-stimulus-evoked activity observed in the tinnitus group suggests increased neural noise at the subcortical level. Additionally, individuals with tinnitus may experience speech-in-noise deficits despite having a normal audiogram. Taken together, these findings suggest that the lack of inhibition and increased neural noise may be associated with tinnitus perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Colak
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
| | - Eser Sendesen
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
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Abstract
Biology and experience both influence the auditory brain. Sex is one biological factor with pervasive effects on auditory processing. Females process sounds faster and more robustly than males. These differences are linked to hormone differences between the sexes. Athleticism is an experiential factor known to reduce ongoing neural noise, but whether it influences how sounds are processed by the brain is unknown. Furthermore, it is unknown whether sports participation influences auditory processing differently in males and females, given the well-documented sex differences in auditory processing seen in the general population. We hypothesized that athleticism enhances auditory processing and that these enhancements are greater in females. To test these hypotheses, we measured auditory processing in collegiate Division I male and female student-athletes and their non-athlete peers (total n = 1012) using the frequency-following response (FFR). The FFR is a neurophysiological response to sound that reflects the processing of discrete sound features. We measured across-trial consistency of the response in addition to fundamental frequency (F0) and harmonic encoding. We found that athletes had enhanced encoding of the harmonics, which was greatest in the female athletes, and that athletes had more consistent responses than non-athletes. In contrast, F0 encoding was reduced in athletes. The harmonic-encoding advantage in female athletes aligns with previous work linking harmonic encoding strength to female hormone levels and studies showing estrogen as mediating athlete sex differences in other sensory domains. Lastly, persistent deficits in auditory processing from previous concussive and repetitive subconcussive head trauma may underlie the reduced F0 encoding in athletes, as poor F0 encoding is a hallmark of concussion injury.
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Bsharat-Maalouf D, Karawani H. Bilinguals' speech perception in noise: Perceptual and neural associations. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264282. [PMID: 35196339 PMCID: PMC8865662 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study characterized subcortical speech sound processing among monolinguals and bilinguals in quiet and challenging listening conditions and examined the relation between subcortical neural processing and perceptual performance. A total of 59 normal-hearing adults, ages 19–35 years, participated in the study: 29 native Hebrew-speaking monolinguals and 30 Arabic-Hebrew-speaking bilinguals. Auditory brainstem responses to speech sounds were collected in a quiet condition and with background noise. The perception of words and sentences in quiet and background noise conditions was also examined to assess perceptual performance and to evaluate the perceptual-physiological relationship. Perceptual performance was tested among bilinguals in both languages (first language (L1-Arabic) and second language (L2-Hebrew)). The outcomes were similar between monolingual and bilingual groups in quiet. Noise, as expected, resulted in deterioration in perceptual and neural responses, which was reflected in lower accuracy in perceptual tasks compared to quiet, and in more prolonged latencies and diminished neural responses. However, a mixed picture was observed among bilinguals in perceptual and physiological outcomes in noise. In the perceptual measures, bilinguals were significantly less accurate than their monolingual counterparts. However, in neural responses, bilinguals demonstrated earlier peak latencies compared to monolinguals. Our results also showed that perceptual performance in noise was related to subcortical resilience to the disruption caused by background noise. Specifically, in noise, increased brainstem resistance (i.e., fewer changes in the fundamental frequency (F0) representations or fewer shifts in the neural timing) was related to better speech perception among bilinguals. Better perception in L1 in noise was correlated with fewer changes in F0 representations, and more accurate perception in L2 was related to minor shifts in auditory neural timing. This study delves into the importance of using neural brainstem responses to speech sounds to differentiate individuals with different language histories and to explain inter-subject variability in bilinguals’ perceptual abilities in daily life situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Bsharat-Maalouf
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Hanin Karawani
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- * E-mail:
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Skoe E, García-Sierra A, Ramírez-Esparza N, Jiang S. Automatic sound encoding is sensitive to language familiarity: Evidence from English monolinguals and Spanish-English bilinguals. Neurosci Lett 2022; 777:136582. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Chauvette L, Fournier P, Sharp A. The frequency-following response to assess the neural representation of spectral speech cues in older adults. Hear Res 2022; 418:108486. [DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2022.108486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Smith SA, Leon Guerrero S, Surrain S, Luk G. Phonetic discrimination, phonological awareness, and pre-literacy skills in Spanish-English dual language preschoolers. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2022; 49:80-113. [PMID: 33568236 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000920000768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The current study explores variation in phonemic representation among Spanish-English dual language learners (DLLs, n = 60) who were dominant in English or in Spanish. Children were given a phonetic discrimination task with speech sounds that: 1) occur in English and Spanish, 2) are exclusive to English, and 3) are exclusive to Russian, during Fall (age m = 57 months) and Spring (age m = 62 months, n = 42). In Fall, English-dominant DLLs discriminated more accurately than Spanish-dominant DLLs between English-Spanish phones and English-exclusive phones. Both groups discriminated Russian phones at or close to chance. In Spring, however, groups no longer differed in discriminating English-exclusive phones and both groups discriminated Russian phones above chance. Additionally, joint English-Spanish and English-exclusive phonetic discrimination predicted children's phonological awareness in both groups. Results demonstrate plasticity in early childhood through diverse language exposure and suggest that phonemic representation begins to emerge driven by lexical restructuring.
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Krizman J, Tierney A, Nicol T, Kraus N. Listening in the Moment: How Bilingualism Interacts With Task Demands to Shape Active Listening. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:717572. [PMID: 34955707 PMCID: PMC8702653 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.717572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
While there is evidence for bilingual enhancements of inhibitory control and auditory processing, two processes that are fundamental to daily communication, it is not known how bilinguals utilize these cognitive and sensory enhancements during real-world listening. To test our hypothesis that bilinguals engage their enhanced cognitive and sensory processing in real-world listening situations, bilinguals and monolinguals performed a selective attention task involving competing talkers, a common demand of everyday listening, and then later passively listened to the same competing sentences. During the active and passive listening periods, evoked responses to the competing talkers were collected to understand how online auditory processing facilitates active listening and if this processing differs between bilinguals and monolinguals. Additionally, participants were tested on a separate measure of inhibitory control to see if inhibitory control abilities related with performance on the selective attention task. We found that although monolinguals and bilinguals performed similarly on the selective attention task, the groups differed in the neural and cognitive processes engaged to perform this task, compared to when they were passively listening to the talkers. Specifically, during active listening monolinguals had enhanced cortical phase consistency while bilinguals demonstrated enhanced subcortical phase consistency in the response to the pitch contours of the sentences, particularly during passive listening. Moreover, bilinguals’ performance on the inhibitory control test related with performance on the selective attention test, a relationship that was not seen for monolinguals. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that bilinguals utilize inhibitory control and enhanced subcortical auditory processing in everyday listening situations to engage with sound in ways that are different than monolinguals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Adam Tierney
- The ALPHALAB, Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Trent Nicol
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
- Departments of Neurobiology and Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Nina Kraus,
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Jones C, Collin E, Kepinska O, Hancock R, Caballero J, Zekelman L, Vandermosten M, Hoeft F. Auditory Processing of Non-speech Stimuli by Children in Dual-Language Immersion Programs. Front Psychol 2021; 12:687651. [PMID: 34733197 PMCID: PMC8558524 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Perception of low-level auditory cues such as frequency modulation (FM) and rise time (RT) is crucial for development of phonemic representations, segmentation of word boundaries, and attunement to prosodic patterns in language. While learning an additional language, children may develop an increased sensitivity to these cues to extract relevant information from multiple types of linguistic input. Performance on these auditory processing tasks such as FM and RT by children learning another language is, however, unknown. Here we examine 92 English-speaking 7-8-year-olds in the U.S. and their performance in FM and RT perceptual tasks at the end of their second year in Cantonese or Spanish dual-language immersion compared to children in general English education programs. Results demonstrate that children in immersion programs have greater sensitivity to FM, but not RT, controlling for various factors. The immersion program students were also observed to have better phonological awareness performance. However, individual differences in FM sensitivity were not associated with phonological awareness, a pattern typically observed in monolinguals. These preliminary findings suggest a possible impact of formal language immersion on low-level auditory processing. Additional research is warranted to understand causal relationships and ultimate impact on language skills in multilinguals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Jones
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Elizabeth Collin
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States.,Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Olga Kepinska
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Brain and Language Lab, Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Roeland Hancock
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States.,Brain Imaging Research Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Jocelyn Caballero
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Leo Zekelman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Maaike Vandermosten
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fumiko Hoeft
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Departments of Mathematics, Neuroscience, Psychiatry, and Educational Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States.,Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, United States
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Ianiszewski A, Fuente A, Gagné JP. Auditory brainstem response asymmetries in older adults: An exploratory study using click and speech stimuli. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251287. [PMID: 33961673 PMCID: PMC8104406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Some evidence suggests that young adults exhibit a selective laterality of auditory brainstem response (ABR) elicited with speech stimuli. Little is known about such an auditory laterality in older adults. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate possible asymmetric auditory brainstem processing between right and left ear presentation in older adults. Methods Sixty-two older adults presenting with normal hearing thresholds according to their age and who were native speakers of Quebec French participated in this study. ABR was recorded using click and a 40-ms /da/ syllable. ABR was elicited through monaural right and monaural left stimulation. Latency and amplitude for click-and speech-ABR components were compared between right and left ear presentations. In addition, for the /da/ syllable, a fast Fourier transform analysis of the sustained frequency-following response (FFR) of the vowel was performed along with stimulus-to-response and right-left ear correlation analyses. Results No significant differences between right and left ear presentation were found for amplitudes and latencies of the click-ABR components. Significantly shorter latencies for right ear presentation as compared to left ear presentation were observed for onset and offset transient components (V, A and O), sustained components (D and E), and voiced transition components (C) of the speech-ABR. In addition, the spectral amplitude of the fundamental frequency (F0) was significantly larger for the left ear presentation than the right ear presentation. Conclusions Results of this study show that older adults with normal hearing exhibit symmetric encoding for click stimuli at the brainstem level between the right and left ear presentation. However, they present with brainstem asymmetries for the encoding of selective stimulus components of the speech-ABR between the right and left ear presentation. The right ear presentation of a /da/ syllable elicited reduced neural timing for both transient and sustained components compared to the left ear. Conversely, a stronger left ear F0 encoding was observed. These findings suggest that at a preattentive, sensory stage of auditory processing, older adults lateralize speech stimuli similarly to young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ianiszewski
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Adrian Fuente
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Gagné
- École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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11
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Neural generators of the frequency-following response elicited to stimuli of low and high frequency: A magnetoencephalographic (MEG) study. Neuroimage 2021; 231:117866. [PMID: 33592244 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The frequency-following response (FFR) to periodic complex sounds has gained recent interest in auditory cognitive neuroscience as it captures with great fidelity the tracking accuracy of the periodic sound features in the ascending auditory system. Seminal studies suggested the FFR as a correlate of subcortical sound encoding, yet recent studies aiming to locate its sources challenged this assumption, demonstrating that FFR receives some contribution from the auditory cortex. Based on frequency-specific phase-locking capabilities along the auditory hierarchy, we hypothesized that FFRs to higher frequencies would receive less cortical contribution than those to lower frequencies, hence supporting a major subcortical involvement for these high frequency sounds. Here, we used a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) approach to trace the neural sources of the FFR elicited in healthy adults (N = 19) to low (89 Hz) and high (333 Hz) frequency sounds. FFRs elicited to the high and low frequency sounds were clearly observable on MEG and comparable to those obtained in simultaneous electroencephalographic recordings. Distributed source modeling analyses revealed midbrain, thalamic, and cortical contributions to FFR, arranged in frequency-specific configurations. Our results showed that the main contribution to the high-frequency sound FFR originated in the inferior colliculus and the medial geniculate body of the thalamus, with no significant cortical contribution. In contrast, the low-frequency sound FFR had a major contribution located in the auditory cortices, and also received contributions originating in the midbrain and thalamic structures. These findings support the multiple generator hypothesis of the FFR and are relevant for our understanding of the neural encoding of sounds along the auditory hierarchy, suggesting a hierarchical organization of periodicity encoding.
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Learning a Second Language in Adulthood Changes Subcortical Neural Encoding. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:8836161. [PMID: 33144853 PMCID: PMC7596456 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8836161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Second language learning has been shown to impact and reshape the central nervous system, anatomically and functionally. Most of the studies on second language learning and neuroplasticity have been focused on cortical areas, whereas the subcortical neural encoding mechanism and its relationship with L2 learning have not been examined extensively. The purpose of this study was to utilize frequency-following response (FFR) to examine if and how learning a tonal language in adulthood changes the subcortical neural encoding in hearing adults. Three groups of subjects were recruited: native speakers of Mandarin Chinese (native speakers (NS)), learners of the language (L2 learners), and those with no experience (native speakers of foreign languages (NSFL)). It is hypothesized that differences would exist in FFRs obtained from the three language experience groups. Results revealed that FFRs obtained from L2 learners were found to be more robust than the NSFL group, yet not on a par with the NS group. Such results may suggest that in human adulthood, subcortical neural encoding ability may be trainable with the acquisition of a new language and that neuroplasticity at the brainstem level can indeed be influenced by L2 learning.
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Giroud N, Baum SR, Gilbert AC, Phillips NA, Gracco V. Earlier age of second language learning induces more robust speech encoding in the auditory brainstem in adults, independent of amount of language exposure during early childhood. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2020; 207:104815. [PMID: 32535187 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2020.104815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Learning a second language (L2) at a young age is a driving factor of functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem. To date, it remains unclear whether these effects remain stable until adulthood and to what degree the amount of exposure to the L2 in early childhood might affect their outcome. We compared three groups of adult English-French bilinguals in their ability to categorize English vowels in relation to their frequency following responses (FFR) evoked by the same vowels. At the time of testing, cognitive abilities as well as fluency in both languages were matched between the (1) simultaneous bilinguals (SIM, N = 18); (2) sequential bilinguals with L1-English (N = 14); and (3) sequential bilinguals with L1-French (N = 11). Our results show that the L1-English group show sharper category boundaries in identification of the vowels compared to the L1-French group. Furthermore, the same pattern was reflected in the FFRs (i.e., larger FFR responses in L1-English > SIM > L1-French), while again only the difference between the L1-English and the L1-French group was statistically significant; nonetheless, there was a trend towards larger FFR in SIM compared to L1-French. Our data extends previous literature showing that exposure to a language during the first years of life induces functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem that remains stable until at least young adulthood. Furthermore, the findings suggest that amount of exposure (i.e., 100% vs. 50%) to that language does not differentially shape the robustness of the perceptual abilities or the auditory brainstem encoding of phonetic categories of the language. Statement of significance: Previous studies have indicated that early age of L2 acquisition induces functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem during processing of the L2. This study compared three groups of adult bilinguals who differed in their age of L2 acquisition as well as the amount of exposure to the L2 during early childhood. We demonstrate for the first time that the neuroplastic effect in the brainstem remains stable until young adulthood and that the amount of L2 exposure does not influence behavioral or brainstem plasticity. Our study provides novel insights into low-level auditory plasticity as a function of varying bilingual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Giroud
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH), Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Shari R Baum
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Annie C Gilbert
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Natalie A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH), Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Vincent Gracco
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Haskins Laboratories, Yale University, New Haven, United States
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Functional lateralization of tool-sound and action-word processing in a bilingual brain. HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY REPORT 2020. [DOI: 10.5114/hpr.2020.92718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Regalado D, Kong J, Buss E, Calandruccio L. Effects of Language History on Sentence Recognition in Noise or Two-Talker Speech: Monolingual, Early Bilingual, and Late Bilingual Speakers of English. Am J Audiol 2019; 28:935-946. [PMID: 31697566 DOI: 10.1044/2019_aja-18-0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Language history is an important factor in masked speech recognition. Listeners who acquire the target language later in life perform more poorly than native speakers. However, there are inconsistencies in the literature regarding performance of bilingual speakers who begin learning the target language early in life. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate speech-in-noise and speech-in-speech recognition for highly proficient early bilingual listeners compared to monolingual and late bilingual listeners. Method Three groups of young adults participated: native monolingual English speakers, bilingual Mandarin-English speakers who learned English from birth (early bilinguals), and native Mandarin speakers who learned English later in life (late bilinguals). All participants had normal hearing and were full-time college students. Recognition was assessed for English sentences in speech-shaped noise and two-talker English speech. Participants provided linguistic and demographic information, and late bilinguals completed the Versant test of spoken English abilities. Results All listeners performed better in speech-shaped noise than two-talker speech. Performance was similar for monolingual and early bilinguals. Late bilinguals performed more poorly overall. There was evidence for a stronger association between masked speech recognition and English dominance for late bilinguals compared to early bilinguals. Conclusion These results support the conclusion that bilingualism itself does not necessarily result in a disadvantage when recognizing masked speech in noise and speech in speech. For populations similar to those studied here (highly proficient early bilinguals), it would be appropriate to evaluate masked speech recognition using the same simple stimuli and normative data used for monolingual speakers of English.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Regalado
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Jessica Kong
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
| | - Emily Buss
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Lauren Calandruccio
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
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Moossavi A, Lotfi Y, Javanbakht M, Faghihzadeh S. Speech-evoked auditory brainstem response; electrophysiological evidence of upper brainstem facilitative role on sound lateralization in noise. Neurol Sci 2019; 41:611-617. [PMID: 31732889 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-019-04102-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Sound lateralization/localization is one of the most important auditory processing abilities, which plays approved role in auditory streaming and speech perception in challenging situations like noisy places. In addition to the main role of lower brainstem centers like superior olivary complex in sound lateralization, efferent auditory system effects on improving auditory skills in everyday auditory challenging positions were revealed. This study evaluated noise effects on lateralization scores in correlation with an objective electrophysiologic test (Speech-ABR in noise), which objectively shows cumulative effects of the afferent and efferent auditory systems at the inferior colliculus and upper brainstem pathway. METHOD Fourteen normal-hearing subjects in the age range of 18 to 25 participated in this study. Lateralization scores in the quiet and noisy modes were evaluated. Speech-ABR in both ears for quiet mode and three different contralateral noise levels (SNR = + 5, 0, - 5) were recorded, too. Correlation of lateralization scores and Speech-ABR changes in noise was studied. RESULTS Significant decrease of lateralization scores with latency increase and amplitude decrease of Speech-ABR transient peaks (V, A, O) was seen with noise presentation. A high positive correlation between lateralization decrease with latency increase of onset peaks (V, A) and amplitude decrease of transient peaks (V, A, O) was found in low signal-to-noise ratios. CONCLUSION The study revealed that in high challenging auditory situations like auditory lateralization in noise, upper brainstem centers and pathways play a facilitative role for main auditory lateralization centers in lower levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdollah Moossavi
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yones Lotfi
- Department of Audiology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohanna Javanbakht
- Department of Audiology, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Soghrat Faghihzadeh
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
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Krizman J, Kraus N. Analyzing the FFR: A tutorial for decoding the richness of auditory function. Hear Res 2019; 382:107779. [PMID: 31505395 PMCID: PMC6778514 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2019.107779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The frequency-following response, or FFR, is a neurophysiological response to sound that precisely reflects the ongoing dynamics of sound. It can be used to study the integrity and malleability of neural encoding of sound across the lifespan. Sound processing in the brain can be impaired with pathology and enhanced through expertise. The FFR can index linguistic deprivation, autism, concussion, and reading impairment, and can reflect the impact of enrichment with short-term training, bilingualism, and musicianship. Because of this vast potential, interest in the FFR has grown considerably in the decade since our first tutorial. Despite its widespread adoption, there remains a gap in the current knowledge of its analytical potential. This tutorial aims to bridge this gap. Using recording methods we have employed for the last 20 + years, we have explored many analysis strategies. In this tutorial, we review what we have learned and what we think constitutes the most effective ways of capturing what the FFR can tell us. The tutorial covers FFR components (timing, fundamental frequency, harmonics) and factors that influence FFR (stimulus polarity, response averaging, and stimulus presentation/recording jitter). The spotlight is on FFR analyses, including ways to analyze FFR timing (peaks, autocorrelation, phase consistency, cross-phaseogram), magnitude (RMS, SNR, FFT), and fidelity (stimulus-response correlations, response-to-response correlations and response consistency). The wealth of information contained within an FFR recording brings us closer to understanding how the brain reconstructs our sonic world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA. https://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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Olguin A, Cekic M, Bekinschtein TA, Katsos N, Bozic M. Bilingualism and language similarity modify the neural mechanisms of selective attention. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8204. [PMID: 31160645 PMCID: PMC6547874 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44782-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning and using multiple languages places major demands on our neurocognitive system, which can impact the way the brain processes information. Here we investigated how early bilingualism influences the neural mechanisms of auditory selective attention, and whether this is further affected by the typological similarity between languages. We tested the neural encoding of continuous attended speech in early balanced bilinguals of typologically similar (Dutch-English) and dissimilar languages (Spanish-English) and compared them to results from English monolinguals we reported earlier. In a dichotic listening paradigm, participants attended to a narrative in their native language while ignoring different types of interference in the other ear. The results revealed that bilingualism modulates the neural mechanisms of selective attention even in the absence of consistent behavioural differences between monolinguals and bilinguals. They also suggested that typological similarity between languages helps fine-tune this modulation, reflecting life-long experiences with resolving competition between more or less similar candidates. The effects were consistent over the time-course of the narrative and suggest that learning a second language at an early age triggers neuroplastic adaptation of the attentional processing system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Olguin
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
| | - Mario Cekic
- Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge, 15 JJ Thomson Ave, Cambridge, CB3 0FD, UK
| | - Tristan A Bekinschtein
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Napoleon Katsos
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, University of Cambridge, Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 9DA, UK
| | - Mirjana Bozic
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
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Hayakawa S, Marian V. Consequences of multilingualism for neural architecture. Behav Brain Funct 2019; 15:6. [PMID: 30909931 PMCID: PMC6432751 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-019-0157-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Language has the power to shape cognition, behavior, and even the form and function of the brain. Technological and scientific developments have recently yielded an increasingly diverse set of tools with which to study the way language changes neural structures and processes. Here, we review research investigating the consequences of multilingualism as revealed by brain imaging. A key feature of multilingual cognition is that two or more languages can become activated at the same time, requiring mechanisms to control interference. Consequently, extensive experience managing multiple languages can influence cognitive processes as well as their neural correlates. We begin with a brief discussion of how bilinguals activate language, and of the brain regions implicated in resolving language conflict. We then review evidence for the pervasive impact of bilingual experience on the function and structure of neural networks that support linguistic and non-linguistic cognitive control, speech processing and production, and language learning. We conclude that even seemingly distinct effects of language on cognitive operations likely arise from interdependent functions, and that future work directly exploring the interactions between multiple levels of processing could offer a more comprehensive view of how language molds the mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayuri Hayakawa
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Viorica Marian
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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