Human Auditory Cortical Activation during Self-Vocalization

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 6; no. 3; p. e14744
• Main Authors: Greenlee, Jeremy D. W., Jackson, Adam W., Chen, Fangxiang, Larson, Charles R., Oya, Hiroyuki, Kawasaki, Hiroto, Chen, Haiming, Howard, Matthew A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 03.03.2011; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Auditory Cortex - physiopathology; Auditory stimuli; Brain; Brain research; Cortex (auditory); Cortex (premotor); Electrodes; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; Evoked Potentials, Auditory - physiology; Experiments; Feedback; Female; Human subjects; Humans; Hypotheses; Information processing; Language; Male; Medical research; Middle Aged; Neuroscience; Neuroscience/Motor Systems; Neuroscience/Sensory Systems; Neurosurgery; Physiology/Motor Systems; Physiology/Sensory Systems; Playback; Self image; Sound processing; Speech; Speech - physiology; Studies; Time Factors; Waveforms; Young Adult; United States > US; Iowa City Iowa
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014744

During speaking, auditory feedback is used to adjust vocalizations. The brain systems mediating this integrative ability have been investigated using a wide range of experimental strategies. In this report we examined how vocalization alters speech-sound processing within auditory cortex by directly recording evoked responses to vocalizations and playback stimuli using intracranial electrodes implanted in neurosurgery patients. Several new findings resulted from these high-resolution invasive recordings in human subjects. Suppressive effects of vocalization were found to occur only within circumscribed areas of auditory cortex. In addition, at a smaller number of sites, the opposite pattern was seen; cortical responses were enhanced during vocalization. This increase in activity was reflected in high gamma power changes, but was not evident in the averaged evoked potential waveforms. These new findings support forward models for vocal control in which efference copies of premotor cortex activity modulate sub-regions of auditory cortex.