Attentional modulation of the cortical contribution to the frequency-following response evoked by continuous speech

Schüller A, Schilling A, Krauß P, Rampp S, Reichenbach T (2023)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Book Volume: 43

Pages Range: 7429-7440

Journal Issue: 44

DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1247-23.2023

Abstract

Selective attention to one of several competing speakers is required for comprehending a target speaker amongst other voices and for successful communication with them. It moreover has been found to involve the neural tracking of low-frequency speech rhythms in the auditory cortex. Effects of selective attention have also been found in subcortical neural activities, in particular regarding the high-frequency neural response at the fundamental frequency of speech, the speech-FFR. Recent investigations have, however, shown that the speech-FFR contains cortical contributions as well. It remains unclear whether these are also modulated by selective attention. Here we employed magnetoencephalography (MEG) to assess the attentional modulation of the cortical contributions to the speech-FFR. We presented both male and female participants with two competing speech signals and analyzed the cortical responses during attentional switching between the two speakers. Our findings revealed robust attentional modulation of the cortical contribution to the speech-FFR: the neural responses were higher when the speaker was attended than when they were ignored. We also found that, regardless of attention, a voice with a lower fundamental frequency elicited a larger cortical contribution to the speech-FFR than a voice with a higher fundamental frequency. Our results show that the attentional modulation of the speech-FFR does not only occur subcortically but extends to the auditory cortex as well.

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How to cite

APA:

Schüller, A., Schilling, A., Krauß, P., Rampp, S., & Reichenbach, T. (2023). Attentional modulation of the cortical contribution to the frequency-following response evoked by continuous speech. The Journal of Neuroscience, 43(44), 7429-7440. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1247-23.2023

MLA:

Schüller, Alina, et al. "Attentional modulation of the cortical contribution to the frequency-following response evoked by continuous speech." The Journal of Neuroscience 43.44 (2023): 7429-7440.

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